Sydney, November 16,2024- Australia defeated Pakistan in the second T20 match to secure the three-match series with a 2-0 lead.
Chasing a target of 148 runs set by Australia, Pakistan was bowled out for 134. Usman Khan was the top scorer for Pakistan with an innings of 52 runs. In the match held in Sydney, Pakistan began its chase of Australia’s 147 runs but faltered early and struggled against the Australian bowlers.
Pakistan lost its first wicket at 12 runs when Babar Azam was dismissed after scoring just 3 runs. Sahibzada Farhan followed with a mere 5 runs, leaving Pakistan at 17-2. Captain Mohammad Rizwan managed 16 runs before being dismissed, bringing the score to 44-3. Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha returned to the pavilion without scoring, and Usman Khan, despite his fighting 52, was caught out at 102.
Pakistan’s collapse continued, with wickets falling rapidly. The sixth wicket fell at 106 runs, and Shaheen Afridi was bowled for a duck. The tailenders couldn’t contribute much, and Pakistan’s innings ended at 134 runs. Australian spinner Spencer Johnson claimed five wickets in a stellar bowling performance.
Earlier, Australia scored 147 for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Openers Matthew Short (32) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (29) provided an explosive start, reaching 52 runs within the first three overs. However, subsequent wickets, including captain Josh Inglis for a duck, slowed their momentum. Glenn Maxwell scored 21, Marcus Stoinis 14, Tim David 18, Aaron Hardie 28, and Xavier Bartlett 5 runs.
For Pakistan, Haris Rauf took four wickets, Abbas Afridi claimed three, and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up two. Australia’s decision to bat first after winning the toss proved successful as their bowlers defended the total efficiently, leading the team to a convincing victory.
