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AUS vs PAK: It was a much-needed victory for Australia, as they defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets in the third T20 International, completing their chase in just 11.2 overs. The all-rounder Marcus Stoinis did it once again with his explosive batting to help Australia overcome Pakistan’s modest total of 117 runs with 52 balls in hand.
AUS vs PAK: Pakistan’s Failing Batting
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Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first but their innings collapsed when the pressure piled up against them through Australia’s bowling. The team was bowled out for a fragile 117 runs in 18.1 overs. A former captain Babar Azam was the top batsman for Pakistan scoring 41 off 28 balls, where he became the highest run-getter in T20I history as he overtook Virat Kohli.
However, Pakistan’s batting failed to put up much resistance against the disciplined bowling of Australia. Aaron Hardy was the best bowler who took 3 wickets. Then, there were 2 wickets each by Spencer Johnson and Adam Zampa.
Stoinis’ Destructive Batting Performance
Chasing a small target, Australia lost two quick wickets early, with Matthew Short (2) falling at a score of 16, followed by Jake Fraser-McGurk (18) at 30. However, Josh Inglis (27) and Marcus Stoinis quickly turned the match in Australia’s favor with some explosive batting. Stoinis, in particular, was in destructive form, taking charge of the run chase.
The seam of his innings came when Stoinis while facing Shaheen Afridi of Pakistan in the 11th over, hammered 3 sixes and a four, garnering 25 runs. He hit his fifty off just 23 balls, displaying an extraordinary skill for hitting. His score took Australia to a total of 85 runs, while Inglis was already out after hitting 4 fours off 24 balls.
Australia Completes the Game
Stoinis survived unbeaten on 61 runs off 27 balls till the end of the match as Australia effortlessly won the game. Tim David supported him with an unbeaten 7 run to guide the home team to chase down the target inside 11.2 overs. The fiery knock formed the crux of Australia’s dominant performance as they went on to win in that game, sending him home with a Player of the Match award for his match-winning innings.
The victory meant a clean sweep for Australia in the 3-match T20 series, but it also presented an apt form display from Stoinis ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. His performance might go on to catch the attention of IPL franchises looking to bolster their squads for the next season.
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