Pakistan defeated Australia by 23 runs in the first of the two T20 internationals between the two sides, at Birmingham on Monday. Chasing 167 for eight, Australia were bowled out for 144 in the 19th over. The victory is important for the Pakistanis who could, by all means, see this as a revenge blow, coming after the T20 World Cup semifinal that had Pakistan routed out by a marauding Michael Hussey. Making it sweeter, it was spinner Saeed Ajmal (3/26) -- taken to the cleaners by Hussey in that clash in the Caribbean -- who struck the final nails to puncture the Australian chase.
Seamers Mohammed Aamer (3/27) and Umar Gul (2/13) and the immensely talented batter Umar Akmal (64) anchored the Pakistan win against a side that looked good enough for a major part of the game before it caved in.
Shoaib Akhtar Smashed For Five Boundaries
The chase didn't start well, with Shane Watson getting trapped leg before by Aamer for a duck. The plucky David Warner looked undaunted as he smashed the first five deliveries by Shoaib Akhtar for boundaries. Skipper Michael Clarke half-drove Abdul Razzaq to get caught by Shahid Afridi for five. Akhtar changed ends but to no effect as David Hussey creamed him for three boundaries in the over. Hussey danced down to Razzaq in the next over for a six over long-off.
The flurry of boundaries was dunking the asking rate fast, even as Afridi persisted with the pep talks with the bowlers. Things went relatively quiet towards the latter part of the first 10 overs but with Hussey pushing for quick singles and Warner looking for the big shots, the Australians looked on course.
Michael Hussey v/s Saeed Ajmal
Afridi turned to himself to effect the breakthrough and had Hussey caught by Shoaib Malik for 34 (28 balls; four fours and a six). The wicket left Warner on the back foot, before he was bowled by Ajmal for 41 (off 31 balls; six fours). The score read 85/4 in the 12th over. In walked Michael Hussey and it was hard not to throw it back to the T20 World Cup semifinal, where Hussey destroyed Ajmal before pulling off an incredible win for his side.
Afridi was mixing his skidding top-spinners well to keep the run rate in check. With 73 required from seven overs and four top-liners back in the hut, Australia required Hussey and Cameron White to hold fort and attack, at the same time. White obliged with a four and a six off consecutive deliveries from Ajmal. Afridi took a stunning catch off Aamer to dismiss White (17). The reins were back with the Pakistanis.
Aamer bowled Steven Smith for 12 and at 132/6, it all looked tilted in Pakistan's favour. Gul sent Hussey's (18) leg stump cart-wheeling and with the finisher gone, the end was imminent. Gul had Tim Paine for 1 and it was all over.
After Shahid Afridi called it right and decided to bat, Shahzaib Hassan was the first to go, caught first ball by David Hussey off pacer Dirk Nannes. Shaun Tait started with a scratchy over of unpunished looseners and with Nannes keeping things tight on the other end, Pakistan were looking at extras to keep it ticking. Kamran Akmal's big six over midwicket off Nannes was Pakistan's first boundary of the bat.
Akmal continued the charge, one of the cross-batted heaves just clearing the midwicket. Salman Butt, on the other end, was struggling for touch and looking suspect against Mitchell Johnson's middle-and-off line. The run-out of Akmal (23 off 19 balls) in the seventh over was the speed-breaker that the Australians needed. Butt, evidently disrupted by the dismissal, holed out to Warner off David Hussey for 13.
Shahid Afridi Out For Duck
Disaster followed, in the next over, when Afridi failed to connect a Smith full toss and was caught in front for nought. At 47/4 in the eighth over, this was a disastrous first half for the former T20 world champions. With the composed Shoaib Malik at the other end, Umar Akmal went for the kill in the 10th over, smashing two consecutive sixes off Smith. The score read 67/4 at the end of the 10th over.
Malik looked good, cracking two boundaries off Hussey. He edged one from Nannes to wicket-keeper Paine, who caught it inches off the ground leaving the third umpire to decide against Malik (21 off 18 balls). But the 51-run partnership, off just 4.2 overs, had taken Pakistan to respectability and at 106/5 after 13 overs, they looked good for an above-par score. Akmal's brilliant knock (64 off 31 balls; seven fours and three sixes) was brought to an end by a slow one from Tait in the 19th over.
Scores: Australia 144 in 18.4 overs (David Warner 41, David Hussey 34, Saeed Ajmal 3/26, Mohammed Aamer 3/27, Umar Gul 2/13) lost to Pakistan 167/8 in 20 overs (Umar Akmal 64, Kamran Akmal 23, Shoaib Malik 21, Shaun Tait 2/25, Dirk Nannes 2/41). Man of the match: Umar Akmal.
Krishna Kumar - Senior journalist with more than 10 years' experience, on print and web. Has held senior positions in reporting and feature teams in ...
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