Australia thrash Pakistan in 2nd T20I to attain unassailable lead

SYDNEY: Spencer Johnson took five wickets to help Australia thump Pakistan in the second T20I and attain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.

Australia have won the toss and elected to bat first in the second T20I to level the three-match series in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)

Opening batters Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk came out all guns blazing, smashing Australia’s fastest fifty in T20I cricket in only 19 balls.

However, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan brought Haris Rauf into the attack, who provided the breakthrough with the wicket of Fraser-McGurk (20 off nine) in the fourth over with 52 runs on the board.

Abbas Afridi was brought in from the other end and he castled Matthew Short on the last over to leave Australia reeling to 56-3 in five overs. Short top-scored with 32 runs from 17 balls which featured four boundaries, including two sixes.

Pakistan bowlers prevented Australia from making a comeback as the hosts struggled to score freely while losing wickets at regular intervals.

Read: Babar Azam breaks two records for Pakistan in first Australia T20I

Abbas Afridi removed Hardie and Spencer Johnson on back-to-back deliveries in the last over but missed out on a hat-trick on the last ball of the innings.

Haris Rauf led the bowling attack with the figures of 4-22, while Abbas took 3-17. Sufiyan Muqeem grabbed two wickets and gave away 21 runs.

Australia opted to go with an unchanged side, that defeated Pakistan in the rain-effect first T20I in Brisbane. Meanwhile, Pakistan have replaced Haseebullah Khan with left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem.

Pakistan, lost the first PAK v AUS game after pacers and batter Glenn Maxwell led Australia to a commanding victory over the visitors in the rain-affected first T20I at The Gabba.

It is worth noting here that the Greenshirts thrashed Australia in the third and final ODI to secure their first series victory Down Under since 2002.

Playing XIs

Australia: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Josh Inglis (c)(wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah