Australia claimed a dominant T20I victory over Pakistan on Monday, completing a 3-0 series win after defeating the visitors in the final match at Bellerive Oval. Chasing a small target of 118, Australia reached it comfortably with 52 balls to spare and only three wickets down.
The start of Australia’s chase wasn’t smooth. Openers Jake Fraser-McGurk (2) and Matthew Short (18) were dismissed early, leaving the team at 30 for two in just four overs. However, captain Josh Inglis stepped up to stabilize the innings. He partnered with Marcus Stoinis to add 55 runs for the third wicket. Inglis made 27 off 24 balls, hitting four boundaries, before he was dismissed in the 10th over.
Once Inglis was out, Stoinis took charge and guided Australia to victory. He scored a match-winning 67 not out from just 27 balls, including five sixes and five fours. This was Stoinis’ fifth T20I half-century and it powered Australia across the line in just 11.2 overs.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Abbas Afridi each took one wicket but couldn’t stop the Australian onslaught.
Earlier, Pakistan chose to bat first but struggled. They were bowled out for 117, with the last wicket falling on the first ball of the penultimate over. Openers Sahibzada Farhan (9) and Babar Azam (41) couldn’t get Pakistan off to a solid start. Farhan was out early, while Babar and Haseebullah Khan added a steady 44-run partnership for the second wicket.
Haseebullah, who scored 24 off 19 balls, was dismissed by Adam Zampa in the seventh over. After his dismissal, Pakistan lost quick wickets. Usman Khan (3) and captain Salman Ali Agha (1) were both out cheaply. Zampa then bowled Babar Azam out in the 13th over, leaving Pakistan struggling at 91 for five.
Babar, who was the top scorer for Pakistan, made 41 from 28 balls, hitting four boundaries. But the rest of the team could not build on his knock, and Pakistan was dismissed for 117.
