HOBART - Australia delivered a resounding performance to complete a 3-0 T20I series sweep against Pakistan, with Marcus Stoinis stealing the spotlight in the third match at Bellerive Oval.
The all-rounder’s fiery 27-ball 61, embellished with five fours and five towering sixes, led the hosts to a dominant seven-wicket victory on Monday.Chasing a modest target of 118, Australia encountered an early stumble, losing Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short within the first four overs.
However, Stoinis’ arrival at 30-2 injected the innings with energy and aggression. He partnered with skipper Josh Inglis in a crucial 55-run stand for the third wicket, dispatching Pakistan’s bowlers to all corners of the ground. Inglis chipped in with a steady 27-ball 17 before falling to Abbas Afridi, but Stoinis ensured there were no hiccups.
His explosive innings sealed the chase in just 11.2 overs, showcasing Australia’s supremacy throughout the series. Pakistan’s bowling, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Abbas Afridi with a wicket each, struggled to contain the hosts.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan hoped to post a competitive total but faltered against Australia’s disciplined bowling attack. Despite a promising 44-run partnership between Babar Azam and Haseebullah Khan for the second wicket, the visitors failed to capitalize.
Haseebullah contributed a brisk 24 before falling victim to a sharp googly by Adam Zampa, while Babar anchored the innings with a 28-ball 41, including four boundaries. However, Pakistan’s middle-order woes resurfaced as Aaron Hardie triggered a collapse, claiming the crucial scalps of Usman Khan (3) and captain Salman Ali Agha (1).
The collapse saw Pakistan lose five wickets for just 26 runs, slumping from 70-2 to 117 all out in 18.4 overs. Hardie emerged as the standout bowler for Australia with figures of 3-21, while Zampa (2-11) and Spencer Johnson (2-19) continued their stellar form. Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett also chipped in with a wicket each, leaving Pakistan’s batters with no room to recover.
The series marked Australia’s complete dominance over Pakistan. The hosts had already sealed the series with wins in the first two games. The rain-shortened opener saw Australia claim victory by 29 runs, setting a target of 94 in seven overs. In the second match, despite Haris Rauf’s valiant four-wicket haul, Australia defended a modest 147, edging Pakistan by 13 runs.The final game further highlighted the gulf between the two sides, with Australia’s batting depth and bowling precision overshadowing Pakistan’s efforts.
Speaking after the match, Australian captain Josh Inglis praised his team’s all-round performance. “It’s been a fantastic series for us. The way Marcus (Stoinis) batted today was exceptional, and our bowlers have been outstanding throughout,” he said.
Sharing his views, player of the match Marcus Stoinis said: “It felt great to get some runs on such a beautiful wicket, but full credit goes to our bowlers for restricting them to a low total. Actually, I joked with Rauf that this might be the first time any of us managed to get the better of him [chuckles]. He’s an outstanding bowler and performed brilliantly throughout the series.”
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, while speaking after the match, said: “In the middle overs, we couldn’t build on the solid start, and that cost us. However, there are plenty of positives to take from this series. The way Usman batted and the way Jahandad bowled were really promising. These youngsters have a bright future ahead. Winning the ODI series was a significant achievement, but we know we could have performed much better in the T20Is.”
Scores in Brief
AUSTRALIA 118-3 (Stoinis 61*, Inglis 27, Afridi 1-14) beat PAKISTAN 117 all out (Babar 41, Hardie 3-21, Zampa 2-11) by 7 wickets.