Category: Pakistan Cricket

• Pakistan 117; Australia 118 for three
• Glenn Maxwell limps off after pulling up in the field

A hamstring injury to Glenn Maxwell was the only dampener as Marcus Stoinis helped Australia thrash Pakistan by seven wickets to seal a clean sweep in their three-game Twenty20 series.

The all-rounder Maxwell limped off with a suspected low-grade issue in Hobart on Monday night after pulling up sore while fielding. He was not required to bat and will have almost a month to recover for the Melbourne Stars’ Big Bash League season opener against Perth on 15 December.

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• Second T20, SCG: Australia 147-9, Pakistan 134 all out
• Johnson’s 5-26 secures unassailable 2-0 series lead

Spencer Johnson produced the greatest-ever figures by an Australian quick in a men’s Twenty20 international to bowl his side to a 13-run win over Pakistan.

With Australia defending 9-147 at the SCG on Saturday night, Johnson bagged five for 26 with the ball to have Pakistan all out for 134 and help the hosts to an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

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A riotous opening partnership and Spencer Johnson’s maiden five-for gave Australia a series-clinching victory at the SCG

Haris Rauf comes into the attack. Short works him for two to bring up the fifty in just 3.1 overs, a record for Australia in T20 cricket. Pakistan are already in death-bowling mode, with lots of variations, and it has brought the first wicket.

Fraser-McGurk is hit in the gut by a slower ball, then swats a very short ball high over extra cover. Salman Agha backpedals to take an excellent catch; Fraser-McGurk goes for 20 from 9 balls.

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• Australia 93-4; Pakistan 64-9 (seven overs each)
• Game at the Gabba delayed after lightning and rain

Glenn Maxwell went wild with the bat, then Xavier Bartlett ripped apart Pakistan’s top order as Australia dominated a seven-over Gabba Twenty20 slog to win by 29 runs.

Lightning and heavy rain reduced Thursday’s series opener in Brisbane to a seven-overs-a-side contest, and it was one-way traffic as soon as Maxwell (43 off 19) strode to the crease. His brazen innings featured boundaries to all corners of the ground, before Marcus Stoinis chimed in with 21 off seven balls, including 10 off the final two balls of the innings as Australia finished on 93 for four. The visitors could only muster 64 for nine in their allotment as Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

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• 3rd ODI: Pakistan, 143-2, beat Australia, 140-9, by 8 wkts
• Pakistan seal first series win over in Australia in 22 years

Cooper Connolly suffered what could be a fractured hand as Australia surrendered their one-day international series to Pakistan after another disastrous display with the bat.

Australia, missing Test stars Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, finished with a paltry 140 from 31.5 overs on Sunday, with Connolly unable to return after retiring hurt on seven. In reply, Pakistan reached the victory target with 139 balls to spare to wrap up an eight-wicket win and a 2-1 series triumph over the world champions. It marked Pakistan’s first series win over the Aussies in Australia in 22 years.

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• Pakistan 203; Australia 204-8
• Cummins key to haul hosts over the line at the MCG

Ultra-aggressive Australia almost fumbled a certain victory, but eventually steadied after a lightning quick spell from Haris Rauf to beat Pakistan by two wickets in the first ODI at the MCG.

Chasing just 204, Australia crumbled to 139 for six in the 21st over as Rauf skittled the middle-order when the hosts were trying to end the game as quickly as possible. But the captain Pat Cummins (32 not out), playing his first ODI since last year’s stunning World Cup final triumph, was again there at the end in a tight chase as Australia got home with 99 balls to spare. One of the best quicks of his generation, Cummins has quickly become a specialist run-chaser in the last 18 months after being involved in two close Test wins and three ODI victories.

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Top marks for Noman Ali and Sajid Khan who surprisingly impressed but a series to forget for Ben Stokes

By Gary Naylor for the 99.94 Cricket Blog

Ben Stokes (53 runs at 13.3; no wicket for 33 runs; three catches)

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• Josh Inglis only inclusion who is a chance of making Test squad
• Australia to host three ODIs before three T20s against Pakistan

Australia have opted to leave out all of their first-choice Test XI for the upcoming Twenty20 series against Pakistan so they can prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

After facing Pakistan in three ODIs, starting on 4 November, Australia will then take on the same opposition in the shortest format of international cricket.

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Ben Stokes’s side may need to go back to basics after spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan exposed a lack of focus

The sun was only just coming up in England when the last wicket went down in Pakistan. Jack Leach was deftly stumped by Mohammad Rizwan as he came galumphing down the pitch to swing and miss at a wide, of all things. Noman Ali had bowled the ball out there deliberately, fast and flat after he saw Leach coming.

It was a simple trick, like an uncle bewitching his nephew by pretending to tug off his thumb. England had a pyrrhic lead of 35 at the time, and on television Ramiz Raja lost the run of himself and prematurely called a famous victory for Pakistan.

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