In a thrilling display of spin-dominated cricket, Pakistan clinched a 22-run victory over Australia in the first Twenty20 international held in Lahore on Thursday. The match, which served as a crucial warm-up for the upcoming T20 World Cup, saw all-rounder Saim Ayub emerge as the standout performer for the home side.
Ayub's All-Round Excellence Leads Pakistan to Victory
Saim Ayub played a pivotal role in Pakistan's triumph, contributing significantly with both bat and ball. With the bat, he top-scored for Pakistan, smashing a brisk 40 runs off just 22 deliveries. His innings was laced with aggressive strokeplay, including two towering sixes and three well-timed boundaries, setting a solid foundation for the team's total.
Pakistan's Batting Innings: A Mixed Bag
Pakistan posted a competitive total of 168-8 in their allotted 20 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat first. The innings got off to a rocky start when paceman Xavier Bartlett dismissed Sahibzada Farhan with the very first ball of the match. However, Ayub and Salman Agha steadied the ship with a crucial second-wicket partnership of 74 runs.
Salman Agha provided valuable support, scoring 39 runs off 27 balls, which included four massive sixes and a boundary. Despite this promising start, Pakistan's momentum was checked by Australian spinner Adam Zampa, who delivered an impressive spell of 4-24. Zampa's breakthroughs included the dismissals of both Ayub and Agha in successive overs, followed by the wickets of Babar Azam (24) and Usman Khan (18).
Debutant Mahli Beardman also made an impact, finishing with figures of 2-33. As a result, Pakistan managed to score only 31 runs in the final five overs, highlighting the effectiveness of Australia's bowling attack in the death overs.
Australia's Chase Stifled by Pakistani Spinners
In response, Australia struggled to build partnerships and were restricted to 146-8 in their 20 overs. The Pakistani spin trio proved to be the difference-maker, collectively taking six wickets and applying relentless pressure on the Australian batters.
Saim Ayub continued his stellar performance with the ball, dismissing both Australian openers. He removed Matthew Short for just five runs and later accounted for Travis Head, who had shown glimpses of aggression with a 13-ball 23 that included two sixes and two fours. Cameron Green offered some resistance with a patient 36 off 31 balls, but the Australian innings ultimately succumbed to the spin web.
Abrar Ahmed was particularly economical, finishing with exceptional figures of 2-10, while Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan chipped in with a wicket each. The disciplined bowling effort ensured that Australia never gained momentum in their chase.
Post-Match Reactions and World Cup Preparations
Following the match, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha praised the collective effort of his team. "It was a great game with complete team effort," said Agha. "We started well with the bat but couldn't finish the way we wanted. It became challenging after the first 10 overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball."
On the other hand, Travis Head, who was standing in as captain for the rested Mitchell Marsh, expressed disappointment over Australia's batting performance. "It was disappointing, but that's how batting goes sometimes," Head remarked. "We felt like we dragged it back well after the first 10 overs but as the ball got softer, it became harder to score."
Looking Ahead: The Series and T20 World Cup
Both teams are using this series as a tuning exercise for the Twenty20 World Cup, which is scheduled to commence in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The remaining two matches of the series will be played on Saturday and Sunday, also in Lahore, providing further opportunities for both sides to fine-tune their strategies and combinations ahead of the global tournament.
This victory gives Pakistan an early advantage in the series and boosts their confidence as they prepare for the World Cup. The performance of young talents like Saim Ayub and the effectiveness of the spin attack will be key takeaways for the Pakistani team management.
