Sports
Saim’s all-round show takes Pakistan past Australia in first T20
Saim Ayub gave an outstanding all-round performance, taking two wickets after a blistering 40-run knock as Pakistan defeated Australia by 22 runs in the first Twenty20 International at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
This is Pakistan’s first T20I victory against Australia in more than seven years.
Winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan scored 168 runs at the loss of eight wickets in the allotted overs.
Despite Sahibzada Farhan’s duck in the first over, Saim and skipper Salman Ali Agha managed to anchor Pakistan’s innings with a 74-run partnership.
Returning to Pakistan’s T20 side after a troubled Big Bash League season, Babar Azam could score only 24 runs before losing his wicket to Adam Zampa.
For Australia, spinner Adam Zampa grabbed four wickets, including the crucial ones of Babar, Saim, and Salman. Xavier Bartlett and Mahli Beardman also took a couple of wickets each for Australia.
While defending the target, Pakistan’s decision to include four spinners proved to be vital in dismantling the Australian batting lineup.
Saim took the wicket of fiery-looking Australian Travis Head, who scored 23 runs, with two sixes and two fours. He also took the wicket of Matthew Short in his first over of the innings.
Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed also joined hands with Saim, taking two wickets, while other spinners, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan clinched a couple of wickets together.
Australia’s Cameron Green and Xavier Bartlett made 36 and 34 runs respectively. Two of their batters also flung their wickets with perplexing run-outs.
Pakistan restricted the Australian side to 146 runs with eight wickets in 20 overs.
Speaking after the toss, Salman called it a “great game”.
“We started well with the bat but couldn’t finish the way we wanted. It became challenging after the first ten overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball,” he said.
At the toss, Salman had stated that the pitch seemed dry, so he expected less turn in the first inning. Noting that Australia were a “quality side”, he had affirmed that the Green Shirts were prepared as well.
Australian player Head, who was at the toss, had stated his team was looking forward to the match. He had also stressed the need to be “adaptable”, acknowledging that the game was great preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The Australian cricket team had arrived in Lahore on Wednesday, marking the third time they have toured Pakistan. The tour was announced earlier this month.
All three matches are scheduled to take place at the Gaddafi Stadium on January 29, 31 and February 1, the PCB said in a statement.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore on Wednesday, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh had praised the Green Shirts and said his team was excited about the challenge of playing them on home soil in preparation for the T20 World Cup.
In his remarks, Agha had stressed the importance of the series, saying, “There are some boxes that need to be ticked — this is one of those series where we will tick all boxes”.
The two teams played a three-match Test and an ODI series in March-April 2022, followed by a solitary T20I where they bagged a close three-wicket win at Gaddafi Stadium. Australia also played three of their 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan.
Teams
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed.
Australia: Travis Head, Matthew Short, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa and Mahli Beardman.
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue.
In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
BULAWAYO: India completed the semi-final line-up for the ICC Under-19 World Cup with a comprehensive 58-run win over Pakistan in Bulawayo on Sunday.
The victory in the final Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club means the Indian colts head into the knockouts unbeaten and as Group 2 toppers.
After a late surge helped them to 252 in 49.5 overs, India put in a clinical performance in the field to dismiss Pakistan for 194 in 46.2 overs.
India joined Australia, England and Afghanistan into the final four. The Ayush Mhatre-led side face Afghanistan in the semi-finals in Harare on Wednesday. The first semi-final, between Australia and England, takes place in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Put into bat, India powered past 250 thanks to the acceleration provided by the lower order in the last 10 overs.
With a spot in the semi-final on line, India were expecting another blockbuster innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Though the left-hander gave the team a brisk start, striking five fours and a six as he motored to 30, he was living dangerously. After two close calls, Sooryavanshi fell to a shorter delivery from Mohammad Sayyam, with a bottom-edge carrying to wicket-keeper Hamza Zahoor.
Starting with Sooryavanshi, India lost three and in the space of four balls. While Sayyam also dismissed India captain Ayush Mhatre, Abdul Subhan bowled over opener Aaron George to reduce India to 47-3.
In their previous match in Bulawayo, India had scored a mammoth 352-8 against Zimbabwe. But on Sunday, the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat as well and stayed low. Vedant Trivedi led India’s fightback with 68. His 62-run fourth-wicket partnership with Vihaan Malhotra (21) helped steer India clear of immediate trouble. Trivedi also put on handy stands with Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish.
After the middle order had kept the scoreboard ticking, the lower order provided the late flourish. Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) helped India notch 71 runs in the last 10 overs, lifting the score to 252.
For Pakistan, Subhan dismissed Chouhan and Patel to finish with 3-33 in 9.5 overs.
To qualify for the semi-final at India’s expense, Pakistan needed to chase down the target within 33.4 overs; otherwise, if the innings ended with a six to reach 258, they had until 34.3 overs to get there.
Pakistan showed some early intent, scoring 13 runs off the second over. It seemed their chances hinged on Sameer Minhas, but India were able to send the star opener back fairly quickly. He was trapped leg before wicket by Henil Patel.
Following the early setback, Pakistan never showed any urgency to make a run for the semi-final spot. Hamza Zahoor (42), Usman Khan (66) and captain Farhan Yousuf (38) hung in there gamely even as runs slowed down to a trickle.
Chouhan conceded 30 runs off his 10 overs and claimed the wicket of Zahoor and was named the player-of-the-match. Skipper Mhatre claimed three wickets for 21 in his overs while Khilan Patel got 3-35.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
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