Clinical Aussies seal T20I series

The result: Pakistan 101 (Omaima 43, Javeria 27; Molineux 3-14, Wareham 3-12) off 19.5 overs lost to Australia 4-104 (Mooney 29, Villani 24no; Dar 1-16) by six wickets with 18 balls remaining at Kinrara Academy Oval

The match in a tweet: Sealed with a SIX! Villani powers Australia to a six-wicket win over Pakistan and the Southern Stars seal a series win!

The heroes: Teenage leg-spinner Georgia Wareham bagged player-of-the-match honours for her 3-12 from two overs, as she formed a brilliant triple-act alongside spearhead Megan Schutt (2-7 off 3.5) and left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux (3-14 off 4) that dismantled Pakistan for 101.

It was a tight start from Schutt and Molineux that immediately put the pressure on in-form Pakistan opener Nahida Khan, who managed just three runs from her first eight balls before she decided to take a wild swing at a delivery from Molineux, only to be bowled.

And when skipper Javeria Khan and flamboyant newcomer Omaima Sohail began to put some pressure back on the Australians, putting on 40 runs from the next 6.1 overs, it was Wareham who made the key breakthrough.

The leg-spinner’s first delivery was dispatched to the boundary, but the unflappable teenager responded in style, picking up two wickets in as many balls to end the over, with Javeria caught at long on for 27 (24) before veteran Bismah Maroof, in her first game back from sinus surgery, was trapped lbw first ball. No hat-trick transpired as Omaima sent Wareham’s next delivery over the ropes, but the Victorian struck for a third time four balls later, bowling Nida Dar for 2 (4).

Image Id: 764AEAFB5D6047B78C1633F5C880144E Image Caption: Player of the match: Georgia Wareham // PCB

Molineux ended Omaima’s knock on 43 in the 16th over, Healy again lightning fast behind the stumps. After her dismissal, the Pakistan batting stuttered, Molineux picking up her third wicket two balls later as she continued her devastating form with a double-wicket maiden.

Pakistan at one point went 16 deliveries without scoring a run, while Schutt collected her first when Sana Mir (4) was trapped plumb on the back leg. From a positive position at 1-55 in the ninth over, Pakistan lost 9-56 to be bowled out on the penultimate ball of the innings.

The support acts: Australia’s batters were made to work for their small target in tough batting conditions, but Beth Mooney laid a solid foundation with a run-a-ball 29 before being bowled by Aliya Riaz in the 10th over. When skipper Meg Lanning departed for 14 (18), it was Ellyse Perry made the most of some time in the middle, joining Elyse Villani to steer Australia home. Villani dispatched a full toss over the ropes to seal victory with three overs remaining, finishing unbeaten on 24no from 21, while Perry was as cool and calm as ever at the other end, scoring 16no from 18.

Image Id: 7C68EF23B41E46D482A22F384B571D59 Image Caption: Beth Mooney laid a solid foundation in the chase // PCB

The consolation effort: While the wickets fell around her, Omaima Sohail continued what’s been a superb start to her T20I career. The 21-year-old, playing just her second 20-over international and third match for Pakistan overall, showed no fear taking on the Australian attack, finding the boundary four times and clearing it once. She was denied a maiden international half-century when she was stumped on 43, but her 38-ball knock was a shining light in an otherwise disappointing effort from the hosts’ batting line-up.

Image Id: FD0B2369770744CD9CA729D09EA44738 Image Caption: Omaima Sohail was again impressive // PCB

The bats: And we’re not talking about the willow being wielded in the middle. While the match played out on Kinrara Academy Oval, hundreds of bats hovered overhead. The commentator noted ‘they're known to be blind, fly very low and change direction constantly so you don't want to be hit by one’ – but fortunately there were no such collisions, and the only instance of bat hitting ball occurred in the middle. The match was moved to a night fixture with both teams hoping for practice under lights ahead of next month’s World T20 in the Caribbean.

Image Id: 7E0DE0C66B604CCFB16D8E08118E6387 Image Caption: Those black blobs are bats. Many, many bats // cricket.com.au

The next stop: Australia and Pakistan have one day to rest and recharge on Sunday before the third and final match of the series at the same venue on Monday. The Pakistan Cricket Board will provide a live stream of the match, while live scores will be available on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning (c), Elyse Villani, Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Delissa Kimmince, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt

Pakistan XI: Nahida Khan,Javeria Khan (c), Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz,Omaima Sohail,Nida Dar,Sidra Nawaz (wk),Sana Mir, Natalia Pervaiz,Anam Amin

CommBank Tour of Malaysia

Australia T20 & World T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan T20 squad: Javeria Khan (c), Bibi Nahida, Ayesha Zafar, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Sidra Amin, Omaima Sohail, Nida Rashid, Sidra Nawaz, Sana Mir, Nashra Sundhu, Anum Amin, Natalia Parvaiz, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Aiman Anwar

October 25: Australia won the first T20I by 64 runs

October 27: Second T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval

October 29: Third T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval

2018 ICC Women's World T20  

November 9: Australia v Pakistan, Province Stadium, Guyana

November 11: Australia v Ireland, Province Stadium

November 13: Australia v New Zealand, Province Stadium

November 17: Australia v India, Province Stadium

November 22: Semi-finals, Sir Vivian Richards Ground, Antigua

November 24: Final, Sir Vivian Richards Ground