Pakistan vs Australia Highlights 1st T20 at Lahore: PAK beat AUS by 22 runs to take lead in series

A few big hits by Xavier Bartlett can only shorten the margin of defeat for Australia. Bartlett finishes with 34 not out, the second highest score for the Aussies in the innings and Pakistan wrap up a solid 22-run victory in their favour.

PAK 168-8 beat AUS 146-8 by 22 runs

Abrar Ahmad has finished his quota of four overs with just 10 runs and a couple of wickets. The best bowler in this match for sure. In fact, all three Pakistani spinners have done really well.

AUS 126-8(18) need 43 runs in 12 balls

Another wicket for Abrar Ahmad. Josh Philippe wants to slog sweep this full ball into the stands but the connection is poor and he is caught at deep mid-wicket.

AUS 112-8(15.4)

Jack Edwards is the latest to depart now. Nothing going in Australia’s favour. Shadab Khan now picks up the wicket. Pakistan just continue to tighten the screws.

AUS 105-7(14)

Cameron Green wanted to hit the ball over long-off but he caught right at the edge of the boundary. Good catch from Babar Azam and Mohammad Nawaz gets a wicket. 36(31) for Green tonight and Australia’s hopes are as good as over now.

AUS 96-6(12.2)

Cameron Green helps Australia find a boundary after 21 deliveries. Big relief for the Aussies but the pressure is now rising on Australia to get a few big overs. The required run rate is now still under 10 though.

AUS 95-5(12)

Mitch Owen is done for the day and his wicket comes in the most unfortunate of ways. Mohammad Nawaz gets the ball and Cameron Green smashes it hard on his very first ball. The ball is hit hard down the ground and Nawaz gets his finger on it and the ball goes into the stumps. Owen is gone for 8.

AUS 80-5(10.1)

Abrar Ahmad has bowled with tremendous control so far. In his two overs, he has given just four runs and has already taken a wicket. Cameron Green and Mitch Owen have to stitch a partnership here.

AUS 80-4(10) need 89 from 60 balls

Cooper Connolly is gone for a two-ball duck and Australia are in huge trouble now. Abrar bowls it quicker and flatter. Connolly wants to go on the backfoot and cut the ball but it just shoots into the stumps.

AUS 68-4(7.3)

Matt Renshaw is gone for 15 off 11. Big wicket for Pakistan and it comes through miscommunication between Renshaw and his partner Cameron Green. Renshaw taps the ball into the leg side and wants a run but there is no run there and he is run out.

AUS 68-3(7.1)

Shadab Khan drops the ball short and Cameron Green just rocks on the backfoot to slam the ball hard down the ground to get a six. Very powerful shot from Green.

AUS 68-2(7); target 169

Pressure was rising on Cameron Green and he has responded with a couple of boundaries on the bowling of Salman Mirza. Matt Renshaw is on the other end right now finding his feet.

AUS 44-2(5)

Saim Ayub gets another wicket here and this one is a massive scalp. Travis Head wants to go big but the ball takes a leading edge and lands straight in the hands of Babar Azam at long-on. Head is out for 23 off 13. Ayub has two wickets in eight balls.

AUS 28-2(3.2)

Travis Head keeps going hard on the other end. Salman Mirza bowls it full and Head just hacks the ball across and gets a six over mid-wicket.

AUS 28-1(3)

Matt Short is out early. Just five runs from four balls. It is a carrom ball from Saim Ayub and Short is bowled. Travis Head is going hard on 17 off just 7.

AUS 21-1(1.5)

An eventful final over. Mahli Beardman took wickets on the third and fourth ball to come on a hat-trick which he could not take. He then bowled a no ball which was sent for four. In total, he gives nine runs in the over and Pakistan finish with a decent score.

PAK 168-8(20)

Mohammad Nawaz hits it high over mid-wicket to get a six. First boundary for Pakistan after 20 balls. Their innings has completely derailed after a brilliant start.

PAK 159-6(19)

Another wicket for Adam Zampa. His fourth of the night. Brilliant bowling from the leg-spinner and he finishes with 4/24 in four overs. Now he has sent back Usman Khan for 18 off 14. Just 12 runs from last three overs.

PAK 149-6(18)

Mahli Beardman gave away 21 runs in his first four overs but now he comes back well to give just four runs in the 17th over to further derail Pakistan’s innings. Usman Khan and Mohammed Nawaz right now in the middle.

PAK 146-5(17)

Fakhar Zaman is expected to be the X-factor for Pakistan but today he was really ordinary. Only 10 for the left-hander tonight and he takes 16 balls for it. Xavier Bartlett gets his second wicket.

PAK 142-5(16)

Adam Zampa finds Babar Azam’s pads and Australia go up in appeal. Umpire is unmoved but Australia review and it is a successful one. Babar Azam is out for 24 off 20.

PAK 124-4(14)

Babar Azam now upping the ante. He jumps out of the crease and launches Adam Zampa for a six on the first ball of the over.

PAK 121-3(13.1)

Just five runs from the 13th over bowled by Xavier Bartlett. Babar Azam is batting on 17 off 17 while Fakhar Zaman too is batting slow on 7 off 11.

PAK 115-3(13)

Pakistan have crossed 100 in 11 overs. Babar Azam finds his first boundary of the game. But he is still batting at a strike rate of under 100.

PAK 101-3(11)

Adam Zampa gets another wicket. Salman Ali Agha wants to put pressure on the leggie but Zampa is too smart. 39 off 27 for Agha tonight.

PAK 86-3(9.2)

Cameron Green is into the attack now and Salman Ali Agha continues to hit sixers. He welcomes Green with a six first ball. Meanwhile, Babar Azam has played 5 balls for his two runs so far.

PAK 85-2(9)

Adam Zampa flights the ball and Saim Ayub takes the bait. He goes for a big shot down the ground but holes out to long-on and is out for 40 off 22. A good innings for Ayub and Pakistan look set for a big score now. Babar Azam is out in the middle now.

PAK 74-2(7.4)

Promising fast bowler Mahli Beardman comes into the attack and Saim Ayub slams him for a four on the very first ball. Ayub then launches a six on the third ball. But Beardman does well to concede only 3 runs in the next four balls.

PAK 56-1(6)

A tight fifth over from Cooper Connolly and he gives away only five runs from this. But Pakistani batters Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha have done well to put up a decent foundation here.

PAK 43-1(5)

One six in every over so far from Pakistani batters but they are not finding boundaries consistently and also playing dot balls. All this means the run rate has still not touched nine despite some big shots.

PAK 26-1(3)

This is how modern batters bat. Saim Ayub puts the pressure back on Australia. Ayub jumps out of his crease and launches the ball into stands on the leg side. Bartlett finishes first over with eight runs and also a wicket.

PAK 8-0(1)

Xavier Bartlett has struck with the first ball of the match and Australia draw first blood right on the opening delivery. Farhan gives back a simple catch to Bartlett and Pakistan have been pushed back early.

PAK 0-1(0.1)