Australia Restrict Pakistan to 117 Despite Babar’s 41
HOBART: Australia’s bowlers put in a strong performance to dismiss Pakistan for a modest total in the final T20I of the three-match series at Bellerive Oval on Monday.
Choosing to bat first, Pakistan was restricted to 117 runs before being bowled out in the penultimate over.
The opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam didn’t get off to a solid start, with Farhan falling for just 9 off 7 balls in the second over.
Babar and Haseebullah Khan then steadied the innings with a 44-run stand for the second wicket. However, the partnership was broken when Adam Zampa dismissed Haseebullah for 24 off 19 balls in the seventh over.
Pakistan’s middle order crumbled quickly, with Usman Khan (3) and captain Salman Ali Agha (1) falling cheaply. Babar, who top-scored with 41 off 28 balls, was also bowled out by Zampa in the 13th over as Pakistan struggled at 91/5.
The visitors continued to lose wickets, slipping to 92/7 after two more dismissals in the following over. Shaheen Shah Afridi briefly fought back with a 16-run cameo, including two fours and a six, but Pakistan could only add one more run before being bowled out.
Aaron Hardie was the standout bowler for Australia, taking 3 wickets. Zampa and Spencer Johnson picked up two wickets each, while Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis claimed one each.
Australia already leads the series 2-0 and has an unassailable advantage in the final match.
