LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) – Pakistan achieved its biggest win by runs against Australia in a Twenty20 with a margin of 90 and sealed the series with a game to spare on Saturday. Australia fielded a stronger side after losing the opener of the three-match series by 19 runs but was bowled out for 108 in 15.4 overs in reply to Pakistan’s 198-5.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan achieved its biggest win by runs against Australia in a Twenty20 with a margin of 90 and sealed the series with a game to spare on Saturday.
Australia fielded a stronger side after losing the opener of the three-match series by 19 runs but was bowled out for 108 in 15.4 overs in reply to Pakistan's 198-5.
Leg-spinners Abrar Ahmed (3-14) and Shadab Khan (3-26) shot out the Australians on another slow Gaddafi Stadium pitch.
Captain Salman Ali Agha's 76 off 40 balls and Usman Khan's 53 off 36 balls propped up Pakistan's tall total.
"I can easily say it was a perfect game for us and we want to replicate it tomorrow (in the last T20)," Agha said. "I promoted myself at No. 3 because I know I can play spin well and intend to do the same in Sri Lanka (at the T20 World Cup)."
Pakistan will be based in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by India and starts next weekend.
Australian batters failed to read the googlies and leg-breaks of Abrar and Shadab.
Travis Head (4) was clean-bowled for the second straight game by Saim Ayub's off-spin delivery that kept low. Fellow opener and captain Mitchell Marsh, who skipped the first T20, smashed two sixes and 18 runs but was trapped plumb lbw by Abrar in the third over.
Cameron Green high-scored for Australia with 35 and Matthew Short added 27.
Matt Renshaw, who was added to the World Cup squad on Saturday in place of Short, holed out to long off on 2 to left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz's fuller delivery.
"They put us under great pressure in the powerplay," Marsh said. "It was probably a 160-170 wicket."
Earlier, Agha was aggressive in his recent transformation at No. 3 as Pakistan sped to 72-2 inside the powerplay. Agha reached his half-century in just 25 balls while dominating the spin through strong sweeps and lofting the fast bowlers inside out over extra cover. Agha hit four sixes and eight boundaries
Babar Azam continued to struggle at his new No. 4 batting position and was pinned lbw by Adam Zampa on 2.
Usman picked up after Agha left with a brisk half-century before he fell in the final over after holing out at deep midwicket.
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