Vallie Choi

Australia have staggered to 9-147 in their Twenty20 clash against Pakistan, after a red-hot start with the bat faded out fast at the SCG. The hosts blasted 47 runs in the first 15 deliveries in Sydney on Saturday night, before losing 9-100 in the next 105 balls of the innings. It left Australia posting a sub-par target as they pursue a victory that would give them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Matt Short (32) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (20) both blasted out of the blocks for Australia, with the latter hitting four boundaries in an opening over that went for 21. McGurk was dropped by Naseem Shah when on eight, but took on Shaheen Shah Afridi with great success and pulled him over long on for six. Short also made a point to take on Naseem in the next over, pulling him for six deep into the Ladies Pavilion and cutting the quick away for another four. The pair hit six fours and cleared the rope twice in the first 2.3 overs, with Australia on par for a record powerplay score. But when McGurk got too audacious jumping to upper cut a Haris Rauf ball and skying it to cover, the game changed. Pakistan began to take pace off the ball with great success, Australia went five overs without a boundary and Short was bowled by an Abbas Afridi slower delivery. Josh Inglis fell for bokep a second-ball duck to Rauf, whose tremendous tour of Australia continued with a superb return of 4-22. OUT Haris Rauf has his third wicket, and it's the dangerous Tim David Watch #AUSvPAK on ch.501 or on @kayosports website BLOG website MATCH CENTRE website pic.twitter.com/DKM9Ehx9RS - Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) November 16, 2024 It took the quick's tally of wickets for the tour to 15, with Saturday's figures coming despite having two catches dropped off his bowling. Debutant spinner Sufiyan Muqeem took 2-21, with Marcus Stoinis (14) and Glenn Maxwell (21) both picking out fielders on the boundary. Only Aaron Hardie's 28 from 23 was able to lift Australia late, as they managed as many boundaries in the last 105 balls of the innings as they did the first 15.