Pakistan vs Australia: 3rd T20, cricket live scores, blog

With the series already lost, Australia will hope they can register a consolation win in the third and final T20 of the series against Pakistan. The game will begin at 3am (AEDT) in Dubai and you can follow all the live scores and coverage with The Roar.

While being thoroughly outplayed in the first game, Australia looked like they had given themselves a chance to level the series in the second.

When Pakistan batted though, the script at one point looked like it was headed in the same direction as the first game.

At one stage, Pakistan were 1 for 99 in the 14th over and a score of 160 looked like it was on the cards. That’s when Mohammad Hafeez fell for 40 and some stingy bowling over the next couple of overs, coupled with Fakhar Zaman’s wicket pegged Pakistan back.

Faheem Ashraf smacked a 10-ball 17 to help his side and had it not been for that last over from Andrew Tye which went for 15 runs, Australia might have even won the game. As it turned out, Ashraf’s last over shenanigans helped Pakistan get up to nearly 150 – they ended at 6 for 147 – when they could easily have been restricted to a lot lesser.

Much like in the opener, Australia didn’t start well but at least here, they were pegged back by a stunning run-out call. D’Arcy Short was given run-out at the non-striker’s end when it seemed like the bat had been grounded – the third umpire ruled the benefit of doubt in favour of the fielding side.

That led to two more wickets, Imad Wasim sending back Chris Lynn and Shadab Khan getting the better of Aaron Finch (for a struggling 10-ball three). At the half-way mark, Australia hadn’t lost any more wickets but scored just 53.

Two more wickets fell soon after with runs difficult to come by, and when Ben McDermott was run-out to what has been compared with some of Jonty Rhodes’ best run-out work, Australia needed 70 from 30 balls with four wickets in hand. The writing was on the wall.

That’s when Glenn Maxwell pumped some life into the game with a 33-ball 50, that included a few maximums, but Hasan Ali restricted the Aussies to just 10 from the 19th over. Left to score 23 for a win, Australia were left 12 short.

Going into this game, they will have a template on how to ensure they can keep wickets in hands, but will Australia be able to pluck those Pakistan wickets in the first place? Can Australia bat first this time around to set a score up without the pressure of a target?

Prediction
Australia showed they can compete but they lacked the finishing touches in the previous game, a match they should have won. Expect them to win this one and go home with something under their belt.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this third T20I in Dubai from 3am (AEDT) and don’t forget to drop a comment in the section below.