Pakistan clinched the T20I tri-series trophy in Zimbabwe after beating Australia by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining) in the final game of that tri-series at Harare on Sunday.

Australian captain Aaron Finch decided to field first after winning the toss. Australia had a very good start as their openers D’Arcy Short and Aaron Finch put a 95-run partnership for the opening wicket. But since that partnership was broken, Australia lost their other wickets in regular intervals.

Apart from the openers, none of the other Australian batsmen reached the 20-run mark as only Marcus Stoinis (12) and Travis Head (19) were able to reach the double-digit scores. Skipper Finch scored 47 runs off 27 balls (2 fours and 3 sixes) while Short scored 76 off 53 balls with 7 fours and 4 sixes.

Australia finally managed to score 183/8 at the end of 20 overs. Among the Pakistan bowlers, Mohammad Amir (3/33) picked up three wickets while Shadab Khan (2/38) claimed two wickets. Also, Faheem Ashraf (1/38), Hasan Ali (1/38) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/32) bagged one wicket each.

In reply, Pakistan suffered a double blow in the very first over. Debutant opener Sahibzada Farhan and no.3 batsman Hussain Talat were dismissed without opening their accounts. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed helped the opener Fakhar Zaman to protect that innings and they put 45-run partnership at the important time before the skipper was run out on 28 runs.

Then, Zaman and Shoaib Malik put a 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket that set the match for the Asian team. Zaman scored 91 runs off 46 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes while Malik was not out on 43 off 37 balls (3 fours and only six) and secured a victory. Pakistan reached the target in 19.2 overs after losing four wickets (187/4).

In the Australian bowling line-up Glenn Maxwell (2/35) picked up two wickets and Jhye Richardson (1/29) got one wicket.

While Pakistan won this tri-series, Fakhar Zaman won the Player of the Match award in the final as well as he also won the Player of the series award for his brilliant batting effort.

Brief Scores: Australia – 183/8 in 20 overs (D’Arcy Short 76, Aaron Finch 47; Mohammad Amir 3/33)

Pakistan – 187/4 in 19.2 overs (Fakhar Zaman 91, Shoaib Malik 43; Glenn Maxwell 2/35)

Result – Pakistan won by 6 wickets

Here are some of the statistical highlights of the match:

i) Australian opener D’Arcy Short scored 76 runs.

• The second highest T20I knock by an Australian batsman against Pakistan. The record is 81 by Shane Watson at Gros Islet on May 2, 2010.

ii) Pakistan debutant opener Sahibzada Farhan was stumped out on duck without facing a delivery.

• First Pakistan batsman in the international cricket history to get stump dismissal on duck without facing a delivery.
• Fourth overall T20I batsman to be dismissed in similar fashion.

iii) Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman and the no.5 batsman Shoaib Malik put a 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

• Pakistan’s second highest T20I partnership for any wicket against Australia. The record is 119* runs partnership between Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik for the second wicket at Johannesburg on September 18, 2007.

iv) Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman scored 91 runs.

• The second highest T20I knock by a Pakistan batsman against Australia. The record is 94 by Umar Akmal at Dhaka on March 23, 2014.

v) Pakistan chased down the target of 184 runs (187/4 in 19.2 overs)

• Highest T20I successful chase for Pakistan. The previous record was chasing 176 runs twice.