Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan sealed a T20 series victory over Australia with a dominant 90-run win at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, even as uncertainty continued over their participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Spinners played a key role as Australia were bowled out for just 108 in 15.4 overs while chasing 199. Leg-spinners Abrar Ahmed (3-14) and Shadab Khan (3-26) led the charge and shared most of the wickets.
Earlier, captain Salman Ali Agha’s 76 off 40 balls and Usman Khan’s 53 off 36 balls helped Pakistan post 198-5 after winning the toss and choosing to bat on a slow surface. Pakistan made a strong start and reached 72-2 in the powerplay, with Agha attacking both spin and pace confidently. However, Babar Azam continued to struggle in his new No. 4 role and he managed only 2 runs before getting out lbw.After the match, Agha said, “I can easily say it was a perfect game for us and we want to replicate it tomorrow. I promoted myself at No. 3 because I know I can play spin well and intend to do the same in Sri Lanka.” Pakistan are scheduled to play their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, as the tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7.Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup remains unclear after the PCB cancelled the official unveiling of the team’s jersey, citing “unavoidable circumstances.” Reports suggest the board is waiting for government approval before confirming involvement.Australia struggled against spin throughout their innings. Travis Head fell cheaply again, while Mitchell Marsh scored 18 before getting out to Abrar. Josh Inglis and Matt Renshaw also failed to build partnerships. Cameron Green top-scored with 35 but could not prevent defeat.Australian captain Mitchell Marsh admitted, “They put us under great pressure in the power play. It was probably a 160-170 wicket. We have got experienced guys who know that partnerships are really important in run-chases. We were not able to do that today, so some really good lessons.”The T20I series is already in Pakistan’s pocket with a 2-0 edge. However, they will look to pull off a series sweep, which will be a massive boost in their T20 World Cup preparation.
