Glenn Maxwell’s fireworks and a clinical effort from Australia’s pace trio propelled the hosts to a comprehensive 29-run victory over Pakistan in the opening T20I at the Gabba. The rain-affected match, reduced to seven overs per side, saw Australia posting a daunting 93/4 before their bowlers dismantled Pakistan’s chase.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short gave Australia a brisk start, but it was Maxwell who stole the show. Entering after Fraser-McGurk’s dismissal, Maxwell unleashed a breathtaking display of reverse scoops and audacious hits, hammering four boundaries off Naseem Shah and smashing Shaheen Afridi for a six over third man. Haris Rauf temporarily stemmed the flow, but Marcus Stoinis closed out the innings in style with 16 runs in the final over.
Chasing 94, Pakistan faltered early. Despite a promising start by Sahibzada Farhan, Australia’s pace trio of Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett, and Nathan Ellis wreaked havoc. Bartlett and Ellis struck in quick succession, with Bartlett removing Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan, while Ellis scalped Babar Azam and Irfan Khan in consecutive balls.
A defiant cameo by Abbas Afridi (20) only narrowed the margin as Pakistan limped to 64/9. Ellis finished with figures of 3/9, Bartlett 3/13, and Johnson 2/21, sealing a dominant win for Australia and a 1-0 lead in the series.
Brief Scores:
- Australia: 93/4 in 7 overs (Glenn Maxwell 43, Marcus Stoinis 21*; Abbas Afridi 2/9)
- Pakistan: 64/9 in 7 overs (Abbas Afridi 20; Nathan Ellis 3/9, Xavier Bartlett 3/13)
- Result: Australia won by 29 runs
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