New Delhi: Australia defeated Pakistan 29 runs in a rain-truncated first T20I of a three-match series in Brisbane on Thursday.
Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bowl after the match was reduced to seven overs per side after a delayed start due to heavy rain and lightning. Only two bowlers were permitted to bowl two overs and three could bowl one each.
The home team posted 93/4 riding on a 19-ball 43 from man of the match Glenn Maxwell, who clubbed five fours and three sixes. Tim David (10) and Maarcus Stoinis (21 not out, 2×4, 1×6) also chipped in.
Pakistan then lost wickets in a heap while chasing, and could only reach 64/9 in their seven overs.
The visiting team lost Usman Khan (4), Babar Azam (3) and Irfan Khan (0) without adding a single run to the score, getting reduced from 16/2 to 16/5 by the third over.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan (8) and skipper Mohammad Rizwan (0) had earlier departed as Agha Salman (4) and Haseebullah Khan (12) failed to get going.
For Australia, Xavier Bartlett (3/13) and Nathan Ellis (2/9) were impressive with the ball while Adam Zampa claimed 2/11 in his one over.
Earlier, Australia threw their bat to every delivery bowled by the Pakistani bowlers, losing openers Matthew Short (7) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (9) cheaply.
But the Maxwell then took charge, pulling off unconventional reverse sweeps on Pakistan’s quicks, who had no clue how to stop the mercurial right hander.
Abbas Afridi (2/9) was the most successful bowler for Pakistan, who have earlier won the three match ODI serie between the two teams 2-1.
The ODI series victory was their first in Australia since 2002.
Australia beat Pakistan 29 runs in the first T20I of a three-match series that was reduced to seven overs a side because of rain and lightning in Brisbane on Thursday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
