Australia’s Spencer Johnson celebrates with teammates after taking his fifth wicket of Pakistan’s Abbas Afridi.
| Picture Credit score: AAP Picture by way of Reuters
Australia speedster Spencer Johnson claimed a maiden five-wicket haul in worldwide cricket because the hosts edged out Pakistan by 13 runs within the second Twenty20 Worldwide on Saturday (November 16, 2024) to clinch the three-match sequence 2-0.
Chasing 148 to win, Pakistan made a sluggish begin and have been reeling at 44-4 at one stage after shedding Mohammad Rizwan for 16 and Salman Agha for a first-ball duck as Johnson ripped by the highest order with three wickets.
Usman Khan hit his first half-century after being dropped by Matthew Brief however fell for a defiant 52 as Johnson struck once more in his last spell.
Johnson then eliminated Abbas Afridi for 4 to complete with 5-26 earlier than Irfan Khan launched one other counter-attack with an unbeaten 37 however he couldn’t take the vacationers over the road regardless of solely 16 required from the ultimate over.
Pakistan have been ultimately dismissed for 134 when Haris Rauf was run out as Australia’s second-string tempo assault confirmed they might get the job performed once more with their frontline seam lineup rested forward of the India take a look at sequence.
“It’s a chance I don’t take calmly,” mentioned man-of-the-match Johnson. “I’m privileged to be carrying the inexperienced and gold.
“You by no means know when your final sport goes to be for Australia, so each sport is a bonus. Hopefully I can play a pair extra,” added the 28-year-old.
“It’s a unique bowling unit than we’re used to for Australia and hopefully we’re doing a adequate job.”
Pakistan recovered from an early onslaught by Australia’s opening batsmen to limit the hosts to 147-9 regardless of a number of dropped catches as Rauf completed with 4-22 and Abbas Afridi bagged 3-17.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Brief hit 5 boundaries and three sixes between them within the first 15 balls of the competition on the Sydney Cricket Floor as Australia reached 50 runs in solely 3.1 overs after electing to bat first.
Pakistan hit again by Rauf, who had Fraser-McGurk caught for 20 whereas he tried a cross-batted hit after which removed skipper Josh Inglis for a duck two deliveries later due to a diving catch by Sufiyan Muqeem.
Brief missed a slower one from Abbas Afridi to fall for 32 and Marcus Stoinis was dismissed by Muqeem for 14 after he had twice survived as a consequence of some sloppy catching by Salman Agha and Shaheen Afridi.
Glenn Maxwell shook off a top-edge that rattled his helmet grill and regarded to speed up however he holed out towards Muqeem for 21 to depart Australia in a little bit of hassle at 95-5.
One other dropped catch, this time by Babar Azam, handed the damaging Tim David a lifeline and he carted Rauf for 2 fours within the fifteenth over earlier than changing into the seamer’s third sufferer.
Rauf then castled Xavier Bartlett for his 107th T20I wicket to hitch Shadab Khan atop Pakistan’s all-time checklist.
Pakistan gained the previous one-day worldwide sequence 2-1 earlier than a 29-run defeat within the rain-shortened T20 sequence opener.
The third and last match takes place in Hobart on Monday (November 18, 2024).
Printed – November 17, 2024 02:07 am IST
