Australia secured a thrilling Twenty20 series victory over Pakistan with one match remaining at the picturesque Bellerive Oval on a tense Monday evening, following a nail-biting win in the final over of their second T20 clash.
The visiting team, often referred to as Australia’s B-team, appeared to be cruising towards an effortless series triumph when their momentum waned after amassing over fifty runs by the third over.
The team led by Mohammad Rizwan clawed back into contention as pacer Haris Rauf made a significant impact by dismissing Jake Fraser-McGurk and Josh Inglis in a crucial over, disrupting the set batters. Despite the setback, the Australians managed to post a respectable total, thanks in part to spirited performances from Aaron Hardie and Glen Maxwell.
In their quest to clinch the series, the Australian team set a challenging target of 148 runs for Pakistan to chase down.
The Australian skipper, Inglis, expressed uncertainty about their total of 147, admitting that the middle phase of their innings had been ‘exceptionally challenging,’ as Pakistan’s bowlers expertly adapted to the prevailing conditions. ‘There are so many options in this team,’ he noted, highlighting Spencer [Johnson]’s impressive performance, bringing him back into the attack and securing vital wickets.
Inglis acknowledged that captaincy posed ‘a tough challenge.’ On the other side, Pakistan’s skipper Rizwan was visibly disappointed after the match, attributing their loss to missed opportunities. ‘If you evaluate the entire match scenario, dropping crucial catches at decisive moments will inevitably cost you. Facing Australia, who are formidable opponents in these conditions, allowing them such chances only complicates things further,’ Rizwan elaborated.