Aaron Finch has silenced his critics by starring in Australia’s three-wicket Twenty20 win to end the historic tour of Pakistan on a high.
Under pressure after experiencing a lean run of form, the Australian captain hit 55 as the tourists passed Pakistan’s total of 8-162 with five balls to spare at a sold-out Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The 16th half-century of Finch’s T20I career was his best score in the format since scoring an unbeaten 79 in March 2021 against New Zealand.
Finch was caught on the boundary with Australia needing just five more runs, before Ben McDermott hit the winning shot at the start of the last over.
“I always knew that I could play a little bit so I think the most vulnerable you are in the game as a batsman is your first handful of balls,” Finch said.
“Just in the last few innings I didn’t get through that initial period.
“I always had confidence, I always had faith and it’s one of those things you go through some lean patches at times.
“Everyone can seem to panic at times, especially as players get a bit older, people panic quicker.
“The support I’ve had from the players and the coaching staff has been fantastic.
“Against the new ball there wasn’t quite as much swing there so there was a slight tinkering with technique but nothing uncommon.”
Finch was the mainstay of Australia’s innings, but Travis Head (26 off 14 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (23 off nine) both chipped in with timely and vital cameos.
He will now head to the Indian Premier League to play with his ninth franchise after Kolkata Knight Riders signed him as a replacement for England’s Alex Hales.
After winning a hard-fought Test series 1-0, Australia stumbled in the ODIs, but their under-strength line-up was too strong for Pakistan in the one-off T20.
Finch sent Pakistan in after winning the toss and openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam raced to 0-56 at the end of the first powerplay.
But Cameron Green, on T20I debut, helped stop Pakistan from posting a near-unbeatable score by dismissing Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman in consecutive balls in the eighth over.
Despite the best efforts of captain Babar Azam (66), Pakistan could never regain their early momentum, when they appeared to be on record pace.
Tasmanian paceman Ellis recovered from an early battering to cause all sorts of problems for Pakistan’s middle-order to finish with career-best figures of 4-28.
Ellis was on a hat-trick, but came up short as Australia burned a review on challenging a not-out decision for a caught-behind.
Australia handed T20I debutants to Green, Marnus Labuschagne and Ben Dwarshuis as they continue their preparation for the World Cup defence on home soil in October.
Green showed he could be a valuable back-up for last year’s World Cup hero Mitch Marsh, but Labuschagne (2) and Dwarshuis (0-42) had forgettable first outings.
After leaving COVID-19 isolation on Monday, Josh Inglis hit a promising 24 after slotting back into the Australian top-order after a breakout T20 series against Sri Lanka in February.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
Really impressive play from Ellis. He's someone who should seriously push for a place on the T20 World Cup squad. As for Babar Azam, he truly is one of the elite batsmen in world cricket and is a danger in all 3 versions of the game.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
And he was only in his early 20s when he set out. Very impressive
Jeff
Roar Rookie
They left some DNA across Asia, as far back as 2,500 years ago I spent some time in one of those places. Very cool re an island of genetics and beliefs amongst a very different contemporary cultural environment :thumbup:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He birthdate is the following day to mine. He has Pluto, the Underworld God, on his Aries (Great War Leaders) Ascendant (your very Physicality) and his MC (your 'Reputation' point) in Capricorn (ruling government and structures opposite his Cancer Sun (Home) and Venus (planet of Desire- at every wedding He was a Brestman). He da Man!
Chanon
Roar Rookie
The Ancient Macedonian army :stoked:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I’ve been a bit obsessed last 20 years with the the travels of the the armies of Alexander the Great. Nuts how far he went east into Asia and the cities he established; and the descendants of those settlements that still exist today. Think he was on the road for 20-30 years or something…
Chanon
Roar Rookie
‘Land & Silver is What All Men Desire & l’m no different’ :stoked:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
We differ but that's ok and that's a lot coming from a curmudgeonly reprobate such as I.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Yes. But I do think the contemporary international game (at the highest professional level), where so much *external* input/insights are a constant re availability (and where the "one percenters" can have a significant influence), means that there is too much going on - and too many options available re positive influence - to then just leave it to the captain , who is directing the troops out on the field - once the toss has been made. The captain has enough on his/her plate on the field, rather than to then have to focus on all the other opps now available to the team re getting an advantage, IMO. Of course, that's a perspective from the contemporary international approach; at a lower / domestic, level, it may well require a more traditional approach re supremacy of the captain..
Chanon
Roar Rookie
It won’t happen with this lad
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Ah yeah. OK got it :thumbup:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
This is my thing about captains. Yes the coach facilitates off-field needs. On the field it should be the captain and the captain only with input from senior players whilst the match is in progress. I have no issue with the coach talking tactics, strategies, whatever, before the game. But soon as play is commenced the captain should call mute on the coach. The captain should live and die on their calls. Because living and dying on someone else's call is anathema to a real leader. Maybe I'm an old fart but there should be something boy's own adventure about being captain. -------- I think Finch has some of this. I hope he wasn't compromised in the latter part of his captaincy especially with all the heavy going seas re the coaching shenanigans.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Gee l was thinking Head not Smith but of course he’s VC :laughing:
Chanon
Roar Rookie
It was first found in English in John Capgraves The life of St Katharine of Alexandria, 1450. “”It is more demur a Byrd in your fest, Than to hair three in the sky a-blue”& in 1546 glossary A Dualogue conteinyng the bomber in effect of all the Prouerrbes in the Englishe tongue also includes the variant of the proverb: ‘Better one bytde in hande than ten in the wood.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I'm re-watching The Last Kingdom seasons 1-4, in prep for Season 5. A great historical period for storytelling :thumbup:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Oh, no I don't think Smith has a long term future as T20 captain, indeed not even as a player. I wouldn't have Smith in my first XI T20 now; certainly not in 12-18 months from now.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Jeff we would like to think that the current VC in test team would get the permanent role as Captain in T20 & 50 over cricket once Finch leaves the nest!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Excellent. Well the people who became what we now know are the English mingle with many in their push North West from the Middle East to the UK.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Cats out of the bag so to speak :silly:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Although he has spoken about it recently, which makes consideration as a discussion point easier :thumbup: