HARARE: Opener D’Arcy Short made the most of a recall to Australia’s playing XI with a 53-ball 76 against Pakistan in the Twenty20 tri-series final at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Australia captain Aaron Finch chipped in with 47, but Pakistan broke through repeatedly in the latter stages of the innings to keep Australia to 183 for 8.
Pakistan held their own at the death to keep Australia to under 200, but had made a scrappy start in the field.
Finch was given a first-ball reprieve when he was dropped by Shoaib Malik in the deep after top-edging a hook, and several misfields allowed any pressure with the new ball to be immediately dissipated.
Finch punished Pakistan for their errors by cracking two fours and three sixes during the course of a 95-run opening stand.
Short was also dropped just after he had reached a 39-ball fifty, but could not better his previous T20I high score of 76, driving a length delivery from teenage seamer Shaheen Afridi straight to debutant Sahibzada Farhan in the covers.
Between their blunders, Pakistan also offered enough glimpses of brilliance in the field to prevent Australia running away with the game.
Having dropped Short previously, Shadab Khan pulled off a one-handed stunner at mid off to get rid of Alex Carey, and Pakistan finally found their mojo to run through Australia’s lower middle order.
Mohammad Amir took two wickets in the final over to finish with figures of 3 for 33, the pick of Pakistan’s attack as Australia slipped from 146 for 2 in the 16th over, losing 6 for 31 before a last ball edge off Jhye Richardson’s bat took them beyond 180.
Short cracks 76 to help Australia to 183 against Pakistan
Short cracks 76 to help Australia to 183 against Pakistan
Silva scores late equalizer as Dortmund grab 2-2 draw at Leipzig
- Silva then seized his moment with a left footed shot five minutes into extra time
- Dortmund remained unbeaten in their last eight away games
LEIPZIG, Germany: Fabio Silva grabbed a stoppage time equalizer as Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 at RB Leipzig to trim Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga lead to eight points on Saturday.
Second placed Dortmund had been heading for defeat after Christoph Baumgartner scored twice from close range in the first half.
The visitors came back after the break and their hopes were revived by a Romulo own goal five minutes into the half but they were still staring at defeat as the clock ticked into an added seven minutes.
Silva then seized his moment with a left footed shot five minutes into extra time.
Dortmund remained unbeaten in their last eight away games but their six match winning run came to an end at the Red Bull Arena.
Max Beir had looked like putting them ahead when he broke clear and went one-on-one on goal for Dortmund after eight minutes, but his shot was straight at goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt, and then Leipzig took control.
Baumgartner made the breakthrough in the 20th minute when Yan Diomande, in sparkling form, sent a low cross into the box for him to glance in right-footed with his back to the net.
The goal was given after an offside check.
Baumgartner took his 10th goal of the season and doubled his tally in the 39th with a perfectly timed run to tap in a cross from David Raum as the hosts ripped Dortmund apart down the left.
Leipzig, with just one win from their last six outings, stayed fifth in the standings, one point behind VfB Stuttgart who have a game in hand.
Harry Kane struck his eighth brace of the season as Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 in an earlier kickoff. Dortmund host Bayern next week.
