Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Monday, 24 March 2014 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell blasted six sixes in a sizzling 74 and featured in a century-plus stand with Aaron Finch (65) but their efforts proved in vain.
Australia lost quick wickets as David Warner and Shane Watson went in the first over before Maxwell came to the crease and set the stadium alight with some breathtaking power-hitting.
Finch played second fiddle and the duo’s dominance was in full display in the 12th over of the innings, sent down by a hapless Bhatti, which yielded 30 runs.
But when Maxwell departed after 33 balls of swashbuckling entertainment it triggered a collapse Australia could not recover from.
Put into bat, Umar Akmal fell six runs short of his maiden Twenty20 International century after his 54-run blitz powered Pakistan to 191 for five.
Pakistan, who looked determined to shrug off Friday’s defeat to arch-rivals India, were 25-2 in the fifth over when Umar walked in to join brother Kamran Akmal (31) and they shared a 96-run partnership in 8.3 overs.
The 23-year-old Umar received a let-off as Brad Hogg, who at the age of 43 became the oldest cricketer to play a Twenty20 International, dropped him in the deep when he was on 22.
But the right-hander looked unstoppable as he hit four sixes and nine fours before falling in the first ball off the final over.
Scores: Pakistan 191-5 in 20 overs (Umar Akmal 94, Kamran Akmal 31; Nathan Coulter-Nile 2-36) vs. Australia 175 all out in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 74, Aaron Finch 65; Zulfiqar Babar 2-26, Umar Gul 2-29, Shahid Afridi 2-30, Bilawal Bhatti 2-36).
