Fakhar fires to sink lacklustre Aussies

The result: Pakistan 7-194 (Fakhar 73, Talat 30, Asif 37 not out Tye 3-35) defeated Australia 7-149 (Carey 37 not out, Afridi 3-37) by 45 runs.

The match in a tweet: With the No.1 T20 ranking up for grabs, Australia falter after two dominant wins with Pakistan proving too good in Harare #AUSvPAK

The bounce back: Just three days after Pakistan managed just four sixes against a rampant Australia earlier this week, they came out with a point to prove after being sent in to bat on Thursday, smashing nine maximums on the small Harare Sports Club ground. Their middle order, comprising of Shoaib Malik and Asif Ali combined for 64 from just 33 balls just as Australia threatened again to steamroll Pakistan, posting an eventually unreachable 7-194 from their 20 overs.

The partnership: Australia were pushed for the first time this tournament, as Fakhar Zaman and Hussain Talat combined for 72 runs after Haris Sohail was dismissed for a golden duck. The two contributed 12 fours and four sixes, opting to attack the frontline quicks. Finch turned to Ashton Agar (0-27 off two overs) and Glenn Maxwell (1-30, three overs) to quell the run flow, and after some early punishment, Maxwell finally broke the stand paving the way for the quicks to return.

The teenage speedster: It was quite the breakthrough for Shaheen Afridi in just his second international game, claiming Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and D’Arcy Short for his first scalps at this level. He caught the inside edge of Finch to have him caught behind before troubling Maxwell and eventually forcing a false shot to trap the big-hitter in front for his second. The left-armer then completed his haul when he sent Short's stumps cartwheeling. If today’s effort is anything to go by, Pakistan have the makings of yet another world-class quick in their artillery. 

The rare miss: Aaron Finch’s 16 today against Pakistan was the first time he’d been dismissed for less than 84 in T20 cricket in 2018. The Australia captain’s scintillating form, which has seen him post 414 runs in seven attempts, carried Australia to a pair of wins almost single-handedly in Harare, but was squared up by Afridi, exiting in the fifth over and leaving Australia’s middle-order with a mountain of work to do.

Tye-Riffic bowling: Australia’s short-form specialist Andrew Tye again took three wickets, taking his tally to nine from a trio of matches in Harare. The West Australian sits atop the world’s leading T20 wicket-takers in 2018, with 22 scalps from ten matches, seven more than the next best in Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Tye’s variation in the middle and death overs has proved pivotal in Australia’s resurgence in the shortest format.

The next stop: Having missed the chance to usurp Pakistan atop the ICC's T20 team rankings, Australia face Zimbabwe in their final group match tomorrow before once again meeting Pakistan in Sunday’s T20 Tri-Series final.

Qantas Tour of Zimbabwe

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Usman Khan Shinwari, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sahibzada Farhan.

Zimbabwe squad: Hamilton Masakadza (c), Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Malcolm Waller, PJ Moor, Tendai Chisoro, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Ryan Burl, Solomon Mire, Wellington Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Ryan Murray

July 1: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 74 runs

July 2: Australia beat Pakistan by 9 wickets

July 3: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 100 runs

July 4: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final