Australia captain George Bailey says his side can still win the World Cup that starts later this month despite their record loss to Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 clash.
Australia crashed to their second-lowest total of 89 en route to a seven-wicket thrashing at the hands of Pakistan in the opening match of their series on Wednesday night.
Pakistan made short work of their target in Dubai, scoring 3-90 from 14.5 overs led by Kamran Akmal’s unbeaten 31. Shoaib Malik was nine not out.
It’s Australia’s heaviest loss by balls remaining.
“I’m very disappointed and there’s plenty to go away and work on,” Bailey said.
“You don’t ever want to be setting those sorts of records.
“But in terms of the group we’ve got together and what we’re capable of, it certainly hasn’t altered my thoughts that we can still be a very good team.
“I still think we can win it. Definitely. Absolutely,” he added.
“I certainly don’t think we’d win if we played like we did today.”
Bailey said he couldn’t pinpoint one reason for the team’s batting collapse.
“It’s just one of those things. It’s hopefully just a bad performance and one that you won’t see again,” he said.
“Even if we gained a tiny bit of momentum, we gave it back by losing a wicket.”
Australia were invited to bat first in hot and humid evening conditions on a pitch Bailey said was slow-paced and assisting the spinners. He said 140 would have been a reasonably good target to set Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal had claimed 10 wickets in the three-match one-day international (ODI) series that ended earlier this week and the offspinner was damaging again with 2-13 off four overs.
Fellow spinners Mohammad Hafeez and Raza Hasan, on debut, also took two wickets while paceman Sohail Tanvir picked up 3-13 and Umar Gul claimed the key wicket of Shane Watson lbw for eight.
Opener David Warner (22) was the only batsman to reach 20 in a worrying display from Australia just two weeks shy of Australia’s opening T20 World Cup clash with Ireland in Colombo.
Australia’s quicks Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus and Watson took one wicket each in Pakistan’s innings.
The three-game series continues in Dubai on Friday night.
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