Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in only T20

Lahore: Australia thrashed Pakistan by three wickets in the only T20 International match that was played at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. 

Australian captain Aaron Finch remained top scorer with 55. Shaheen, Mohammad Waseem and Usman Qadir took two wickets each for Pakistan.

Earlier, Australia decided to bowl after winning the toss against Pakistan.

Batting first, the national team scored 162 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Captain Babar Azam remained prominent by scoring 66 runs.

For Pakistan, captain Babar Azam once again performed brilliantly, playing an innings of 66 off 46 balls with the help of 2 sixes and 6 fours.

Mohammad Rizwan 23, Fakhr Zaman Safar, Asif Ali 3, Iftikhar Ahmed 13 and Hassan Ali 10, Khushdal Shah 24 and Shaheen Shah Afridi looted the pavilion at zero, Mohammad Wasim Jr. 2 and Usman Qadir remained unbeaten on 18.

Thus Pakistan scored 162 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

For the Kangaroos, Nathan Ellis took the most 4 wickets, Cameron Green took 2 wickets, Sean Abbott and Adam Zampa took 1.1 wickets each.

Pacer Nathan Ellis took four wickets to help Australia hold Pakistan to 162-8 in a Twenty20 International (T20I) despite an attractive half-century by Babar Azam in Lahore on Tuesday.

In the only T20I of the tour, Ellis returned figures of 4-28 and debutant Cameron Green 2-16 as Pakistan failed to reach a big score despite Azam's brisk 46-ball 66 with six fours and two sixes.

Azam, who hit back to back hundreds in Pakistan's 2-1 win in the One-Day International series, put on 66 for the opening wicket with Mohammad Rizwan (23) after Australia sent the home team in to bat at Gaddafi Stadium.

But Green dismissed Rizwan with the fourth ball of his first over and Fakhar Zaman off a full toss next ball to pull things for Australia.

Azam drove Green for a boundary to bring up his 26th T20I half-century off just 33 balls. He smashed spinner Adam Zampa for a six but next ball holed out at deep cover.

Khushdil Shah chipped in with 21-ball 24 but Pakistan managed 50 runs in the last five overs, losing five wickets.

Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Dwarshuis and Green were handed Twenty20 international debuts by Australia.

This is Australia's first tour of Pakistan since 1998, having previously refused to tour the country over security fears.

Teams
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Tv umpire: Asif Yaqoob (PAK)

Match referee: Mohammad Javed Malik

-- Additional input frpm AFP