Pakistan produced a dominant all-round performance to crush Australia by a massive 111 runs in the third T20I in Lahore on Sunday, sealing their first-ever T20 series clean sweep against the visitors. It was a night where everything clicked for the hosts, as they outclassed Australia with both bat and ball.
Batting first, Pakistan piled up 207 for 6 — their highest T20 total against Australia — before bowling the visitors out for just 96. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz was the standout with the ball, claiming his second five-wicket haul in T20 internationals to dismantle Australia’s batting lineup.
Pakistan’s innings was built around fluent half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Babar Azam after an early wobble. The hosts lost Fakhar Zaman, who opened in place of Sahibzada Farhan, and Salman Agha within the first four overs. Despite the early setbacks, Ayub and Babar quickly wrestled back control.
Ayub looked settled from the outset, announcing his intent with three consecutive boundaries off Cooper Connolly in the third over. After a brief lull, he switched gears against Matthew Short, launching the spinner over long-on for six before slicing a boundary to keep the scoreboard moving. Babar, meanwhile, found his rhythm early, taking on Adam Zampa with two sixes in the seventh over as Pakistan maintained momentum after the powerplay.
The pair rotated the strike smartly during their 69-run partnership, ensuring at least one boundary every over. Ayub’s innings came to an end early in the 12th over when he mistimed a slog sweep off Matthew Kuhnemann, shortly after Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark.
Babar continued to anchor the innings, while Khwaja Nayaf and Shadab Khan provided the late flourish. Shadab was particularly destructive, smashing five sixes in a rapid 19-ball cameo that pushed Pakistan into overdrive during the death overs. Babar brought up his half-century with a single in the final over, surpassing Virat Kohli’s record for the most T20I fifties, although his scoring rate slowed towards the end. Faheem Ashraf added the finishing touches with a couple of boundaries in the last over, taking Pakistan past the 200-run mark.
Australia’s reply never got going. Shaheen Afridi struck early blows, removing two batters in his first two overs to put the visitors on the back foot. Nawaz then joined the party, dismissing Matthew Short for 2 in the second over, setting the tone for a spin-dominated collapse.
Cameron Green attempted a lone resistance, sharing a labored 44-run partnership with Marcus Stoinis — the highest stand of Australia’s innings. However, with little support from the rest, the pressure told. Nawaz cleaned up Green for 20 in the 10th over, by which time Australia were already struggling at 63 for 5.
Nawaz ran through the tail, while Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed chipped in with a wicket each as Australia were bowled out in just 16.5 overs. Only three batters reached double figures, as the visitors suffered their heaviest-ever defeat in T20 internationals in terms of runs.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 207/6 in 20 overs (Saim Ayub 56, Babar Azam 50*; Ben Dwarshuis 2-39)
Australia 96 in 16.5 overs (Marcus Stoinis 23; Mohammad Nawaz 5-18, Shaheen Afridi 2-16)
Pakistan won by 111 runs.