- Scorecard available here
Sydney, 16 November 2024: Australia’s left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson bagged a five-wicket haul as Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series over Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday evening. Pakistan fell 13 runs short in pursuit of the 148-run target as Usman Khan’s half-century went in vain.
Earlier, Haris Rauf’s four for 22 and Mohammad Abbas Afridi’s boundary-less 3-17 in four overs helped Pakistan restrict Australia below 150. Sufiyan Moqim backed the pace attack with a tight four-over spell of 2-21.
Haris, who also became the joint leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in T20Is equaling Shadab Khan’s tally of 107, put brakes on Australia’s fiery start, 52-0 in 3.3 overs, by eking out two wickets in the same over. An over later Abbas Afridi also struck to remove Australia’s top-scorer Matthew Short (32, 17b, 2x4s, 2x6s) as they finished the powerplay with 61-3 on the board.
Sufiyan dismissed Glenn Maxwell (21, 20b, 2x4s) and Marcus Stoinis (14, 15b, 1x4) in the 10th and 12th over, respectively as Australia were 95-5 in 11.3 overs. Aaron Hardie’s 23-ball 28 laced with a four and a six took Australia to 147-9 as they managed only 32 runs for three wickets in the last five overs.
In turn, Pakistan put on 30 runs for two wickets in the powerplay. Usman, who hit his maiden T20I half-century (52, 38b, 4x4s, 1x6), walked in to bat at No.4 and joined forces with Muhammad Irfan Khan (37 not out, 28b, 4x4s, 1x6) to lift Pakistan from 44-4 to 102-5 with a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket.
After Usman fell in the 16th over, Pakistan lost their remaining five wickets for just 32 runs with Johnson completing his four over spell with 5-26 and Adam Zampa with 2-19.
The last match of the series will be played on Monday, 18 November at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Scores in brief:
2nd T20I – Australia beat Pakistan by 13 runs
Australia 147-9, 20 overs (Matthew Short 32, Aaron Hardie 28, Glenn Maxwell 21, Jake Fraser McGurk 20; Haris Rauf 4-22, Mohammad Abbas Afridi 3-17, Sufiyan Moqim 2-21)
Pakistan 134 all out, 19.4 overs (Usman Khan 52, Muhammad Irfan Khan 37 not out; Spencer Johnson 5-26, Adam Zampa 2-19)
Player of the match – Spencer Johnson (Australia)
