Australia won the second T20I by 13 runs against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. After dominating at The Gabba, Josh Inglis and Co. had their fair share of troubles at the SCG, but Spencer Johnson’s five-wicket haul sealed the deal for the home team. Pakistan will be aiming to avoid a whitewash in the third T20I on November 18 in Hobart.
Haris Rauf breathes fire
After opting to bat first, Australia got off to a stupendous start as Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk put on 52 runs for the opening wicket off 3.4 overs. But after Haris Rauf dismissed Fraser-McGurk, who made a quick-fire 32 off 17 balls, Australia lost a significant amount of momentum.
Australia vs Pakistan, 2nd T20I Highlights
Rauf kept breathing fire as he sent back Josh Inglis for a duck in the same over. Abbas Afridi joined the party to get rid of Short, who was looking ominous after scoring 32 off 17. Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David scored 21, 14 and 28 respectively, but none of them could go over a run-a-ball.
Aaron Hardie injected some momentum with a 28-run knock, but it could only take Australia to 147 for nine. Rauf was the standout Pakistani bowler with figures of 4-0-22-4, becoming their joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is. Abbas Afridi and debutant Sufiyan Muqeem took three and two scalps respectively.
Spencer Johnson runs through Pakistan
Pakistan lost the early wickets of Babar Azam and Sahibzada Farhan after Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson dismissed them respectively. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan had a torrid time as he scored 16 runs off 26 balls before Johnson ended his miserable day in the 10th over.
After losing Salman Ali Agha for a golden duck, Pakistan were reduced to 44 for four in 9.3 overs. Irfan Khan and Usman Khan restored sanity to proceedings with a 58-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Johnson was stupendous for the Aussies after he finished with figures of 4-0-26-5.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Muqeem fell for ducks. With 16 runs needed off the last over, Nathan Ellis held his nerves as Pakistan were bowled out for 134 in 19.4 overs. Irfan tried his heart out with a knock of 37 runs off 28 balls, but his valiant efforts went in vain.
