Australia clean sweep Pakistan in 3-match T20I series – SUCH TV

Marcus Stoinis scored a belligerent half-century and led Australia to crush Pakistan by seven wickets in the third T20I and sweep the three-match series 3-0 here at Bellerive Oval.

Set to chase a modest 118, Australia raced to the victory for the loss of just three wickets and 52 balls to spare.

The home side got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as both openers Jake Fraser-McGurk (two) and Matthew Short (18) returned to the dugout inside four overs with 30 runs on the board.

Skipper Josh Inglis then joined hands with Marcus Stoinis and registered an anchoring 55-run partnership for the third-wicket, which lasted with the former’s dismissal in the 10th over.

Inglis scored 27 off 24 balls with the help of four boundaries.

Following his dismissal, Stoinis switched gear and steered Australia over the line in 11.2 overs.

He top-scored for Australia, courtesy of his fifth T20I half-century, smashing an unbeaten 67 off just 27 deliveries with the help of five sixes and as many fours.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan and Abbas Afridi could pick up a wicket apiece.

Opting to bat first, the touring side could accumulate 117 runs before getting bundled out on the first delivery of the penultimate over.

The new opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam could not give visitors a steady start as the former walked back in the second over after scoring nine off seven.

Following the early hiccup, Babar and Haseebullah Khan registered an anchoring 44-run partnership for the second wicket.

The duo appeared in command against Australian bowlers until Adam Zampa got rid of Haseebullah in the seventh over to open the floodgates. The wicketkeeper batter scored 24 off 19 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.

Pakistan then lost two more wickets – Usman Khan (3) and skipper Salman Ali Agha (1) – before their mainstay Babar was cleaned up by Zampa in the 13th over with just 91 runs on the board.

Babar remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 28-ball 41, which featured four fours.

The visitors lost two more wickets in the next over and consequently slipped further to 92/7.

Shaheen Shah Afridi offered some fight with a gutsy 16-run cameo, which included two fours and a six.

However, after his dismissal, the green shirts could add only one run to their total before being swept away by the ruthless Australian attack.

Right-arm pacer Aaron Hardie was the standout bowler for Australia, picking up three wickets. Zampa and Spencer Johnson bagged two each, while Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis shared two between them.

For the unversed, Australia have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series against Pakistan.