Green Shirts on Saturday set several new records during their dominant 90-run win over Australia in the second T20I of the three-match series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, the home side accumulated a massive total of 198/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of blistering half-centuries from captain Salman Ali Agha and wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan.
Agha top-scored with a 40-ball 76, studded with eight fours and four sixes, while Usman smashed six boundaries, including two sixes, on his way to a 36-ball 53.
Their batting prowess helped Pakistan register their highest score against Australia in T20Is, surpassing the previous best of 194/7, which they achieved during the league-stage match of the Zimbabwe-hosted tri-series in 2018.
Set to chase a daunting 199-run target, the 2021 champions’ batting unit was dismantled by Pakistan spinners, who shared all 10 wickets between them for the first time in the shortest format, while it was the second such occurrence during a T20I between two full-member nations.
Reigning champions India were the first team to achieve the feat during their fifth away T20I against West Indies in 2022.
Overall, in T20Is, however, it was the 10th instance when the spinners took all 10 wickets.
Leading Pakistan’s spin charge were Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan, who picked up three wickets each, followed by Usman Tariq with two, while Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with one apiece, as Australia were booked 108 in 15.4 overs and thus succumbed to a gruelling 90-run defeat.
Pakistan’s 90-run victory over Australia in the recently concluded fixture is now their largest against Australia in T20Is, bettering their 66-run triumph in the first T20I of the 2018 series, played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in 2018.
