Australia capped off a dominant T20I series with a resounding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in Hobart, sealing a 3-0 sweep. Marcus Stoinis dazzled with a stunning unbeaten 61 off 27 balls, finishing the chase of 118 with 52 balls to spare after Aaron Hardie (3/21) and Adam Zampa (2/11) orchestrated Pakistan’s collapse.
Opting to bat, Pakistan started strongly, racing to 58/1 in the PowerPlay. Babar Azam’s fluent strokes and Sahibzada Farhan’s boundaries hinted at a competitive total, but Spencer Johnson’s extra bounce dismissed Farhan, sparking a dramatic collapse. Haseebullah (17) showed flashes of brilliance but fell to Zampa, initiating a middle-order implosion.
Hardie dismissed Usman Khan and Agha Salman in quick succession, while Zampa’s removal of Babar (41) dashed Pakistan’s hopes. Their innings, once promising, fizzled to 117 in 18.1 overs, with Jahandad Khan and Shaheen Afridi adding late blows to save further embarrassment.
In reply, Australia’s openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk fell cheaply, undone by Pakistan’s slower deliveries. But Stoinis, promoted to No. 4, stole the show. Unleashing a brutal assault, he plundered Haris Rauf for 22 runs in one over and Shaheen Afridi for 25 in another. His power-packed innings, laced with five sixes and four boundaries, ensured a swift finish as Australia cruised home in 11.2 overs.
The victory underlined Australia’s dominance throughout the series, with Stoinis’ heroics and the bowlers’ consistency paving the way for a perfect 3-0 result.
Brief Scores:
- Pakistan: 117 in 18.1 overs (Babar Azam 41; Aaron Hardie 3/21, Adam Zampa 2/11)
- Australia: 118/3 in 11.2 overs (Marcus Stoinis 61*; Abbas Afridi 1/14)
- Result: Australia won by seven wickets
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