AUS VS PAK 2ND T20I

The caravan now heads to Sydney for the second T20I of the three-match series between Australia and Pakistan. With Australia leading 1-0, the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground sets the stage for a high-stakes encounter as Mohammad Rizwan and his men aim to level the series and keep alive their hopes of a rare double white-ball series win down under. Lightning and thunder dominated much of the night in Brisbane during the first T20I, and it seemed unlikely that any play would be possible. However, a 7-over game was squeezed in just in time. After being sent into bat, fireworks from Glenn Maxwell powered Australia to 93, a target Pakistan found insurmountable. Despite the loss, the visitors won’t dwell too much on it, though they would admit that under the pressure applied by the Australian batters, the response from their pacers fell short of expectations. The defeat in Brisbane meant that Pakistan are still yet to secure their first T20I win against Australia on Australian soil. With an inexperienced batting lineup, Pakistan will rely heavily on the experience of Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan if they are to push for a decider. Given Sydney’s history of aiding spinners as well, it will be interesting to see if Pakistan opt for a frontline spinner, potentially reshuffling their all-pace attack. For Australia, the win was a much-needed lift after a disappointing ODI series. Glenn Maxwell’s return to form was a significant positive but the opening pair of Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk had another subdued performance. On the bowling front, Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett returned strongly after injury layoffs, delivering impactful performances that Australia will hope to build on as they aim to clinch the series at the SCG. In the 7-over shootout, Maxwell and David were promoted to number 3 and 4, respectively, while Inglis dropped himself to number 6. With a promising weather forecast in Sydney for the second T20I, which should allow a full game, the hosts are expected to revert to their regular batting order with Inglis likely to move back up to a higher position. All in all, it promises to be an exciting encounter in Sydney. Will Pakistan bounce back to force a series decider, or will Australia seal the series? We shall find out.