LAHORE: Pakistan handed Australia its biggest-ever defeat in a Twenty20 just five days ahead of the T20 World Cup to sweep the series 3-0 on Sunday.
Pakistan’s commanding 111-run win in the third and final game eclipsed Australia’s previous biggest defeat when England registered a 100-run win at Southampton in 2005.
Australia, one of the title-contenders at the T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, continued to struggle against spinners as left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz grabbed a career-best 5-18 and the visitors were bowled out for 96 in 16.5 overs.
Pakistan, which won its third successive toss in the series, had earlier posted a daunting 207-6 – its highest-ever total in a T20 against Australia.
“From the last two days, we have been excellent in all departments, I can’t find any mistakes,” said Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. “We dominated them. I am in a great frame of mind right now. I know how to handle the captaincy when I go out to bat and I really want to do that in the World Cup as well.”
Opener Saim Ayub made 56 off 57 balls and Babar Azam, who had been under scrutiny for his strike rate in T20s, struck an unbeaten 50 off 36 balls. However, it was a blazing 46 off 19 balls by Shadab Khan, which included five sixes, that set Pakistan for a strong total.
Nawaz cashed in on the slow wicket and flummoxed Australia’s experienced batters after Shaheen Shah Afridi had clean bowled captain Mitchell Marsh (1) and Matt Renshaw (1) in his first two overs.
Marcus Stoinis, playing his first match of the series, top-scored with 23 while Cameron Green scored 22 before both were undone by Nawaz and were clean-bowled. Nawaz completed his five-wicket haul in his final over when Josh Philippe top-edged a slog sweep to mid-wicket and Khawaja Nafay had Cooper Connolly stumped.
Earlier, left-hander Ayub smashed six fours and two sixes, and contributed to a 69-run stand with Babar after captain Salman Ali Agha (5) and Fakhar Zaman (10) got out inside the power play.
Ayub fell to a spectacular diving catch by Renshaw at deep mid-wicket before Khawaja Nafay, selected as backup wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup, made a fearless 21 off 12 balls.
Babar had struggled at his new No. 4 batting slot, but anchored the innings well as Shadab smashed sixes and Pakistan scored 70 runs in the last five overs. Babar completed his half-century in the final over as Faheem Ashraf hit two boundaries after Shadab edged Ben Dwarshuis (2-39) in the penultimate over.
Green (1-43) bowled three expensive overs in the second half of the innings as Pakistan scored 200-plus for the first time in a T20 against Australia.
“Pakistan certainly outplayed us throughout the whole series,” said Marsh, who was rested in the first game. “Chasing is hard on that surface… we will take learnings from that. We will certainly address this series and look forward to the World Cup.”
Pakistan won the first match by 19 runs before beating Australia by 90 runs in the second.
