- Urdu report is attached here
Lahore, 8 November 2019: An unbeaten first-wicket partnership between Aaron Finch and David Warner helped Australia beat Pakistan in the third T20I and secure the three-match series 2-0.
Finch and Warner stitched a 109-run stand which saw the hosts chase down a meagre 107-run target with 8.1 overs spare.
Australia captain Finch scored his 11th half-century in the format, with a solid 52 not out at a strike rate of 144.44. The right-handed opener cracked four fours and three sixes in his 36-ball stay at the crease.
From the other end, Warner cracked an unbeaten 35-ball 48. The left-handed opener smashed four fours and two sixes.
Australia, entering the contest 1-0 up in the series, elected to bowl after winning the toss - a decision which paid dividends.
Pakistan lost three wickets inside the Powerplay as Mitchell Starc removed Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on two consecutive deliveries of the third over of the innings and Sean Abbott, playing his first T20I in five years, got the wicket of Imam-ul-Haq (14 off 15) in the fifth over.
Iftikhar Ahmed followed up his 62 not out at Canberra with a 37-ball 45, hitting six fours. The right-handed middle-order batsman top-scored and kept the runs coming for the visitors with the wickets tumbling from the other end at regular intervals.
Abbott, later handed man of the match award, bowled tight lines and lengths, denying Pakistan batsmen any room to free their arms. The right-arm pacer sent across 16 dots in four overs and took two wickets for 14 runs.
Kane Richardson stood out with three wickets for 18 runs in his four overs, while Starc picked two wickets.
For Pakistan, Iftikhar and Imam were the only batsmen to enter double digits.
Australia and Pakistan now go head to head in a two-match Test series, commencing from 21 November. This will be Pakistan’s first World Test Championship assignment.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan 106-8, 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 45; Kane Richardson 3-18, Sean Abbott 2-14, Mitchell Starc 2-29)
Australia 109-0, 11.5 overs (Aaron Finch 52 not out, David Warner 48 not out)
