World Cup-bound Australia have been given refuge in Lahore, cheated by the Pakistan spinners as they crumbled to a 90-run defeat and a T20I series capitulation.
Just hours after their squads for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka were announced, Mitch Marsh’s side, made up of nine World Cup players and desperate to make use of their absent big guns, simply could not match the hosts’ five-point spin attack on Saturday.
Losing the three-match series after just the second match was certainly not the way Marsh would have wanted them to warm up for the tournament that starts in 11 days’ time for Australia against Ireland in Colombo.
“Pakistan has outmatched us. Hopefully we can improve and come back tomorrow,” Marsh said, suggesting things will be different once the rest of his cavalry arrives.
“We have experienced guys who know that partnerships are very important in pursuits. We couldn’t do that today. So some really good lessons,” he said.
Having capitulated for just 108 wickets, with all ten wickets falling, in just the 16th over as they chased down Pakistan’s formidable 198-5, a second comprehensive defeat in three days on the low, slow Gaddafi Stadium track means any real advantage heading into Sunday’s third match has been taken away.
After Salman Agha won the toss and opted to take charge from the front for the hosts, hitting 76 off 40 balls with four thumping sixes, wicketkeeper Usman Khan kept the pressure on with a 35-ball half-century.
Bartlett (1-52) went with 13 left, and Matt Kuhnemann’s spin (1-40) was dumped before 10 over, with experienced legspinner Adam Zampa again the best choice for the Australian attack with his 1-27, while Cooper Connolly (1-30) also did well to avoid being mauled.
Zampa got Babar Azam lbw for just two with a beauty to continue Pakistan’s concerns about their batting hero’s poor run, but it was only a mini-success as Shadab Khan (28 off 20) partnered Usman for a late strike.
Chasing 199 always looked a pretty hopeless task and when Abrar Ahmed, the spinner nicknamed Harry Potter for his wizardry, trapped Marsh lbw in the third over before Saim Ayub (1-32) bowled Travis Head the next ball with one that stayed low, it soon felt hopeless.
Abrar (3-14) then got Josh Inglis (five) with a devilish error the next over, with only Cam Green’s sixth strike off Ayub, with two sixes and a four, providing a glimmer of hope before Matt Renshaw was trapped by Mohammad Nawaz for just two and Cooper Connolly was deflected for one by Shadab Khan (3-26).
When Green (35 off 20) clipped a simple catch to Usman Tariq (2-16), the fifth spinner to torment them after being introduced late into the attack, only Matt Short, fresh from the disappointment of being left out of the World Cup squad, could achieve any sort of final stand with his 27 off 23 balls.
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