Batters fail to flatter in series finale as Pakistan register 3-0 series sweep of Australia
Match Report:
ScorecardPakistan complete T20 series sweep
Australia have slumped to a series whitewash defeat in the T20 series against Pakistan, losing the third and final game in Dubai by 33 runs.
Chasing 151 to win in the dead rubber, the tourists were bowled out for 117 with five balls to spare in a dismal ending to the tour of the UAE.
Aaron Finch's men again proved no match for the world's No.1-ranked T20 side, failing to build any substantial batting partnerships.
Image Id: A46780CCF75C4494BB2BABDB19CDBD89 Image Caption: Pakistan's bowlers proved very reliable // Getty ImagesThe tourists promoted Alex Carey to open alongside Finch, and the decision looked like a stroke of genius when Carey belted 20 off the first over including two sixes.
But Finch holed out at mid on in the second over and wicketkeeper Carey followed in the third, squirting a Mohammad Hafeez delivery to Faheem Ashraf in the same spot.
Legspinner Shadab Khan had Chris Lynn caught at deep midwicket on 15, leaving the white-ball powerhouse without a score of note for the series.
The situation was even worse for Ben McDermott, whose nightmare tour continued when he was run out for the third time in as many games.
Dear oh dear. A massive mix-up and McDermott is run out for the third time in three matches. He has to go for 21. Australia 4-62 (7.4) #PAKvAUS https://t.co/TyOX2Tb8ey— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 28, 2018
The Tasmanian made a badly misjudged attempt at a quick single after pushing to cover on 21 and Babar Azam's quick collect left him a mile short.
Glenn Maxwell (four), Mitch Marsh (21) and D'Arcy Short (10) fared little better, Marsh falling to Shadab courtesy of a superb diving catch by Shoaib Malik at long on
"We just panicked a little bit again," Finch said.
"Every time we've started to build a little bit of a partnership, we've lost a wicket. You lose momentum then and it's hard to drag back.
"Any time you lose 28 wickets in three games in T20 cricket, that's not going to win you many games at all. The partnerships are really important and we just didn't manage to get any of them going throughout the whole series."
Shadab (3-19) led the way for Pakistan's bowlers, while opening batsman Babar again tormented the tourists with a classy half-century.
Babar scored 50 in a 93-run opening stand with Sahibzada Farhan as the hosts posted 5-150 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Pakistan raced to 0-54 off the powerplay before Short and Adam Zampa stemmed the bleeding with some disciplined spin bowling.
Image Id: 8B9484970FB048B882CEE599947EEC65 Image Caption: Australia's bowlers celebrate a wicket // Getty ImagesBabar top-scored for the hosts for the third straight game before falling to Andrew Tye while Hafeez finished 32 not out.
Recalled spinner Nathan Lyon claimed his first ever T20 international wicket when Farhan sliced to Tye at long off, cutting short an innings in which he struck three sixes.
Marsh struck twice in his solitary over late in the innings.
Maxwell passed a pre-game fitness test, having been in some doubt after hurting his hamstring while fielding in Friday night's game.
Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (wk), Chris Lynn, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, D'Arcy Short, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (c,wk), Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Usman Shinwari
Qantas T20 Tour of the UAE
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Mitch Marsh (vc), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D'Arcy Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Mitch Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf
Oct 22: Australia beat UAE by seven wickets
Oct 24: Pakistan beat Australia by 66 runs
Oct 26: Pakistan beat Australia by 11 runs
Oct 28: Third T20, Dubai
*All matches against Pakistan start at 8pm local time, 3am the following day AEDT