Australia vs Pakistan, PAK in AUS, 3 T20Is, 2024 Full score card

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 the 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.

Slower one, bowled full and darted into the pads. Abbas Afridi misses the flick and the ball cannons off the pads behind square leg for a leg bye.

FOUR! Some clean ball striking from Abbas Afridi here. Back of a length and around off, Afridi clears the front leg and seats it flat and hard back over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Slightly pitched up at the legs, Shaheen Afridi takes his front leg out and hits it down to long on for one.

A quick short ball now, dug in wide of the off stump, Shaheen Afridi looks to take it on but is well beaten.

Shaheen Afridi is the next batter in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Smart bowling from Nathan Ellis and he picks up his third wicket as well. Dug in well short over off and middle, forcing the batter to take on the bigger mid-wicket boundary. Haseebullah Khan waits back and looks o muscle it over deep mid-wicket but doesn't find enough timing and the ball goes straight to Matthew Short who makes no mistake in the deep.

Pace on this time, a tad short and angled across off, Haseebullah Khan stays put and swings wildly but fails to connect.

Full and around off, Khan gets across to the off side for the lap but miscues it badly in front of square leg for a single.

SIX! Uh, oh! Tim David misjudges that one a bit and it ends up being another six. Good length on the stumps, Haseebullah Khan makes room and launches the ball straight up towards the long on fence. David there backtracks and just looks to take the catch but isn't aware of the ropes. He loses his balance and the ball ends up dropping right on the ropes.

Bowled quick and a bit into the pitch over middle and leg, Afridi backs away to pull but gets an inside edge onto the body. The ball rolls to the off side for a run.

FOUR! Skillful from Afridi now! Back of a length and around leg, Afridi walks across to the off side and ramps it fine of short fine leg for a boundary.

SIX! Up, up and away! Pitched up full and outside off, Abbas Afridi gets down on one knee and frees the arms before lifting it high and over wide long off for a biggie.

Johnson comes back in and starts off with a slower one, bowling it very full and wide outside off. Afridi leaves it alone for a wide which is not given, very close call.

Banged in short at the body, Afridi gets inside the line and manages to pull it away down to deep backward square leg for a single.

Full and outside off, almost in the blockhole, Khan hangs deep and drills it down to long on for just another single.

Pitched up at the legs, Abbas Afridi whips it away with good timing towards deep mid-wicket and picks up a single.

Hard length angled in at the body, Abbas Afridi stays put and hits it hard past wide mid on for a couple of runs.

Abbas Afridi is the new batter in.

OUT! TAKEN! Xavier Bartlett with his third wicket and Pakistan folding like a house of cards now. A well-directed short ball around middle, right around the helmet. Salman Agha tries to get inside the line and pull but is hurried and the ball lobs up off the top edge and wide of Adam Zampa at short fine leg. The keeper, Josh Inglis calls it early and runs across to take the catch.

FOUR! Oh, that is some shot from Salman Agha! This is dug in a bit short and around off, Salman gets across a touch and slices it high and over covers off the full face of the bat for a boundary.

FOUR! The boundary off the last ball spills a double-wicket maiden but Nathan Ellis won't mind that much. Full and wide outside off, Haseebullah Khan stays put and just slaps the ball away square through cover-point for a boundary.

Another one that is banged in slow and short, this time outside off, Khan goes hard at it but fails to connect again.

Well bowled! Slower bumper over leg, right around the front shoulder. Haseebullah Khan looks to pull fine but misses.

Haseebullah Khan is the new batter in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust and Pakistan have lost three wickets in the last four deliveries. Ellis bangs it in a bit short over middle and Irfan Khan just gets in an awkward position looking to pull. Khan only manages to scoop it up over wide mid on and it is Jake Fraser-McGurk yet again who comes in from the deep and takes a comfortable catch.

BEATEN! A touch slower and fuller on off, this one seams away as well and Irfan Khan is beaten all ends up.

Irfan Khan is in next.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ellis now picks up a wicket on his first ball and it is a big one as well. Ellis hops in and pitches the ball up on middle and leg, Babar Azam hangs deep and makes room to go big over deep mid-wicket but it is a huge boundary there. Jake Fraser-McGurk sets himself at cow corner and picks up another catch as Pakistan lose their fourth wicket.

Salman Agha is in next for Pakistan. Also, Nathan Ellis comes on to bowl now.

OUT! Taken! Two in the over for Xavier Bartlett! Top class stuff from him. Outside off. Khan looks to go over covers. He had to reach out for it. It goes more off the outer half to deep third and it is taken by Matthew Short.

FOUR! That's a really good shot. Not an easy shot to play! Length and on off. Khan gives himself room and just lofts it over mid off and it goes to the fence. They need a lot more of these.

Yet another dot! Dots are something they can't afford! Short and on the body. Khan pulls but it goes off the splice and on the bounce to mid-wicket.

Another swing but no connection. He's just blindly swinging here! On middle. Shortish. Khan looks to go over the leg side but misses.

That's a blind swing! Angled into the body. Khan looks to go big on the leg side but misses.

Usman Khan is the new batter in.

OUT! TAKEN! This guy keeps on taking wickets. Strikes on his first ball. On middle. Rizwan looks to go over the leg side. This goes off the top edge, hits the helmet and lobs to point. Jake Fraser-McGurk moves to his left and takes it. Pakistan now in big trouble.

Xavier Bartlett to operate from the other end.

A run to end then! 12 from the over and a wicket too! On the pads. Rizwan looks to flick but misses. It hits the pad. Rolls on the leg side. A leg bye taken.

Three! Nice way to get off the mark! On middle. Azam pulls it through mid-wicket. The mid-wicket fielder runs, slides and keeps it down to three.

Babar Azam walks in at number 3.

OUT! TAKEN! Spencer Johnson keeps peppering Sahibzada Farhan with the short stuff and eventually, gets the wicket as well. Dug in short over middle and leg, Farhan makes room to take on the pull but skies it off the top edge around the mid-wicket region. Xavier Bartlett there settles under it and takes it reverse-cup to draw first blood for the Aussies.

That's quick! Spencer gave him the stare too. A quick short ball on middle. Farhan looks to pull but misses. Risky bowling short balls on this ground. A top edge will fly over the fence.

FOUR! Two in two! Johnson goes short now! On middle. Farhan pulls it over mid-wicket and this races away to the fence. Despite the rain, the outfield is quite fast.

FOUR! Stand and deliver! Perfect start for Pakistan! Length and outside off. This is smacked past mid off and this races away.

FOUR MORE! That's a massive last over! Australia cross the 90-run mark! On middle, Stoinis makes room and flays it over point. This races away to the fence.

SIX! Massive! That's the power of this guy! A slower one on middle. Stoinis waits and then lofts it over the long on fence for a biggie.

TWO AGAIN! On off. This is pushed wide of cover. Two taken.

That's a fine effort! Really good effort! On middle. Stoinis pulls. This goes more off the splice between the fielders at long on and deep mid-wicket. The latter makes a lot of ground to his left. Dives but can't hang on. Two taken.

Two! Slower and shorter! On middle. This is pulled wide of long on for a couple.

MISFIELD AND FOUR! That's poor from Azam. Pressure on the bowler now! A low full toss on middle. This is hit down to the right of long on. Azam runs there and slides but lets it through.

Skipper, Josh Inglis is in next.

OUT! TAKEN! That's a seriously good catch! Wow! Massive wicket too as David just was getting a move on. Afridi gets another. A fine over by him. A slower one. On middle. David looks to pull. It goes off the splice towards wide long on. Both deep mid-wicket and long on go for it. In the end, the long on fielder, Sahibzada Farhan hangs on.

SIX! Kaboom! That's massive! That's really big. This is angled into the pads. David pulls it well over the square leg fence. First one for him. Australia would love a couple more from him.

Only one! Fuller and on middle. This is timed down the ground towards long on. A run taken.

Marcus Stoinis is the next batter in.

OUT! TAKEN! Maxwell falls. The Big Show though did put in a good show. A well-directed short ball. On the body. Maxwell plays the duck-pull but it goes off the top edge and straight to deep square leg. Easy catch.

Two! Outside off. Maxwell slashes. It goes more off the toe end but over cover for two.

Swing and a miss! Goes for another reverse sweep. This is a slower one outside off. He misses. For once he misses the reverse sweep.

With all three frontline quicks now bowled out, Abbas Afridi comes on to bowl.

Just the single to end then! Still though, a massive over! Angled into middle. Maxwell looks to go over the leg side this time. He gets an inside edge onto the body. It rolls on the off side for one.

SIX! Banged down the ground! A little too full this time and it goes all the way! This is slammed down the ground and it clears the long off fence.

A slower one outside off. Maxwell swings but is beaten by the extra bounce.

SIX! Well over the fence! Massive! On middle. This is lofted over the long on fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Off the outside edge! Maxwell really won't care how they come! Outside off. Maxwell swings but it flies off the outside edge and goes down to the third man fence.

WIDE! Down the leg side. Wided.

A slower one this time! On middle. David looks to go big on the leg side but misses. He gets hit on the body. It rolls on the off side. A leg bye taken.

Just the one! Fuller and on middle. This is hit down to long on for one.

Dots are absolute gold! A yorker outside off. David looks to jam it out. It goes off the inner half back to the bowler.

Just the one this time! On the pads. Maxwell pulls it down to fine leg for one.

SIX! That's just brilliant! That's just outstanding! On middle. Maxwell plays the reverse sweep again. This time he smacks it flat over the deep third fielder and it goes all the way.

Shorter and on middle. This is pulled past square leg for one.

That held in the surface too! On middle. This lands and holds its line. David plays it back to the bowler.

Shaheen Afridi switches ends now.

Swing and a miss again! That's a fine over from Rauf! Shorter and outside off. Maxwell slashes but misses. Gets his team back in the game with that 6 balls.

Outside off. David guides it past point for one.

Tim David is in next.

OUT! TAKEN! Short now falls! This is angled into the pads. Short plays the pick-up shot but straight to Babar Azam deep square leg. Big square boundaries at The Gabba. Not easy to clear. He holes out. Rauf's good form continues.

A slower one! On the pads. Maxwell swings again. He's early in the shot. It goes off the back of the bat and down to third man for one.

Big swing and a miss! Shorter and on middle. Maxwell swings but misses.

Fuller and on the pads. Short looks to flick but misses. It hits the pad and rolls on the off side. A leg bye taken.

Haris Rauf to steam in after the Powerplay.

FOUR! Thumped down the ground! 17 from this over then. Fuller and on middle. A slower one. This is lofted down the ground and to the long off fence.

FOUR! Slapped away! A little too short again. Maxwell makes room. He slaps it over cover and this races away. Another massive over.

FOUR! This is just brilliant! How does he do that? This is someone bowling at 140 KPH. Maxwell gets the reverse sweep out. This is shorter. He hits it over the keeper and it goes to the fence.

A wide now! Slower but down the leg side. Wided. It is actually a No Ball for overstepping! A big one as well. Free Hit coming up.

Good comeback! Changes his length and bowls it slower. It is on the body. Maxwell bails out of the pull.

FOUR! That's outstanding! Outrageous! Wow! He brings out the reverse sweep first up. It is on middle. This is hit behind square on the off side. Boundary.

Glenn Maxwell has been sent up the order at number 3.

OUT! Taken! Straight to the man! Azam holds on. Shah strikes on the very first ball he bowls. Length and on off. Jake Fraser-McGurk looks to hit it on the up and past cover but provides a simple catch to that fielder. Welcome wicket for Pakistan.

Naseem Shah to bowl from the other end.

SIX! Bang! All the way! That's a massive first over! 16 from it! This is short and on middle. Short loves it there. He pulls it and it sails over the fine leg fence. Massive hit.

Makes room now! This is shorter and on middle. It is slapped down to long on for one.

Swing and a miss! Jake misses out there! It is wide outside off. No one in the deep. He swings but misses. Had he got bat to that, it could have been three in a row.

FOUR! This is even better! A little too full. On middle. Jake shows the full face of the bat and creams it past mid on. No chance of stopping that one. Lovely stroke.

FOUR! Off the mark in style! A little bit of swing but hits it with it. On middle. This is whipped through mid-wicket and this races away to the fence.

Australia and Short are underway! Full and on middle. This is flicked but to mid on for one.

All in readiness for the 1st T20I to begin! The umpires are out in the middle and the players of Pakistan get into a huddle before making their way through the smoke and onto the field. It will be the duo of Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk to open the innings for Australia. Shaheen Afridi will take the new ball and he is raring to go. Let's play...

Pakistan (Playing XI) - Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Haseebullah Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.

Australia (Playing XI) - Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (C/WK), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.

TOSS - The flip of the coin lands in favor of Pakistan and they will BOWL first.

UPDATE - 10.01 am GMT - A huge roar from the crowd as the umpires make their way out for an inspection and the covers seem to be coming off as well. Toss will take place at 10.05 am GMT with play scheduled to start at 10.20 am GMT, well that was quick. It is now confirmed that it will be 7-overs-a-side game and the Powerplay will last for 2 overs, exciting stuff.

UPDATE - 9.42 am GMT - Not much time left before the umpires have to make a decision and even though, the weather has given us some picturesque views of The Gabba, we might be in a real race against time now as the rain hasn't completely stopped yet.

UPDATE - 9.17 am GMT - Well, the thunder and lightning might have toned down in Brisbane but the rain has certainly picked up now. There is still some time to go before the cut-off time of 10.30 am GMT for a five-overs-a-side game and the drainage here is excellent but it is still a long stretch. Although the cutoff time is 10.30 am GMT, one believes that the ground needs to be ready at least 30 minutes prior. And for that, the rain needs to stop. Stick around for more updates on the state of play.

UPDATE - 8.53 am GMT - Still, nothing new to report from the Gabba but a few sources do reckon that the storm is moving quickly northwards and we might get some sort of a game in if the clouds continue to move. Fingers crossed for now, stay tuned!

UPDATE - 8.15 am GMT - Nothing new to report on from the ground. The storm is still looming large over Brisbane and all we can do is wait and hope for things to brighten up. Also, according to the on-air broadcasters, the latest a five-over-a-side contest can begin is 10.29 am GMT.

UPDATE - 7.50 am GMT - Not much of an official word from the ground but a few sources say that there is heavy thunder around Brisbane and there has been an on-and-off drizzle for an hour or so as well. The rain doesn't seem like much of a problem but the thunder and lightning do. Hopefully, the dark clouds pass over soon and we can get some sort of a game in. Stick around for more updates.

UPDATE - 7.31 am GMT - Toss is now officially delayed!

UPDATE - 7.20 am GMT - We are just 10 minutes away from toss time but the ground is currently under covers. There were some thunderstorms predicted and it looks like for now, the toss could be delayed which is not good. Hopefully, we do get a positive update soon, so, stick around for the latest updates.

Right then, the stage is set for a fascinating encounter as the lead up to the Aussie summer continues and The Gabba is all set to host its first international game of the season. Can Josh Inglis and co fightback against the in-form seam attack of Pakistan? Or will the visitors continue to dominate with the ball? Only time will tell. Toss and team news in a bit, stay tuned.

Pakistan are riding high on an unlikely ODI series win in Australia and have retained that fast bowling core that did so much damage for the T20Is as well. There are changes in the batting line-up though with Saim Ayub, who had a fantastic ODI series, not included in the T20 setup. Young Arafat Minhas might come into that batting lineup with a lot depending on the shoulders of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam as the latter tries to rebuild his form.

Australia come into this series on the back of a couple of torrid performances with the bat in the ODI series and with a fairly depleted squad yet again, the fringe players will certainly need to step up. They will be helped by the return of pace duo Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis but the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Tim David have a lot to prove.

Hello and a warm welcome to our coverage of the 1st T20I between Australia and Pakistan from The Gabba Stadium in Brisbane. After a surprise victory in the ODI series, Pakistan will be eyeing up a very rare double white-ball series win against the Aussies in their own backyard but the hosts won't be rolled over so easily and it should be an exciting watch.

... MATCH DAY ...

The first leg of Pakistan’s tour of Australia is in the books, and few could have predicted how the ODI series would unfold. After Australia secured a close win in the opening match, Pakistan’s pace attack took control, overpowering the Aussies and securing Pakistan’s first ODI series win down under since 2002. Now, the spotlight shifts to the T20I series, which kicks off at The Gabba in Brisbane before moving to Sydney and concluding in Hobart. As was the case in the third ODI, Australia will be without several seasoned names who are gearing up for the Test series against India starting next week. With Josh Inglis leading in their absence, this reshuffled squad gives those featuring a chance to make an impact. The likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short, who had a subdued ODI series, will be eager to prove themselves. The presence of Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis, alongside Inglis, adds formidable firepower to Australia’s batting. In the bowling lineup, Adam Zampa will serve as the primary spinner, with Maxwell and Short available to offer off-spin support. However, the hosts have encountered a setback with the injury to promising all-rounder Cooper Connolly, who fractured a metacarpal in his hand during the third ODI. Josh Philippe has been called up as his replacement, bringing added depth to the batting order but leaving Australia without Connolly's all-round abilities. In the pace department, Nathan Ellis returns to the side, joined by Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson, while Sean Abbott and Aaron Hardie add their all-round abilities to strengthen the lineup. For Pakistan, this series marks their first T20I assignment since their group-stage exit in the World Cup. With Mohammad Rizwan taking over the reins from Babar Azam, it’s the beginning of a new era. The tourists will once again rely on their potent pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Raufi, with Abbas Afridi and uncapped all-rounder Jahandad Khan adding depth. In the spin department, they have Arafat Minhas and Sufiyan Muqeem. It’s rare to see a vice-captain yet to debut in the format, but that’s the case here with Salman Agha. Pakistan’s batting unit is relatively inexperienced, with Haseebullah Khan, Irfan Khan, Omair Yousuf, and Sahibzada Farhan each having played fewer than 6 T20Is, while Usman Khan leads the less-experienced group with 10 games since switching from UAE to Pakistan. The experienced shoulders of Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan will be crucial for stability in an otherwise youthful unit. There was no shortage of entertainment in the ODI series and the T20I series promises no different. Who are you backing to land the first punch in Brisbane?