Australia’s makeshift crew have suffered a tame 22-run defeat in their first T20 international outing against Pakistan in Lahore despite the best efforts of their evergreen spinner Adam Zampa.
In a shadow side featuring three newcomers and without a host of top names as the World Cup looms, it was left to their all-time leading T20 wicket-taker Zampa to spearhead their push with his excellent 4-24 at the Gaddafi Stadium that did most to restrict Pakistan to 8-168 in the first of the three-match series.
Australia’s Xavier Bartlett, second left, and Adam Zampa, third right, and Pakistani players walk off the field on the end of their T20 cricket match in Lahore, Pakistan.Credit: AP
But Australia’s reply on Thursday proved a disappointment, and once stand-in captain Travis Head had departed for 23 after an early brisk cameo and Cameron Green had holed out on 36, they never looked like approaching their target, finishing on 8-146.
The impressive Xavier Bartlett, who’d earlier been Zampa’s best support with the ball with his 2-26, did at least give it a belated go, smiting an unbeaten 34 off 25 balls, but the game had already gone as Pakistan’s spinners strangled the Aussie middle-order.
It left Pakistan savouring their first victory in a T20 against Australia for nearly seven years and after seven straight defeats, which they’ll see as a boost going into the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month.
Australia, though, looked predictably short of weaponry with captain Mitch Marsh rested and without the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell and Tim David, whose pre-Cup injury concerns left them unavailable.
Australia’s Mahli Beardman, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Pakistan’s Shadab Khan.Credit: AP
Of the three debutants, Test batter Matt Renshaw got run out for 15 after a horrendous mix-up with Green, and allrounder Jack Edwards went for a wicketless 25 off his two overs and failed with the bat (five).
But at least there was some cheer for the 20-year-old Perth Scorchers quick Mahli Beardman, who after getting his first ball dispatched for six by Saim Ayub and going for 13 off his first over, recovered impressively and, handed the death over, ended up with two tail-end wickets in successive balls.
