Shaheen Afridi took three wickets as Pakistan completed a clinical 45-run victory over Australia on Thursday in the Twenty20 tri-series in Zimbabwe.
Pakistan batted first and opener Fakhar Zaman registered a career-best 73 as they raced to 194 for 7.
Then left-arm seamer Afridi starred with three wickets as the bowlers held Australia to 149 for 7 in a match which was effectively a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s final.
Pakistan lost Haris Sohail for a golden duck after being put in to bat on a chilly midwinter morning in Harare, but Zaman and Hussain Talat wrested back control back with a rapid 72-run stand.
Fakhar Zaman makes his T20I best 73 off 42 while Asif Ali's 37 off 18 helps blast Pakistan to 194/7 in Harare - will it be out of reach for Australia?#AUSvPAK LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/Wut43AngqM pic.twitter.com/SD7d0YycRL
— ICC (@ICC) July 5, 2018
Talat cracked three fours and a six before playing one shot too many to be bowled by Glenn Maxwell’s offspin.
Zaman continued to middle his aggressive strokes and went to a 33-ball fifty, his third for Pakistan in this format, with a slog sweep for six, while another big hit off Andrew Tye's seamers took the batsman past his previous best of 61.
An edged four took Pakistan beyond 130, and Zaman into the 70s, in the 15th over, but he pulled the next ball he faced straight to Maxwell on the edge of the circle at midwicket.
The quick dismissal of captain Sarfraz Ahmed, edging a Tye legcutter into the hands of wicketkeeper Alex Carey, put a further dent in Pakistan's batting, but the experienced Shoaib Malik ensured that the runs kept flowing.
Pakistan get revenge for Monday's defeat by beating Australia by 45 runs in Harare! Shaheen Afridi took 3/37 in a strong bowling display by the number one side, limiting their opponents to 149/7.#AUSvPAK scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/Wut43AngqM pic.twitter.com/yO2mG7KcfF
— ICC (@ICC) July 5, 2018
He hit 15 off the 17th over, bowled by Marcus Stoinis, boosting Pakistan beyond 150. After he fell, Asif Ali struck three fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 37 to keep the pressure on Australia right to the end of the innings.
Pakistan kept the pressure up with the ball too, Afridi taking the vital early wicket of Aaron Finch when the Australian captain had made just 16.
A comprehensive win for Pakistan as they defeat Australia by 45 runs. The two teams will meet again in Sunday's final: https://t.co/64z5WI7Sqn #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/kaGHKu6T9p
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 5, 2018
Bowling from the Golf Course End, Afridi swung and seamed the ball prodigiously to trouble the batsmen. He trapped Glenn Maxwell lbw, and then rattled D’Arcy Short's stumps as Australia slipped to 75 for 5.
Their chase never recovered from the early losses, with the rest of Pakistan's attack chipping in with wickets in a much improved performance.
In a dress rehearsal of Sunday's T20I tri-series final, Fakhar and Shaheen lead Pakistan to a resounding victory over Australiahttps://t.co/38omOkP2UB #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/ICoIaNYg6n
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 5, 2018
