Pakistan vs Australia T20I: The Asians have dominated the Kangaroos in shortest format

Pakistan, the No.1 side in T20 Internationals in the world, was set to take on Australia, ranked third, in their second match of the ongoing tri-series in Harare, Zimbabwe, also featuring the host nation. Pakistan, who have remained unbeaten in their last eight series since 2016, thumped Zimbabwe by 74 runs in their opening game on Sunday, July 1, and will look to continue with their momentum against Australia who is facing one of the toughest phases of their cricketing journey.

Australia, who are being led by Aaron Finch in this tri-series, have not been consistent in their T20 run of late though they won a tri-series involving England and New Zealand earlier this year. They were recently thrashed 5-0 by England following their 1-4 defeat against the same side at home in the 50-over format. The Kangaroos will be looking forward to a much-needed win to boost their morale.

Australia and Pakistan have met each other 14 times in T20Is with the former winning six, the latter eight, including one tied match by winning the one-over eliminator in Dubai in 2012.

Here is a look at the brief results of the two sides’ rivalry in T20s in multi-lateral as well as bilateral series since the 2007 T20 World Cup when they first met in this format

Pakistan beat Australia by 6 wickets in Johannesburg, September 2007: Pakistani skipper Shoaib Malik won the toss and put Ricky Ponting’s Australia to bat first in a crucial group match at World T20 in South Africa in 2007. Powered by Sohail Tanvir’s three-wicket haul, Pakistan restricted Australia at 164/7 in 20 overs and then overhauled it in 19.1 overs after getting reduced to 46 for 4. A couple of unbeaten half-centuries from skipper Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq, the man of the match, won it for them.

Pakistan beat Australia by 7 wickets in Dubai, 2009: Brad Haddin’s Australia collapsed to 108 all out from 42 for 1 in the face of a fierce Pakistani bowling attack after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and sent them to bat in the only T20I played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Asians then reached home in the 17th over losing just three wickets with Kamran Akmal hitting an unbeaten fifty. Umar Gul (4 for 8) and Shahid Afridi (3 for 14) were picked as the men of the match.

Australia beat Pakistan by 2 runs in Melbourne, 2010: Australia tasted their first-ever victory over Pakistan in the T20 format in the one-off game played in Melbourne in 2010. Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat first but accurate bowling by Pakistani skipper Shoaib Malik (2 for 31) and Umar Gul (3 for 20) saw the hosts getting shot out for 127 in 18.4 overs.

But the Australians did not surrender this time and hit back to restrict Pakistan to 125 for 9 in their 20 overs, thanks to opening fast bowler Shaun Tait’s three-wicket burst. Kamran Akmal top-scored for the visitors with 64. Shane Watson and Steven Smith also took two wickets apiece. Tait was chosen as the man of the match.

Australia beat Pakistan by 3 wickets in West Indies, 2010: In a high-scoring semifinal of the 2010 T20 World Cup at Gros Islet, Michael Clarke won the toss and sent Pakistan to bat first. Riding on the Akmal brothers’ the fifties, Pakistan posted 191 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs and going by their past bowling performance against Australia, looked favorites to make their third T20 world cup final. They also had cornered Australia at 144 for 7 but Michael Hussey’s 24-ball 60 saw Shahid Afridi’s side losing the game incredibly in the penultimate ball. Hussey was the automatic choice for the man of the match award.

Pakistan beat Australia 2-0(2) in England, 2010: In their first bilateral series (MCC Spirit of Cricket T20I Series) which was played in England in 2010, Pakistan, led by Shahid Afridi, won both the games against Michael Clarke’s Australia in Birmingham to clinch it 2-0. They won the first game by 23 runs after posting 167 for 8 in 20 overs with the man of the match Umar Akmal hitting 64 while in the second match, the Pakistani bowlers pulled the game back splendidly to defeat Australia by just 11 runs after setting a target of 163. Mohammad Amir’s 3 for 27 earned him the best player’s award.

Pakistan beat Australia 2-1(3) in Dubai, 2012: Pakistani bowlers were at it again in their first three-game T20I series against Australia played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The first match saw George Bailey’s side crashing to 89 all out with the Pakistan bowlers chipping in as a unit. Pakistan achieved the target in the 15^th over at the loss of three wickets after facing some early hiccups. Mohammad Hafeez won the match of the match award with an all-round performance.

In the second game, it was excitement galore as both teams ended up with the score of 151 on the board. However, it was Pakistan again who proved to be the winners as they edged Australia in the eliminator to take a 2-0 lead. Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal was the man of the match for his two-wicket haul. Australia hammered Pakistan by 94 runs in the third match after bundling them for 74 in response to their 168 to make the series 1-2. Their dashing opener David Warner (59 off 34 balls) was chosen the man of the match.

Pakistan beat Australia by 32 runs in Colombo, 2012: Led by Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan avenged their 2010 defeat by winning against Australia by 32 runs in the Super Right stage of the 2012 World T20 played in Sri Lanka. Australian skipper George Bailey won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat first and powered by Nasir Jamshed’s 55, the Asians scored 149 for 6 in 20 overs.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets for 20 runs. The Australians had a shaky chase and despite an unbeaten 50 from Michael Hussey, could not manage more than 117. Raza Hasan was chosen the man of the match for his 2 for 14. Saeed Ajmal took 3 for 17.

Pakistan beat Australia by 16 runs in Dhaka, 2014: It promised to be a rerun of the 2010 semifinal but this time, Australia failed to find a Mike Hussey. Skipper Gorge Bailey won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first in this group game of the World T20 in Dhaka and Umar Akmal blasted a 54-ball 94 to take Pakistan to 191 for 5 in 20 overs. NM Coulter-Nile was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 2 for 36. Australia was well balanced in the chase with Aaron Finch (65) and Glenn Maxwell (74) at the center but the latter’s dismissal changed the course of the game. They lost wickets in a heap thereafter to get bowled out for 175 and lose the game by 16 runs. Four Pakistani bowlers took two wickets each. Umar Akmal was the man of the match.

Australia beat Pakistan by 6 wickets in Dubai, 2014: A three-wicket burst from surprise opening bowler Glenn Maxwell pushed Shahid Afridi’s Pakistan to the back in the only T20I played in Dubai and they could never recover from that, managing 96 for 9 in 20 overs. This happened after Australian skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first. The Pakistani bowlers gave a fight with the small total but couldn’t stop Australia from winning the game by 6 wickets with opener David Warner hitting an unbeaten 53. Raza Hasan took two wickets for Pakistan. Glenn Maxwell was adjudged the man of the match.

Australia beat Pakistan by 21 runs in Mohali, 2016: Australian captain Steven Smith won the toss and elected to bat first and then hit 61 not out to see his team post a formidable 193 for 4 in 20 overs in this group game of the T20 world cup, 2016. It was then all James Faulkner, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler who took 5 wickets for 27, to floor the Pakistanis despite a couple of the forties (Shoaib Malik hit an unbeaten 20-ball 40). The Asians ended up at 172 for 8 to lose the game by 21 runs and Faulkner was given the man of the match award.

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