Match Center

Right then, Australia have taken the crucial lead in this three-match T20I series and it is a quick turnaround for the even more crucial second game which could either see Australia seal the series or Pakistan level it all up. The 2nd T20I will be played on Saturday, 16 November at the S.C.G. in Sydney and will begin at 8 am GMT. You can join us a lot sooner for the build-up as well. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Josh Inglis, the Australian skipper says that it was really satisfying to get the win when at one point it looked like there wouldn't be any game. Adds that it is good to get the first win of the series and will look to get the job done in Sydney. Mentions that the pacers did a great job of taking wickets in the early overs.

Mohammad Rizwan, the captain of Pakistan says that given it was a 7-over game, it was difficult to keep things in check but also goes on to applaud Glenn Maxwell for the way he played and that ended up being the difference in the end.

Glenn Maxwell is the Player of the Match for his quickfire knock of 43 from just 19 balls. Maxwell says that he has had a lot of fun out there and he gets a good opportunity to play and is pretty happy with the job done. Adds that He did play a few games of domestic cricket and that helps in preparing for international. Concludes that he is happy with the overall team performance.

The Presentation ceremony...

Nathan Ellis is now down for a quick chat. Ellis says that he feels absolutely cooked but it is great to be back and is happy to get the win as well. Adds that he was really disappointed to have been injured for a while and just wanted to get out there and play. Ends by joking about his wristwatch and he says that it is a Casio which is unusual but he likes it.

Earlier in the day, there was inclement weather throughout, but the ground staff did well to get the ground ready for a 7-over-a-side game. The Aussies were inserted into bat and they smashed 93 thanks to Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell which they defended easily.

Pakistan needed someone to play a blinder but no batter could get going. Their highest scorer was Abbas Afridi who batted way down the order at number 8 and scored 20 runs off 10 balls but that just saved Pakistan from embarrassment.

Quite a comfortable win for the Aussies! 93 was always going to be tough and it only got tougher as Pakistan lost a lot of wickets at the start. Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis were absolutely brilliant. They took three each and that killed the game. Later on, Adam Zampa picked up a couple of wickets well to round off the game for the hosts.

OUT! BOWLED 'EM! Adam Zampa goes bang, bang and finishes off the game in style for Australia. Zampa spears another one in right at the stumps, Naseem Shah has to have a swing at it and does so but misses the ball completely and hears the death rattle behind him. Australia win the game by 29 runs!

OUT! BOWLED 'EM! Adam Zampa goes bang, bang and finishes off the game in style for Australia. Zampa spears another one in right at the stumps, Naseem Shah has to have a swing at it and does so but misses the ball completely and hears the death rattle behind him. Australia win the game by 29 runs!

OUT! TIMBER! Oh, it looked like Shaheen Afridi was stumped at first but he has been bowled. A touch fuller and quicker on middle and leg. Shaheen Afridi skips down the track but is beaten in flight and the ball just turns in to beat the bat and hit the top of leg stump.

OUT! TIMBER! Oh, it looked like Shaheen Afridi was stumped at first but he has been bowled. A touch fuller and quicker on middle and leg. Shaheen Afridi skips down the track but is beaten in flight and the ball just turns in to beat the bat and hit the top of leg stump.

Quicker one, bowled into the pitch and at the stumps, Shaheen Afridi swings across the line again but miscues the ball past square leg for a couple of runs.

SIX! Valiant effort from Nathan Ellis but that was always going over the ropes. Tossed up right in the swinging arc, Shaheen Afridi sits down and slogs it away over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Quicker one, dug in short and well outside off, Shaheen Afridi swings across the line and the ball ends up being skewed over backward point. Two taken.

Zampa comes in to bowl the final over and starts off with a really full delivery on middle. Abbas Afridi drives it down to long on and turns the strike over.