Spencer Johnson’s all-round brilliance—taking 5 wickets for 26 runs and scoring a quick-fire 32 off 17 balls—guided Australia to a thrilling 13-run win over Pakistan, securing a 2-0 victory in the three-match T20I series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Chasing a modest target of 148, Pakistan was bowled out for 134, despite a valiant 52 off 38 balls from Usman Khan. Late resistance from Irfan Khan (37* off 28) kept Pakistan in the game, but they lost wickets rapidly after Usman’s dismissal.
Babar Azam made his return as an opener alongside Mohammad Rizwan, but his comeback was short-lived, dismissed by Xavier Bartlett for a run-a-ball 1. The pressure mounted on Rizwan, who struggled to get going, taking 26 balls to score just 16 runs before being dismissed by Johnson in a stellar spell.
The collapse continued as wickets tumbled with McGurk’s fall marking the beginning of a rapid slide.
Australia’s top scorer was D’Arcy Short, who made 32 from just 17 balls. Contributions from Aaron Hardie (28) and Glenn Maxwell (21) helped Australia post a competitive total, while Tim David (18 from 19 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (14 from 15) provided support.
Haris Rauf was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming four wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took three but conceded just 17 runs. Sufiyan Muqeem bagged two wickets, while Naseem Shah and Afridi went wicketless.
Despite strong individual performances, Pakistan fell short, handing Australia a hard-fought victory and series win.
