Australia wraps up T20 series against Pakistan with eight-wicket win
Australia’s Alana King fields in the second T20 match against Pakistan at Blundstone Arena on Thursday. Photo: AAP
Australia has wrapped up a Twenty20 series victory over Pakistan on the back of a clinical bowling effort and clean strikes from Beth Mooney.
The hosts used nine bowlers on Thursday night at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena, restricting Pakistan to 7-96 and chasing down the target in 12.4 overs with eight wickets in hand.
Mooney returned to the top of the order after not batting in the first game of the series because of soreness, and hit 46 from 29 balls.
She shared a 60-run opening partnership with skipper Meg Lanning (31 from 32) to iron out most of the total.
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The win clinches the three-game series for Australia, following its eight-wicket win in game one, with the final match to be played in Canberra on Sunday.
Lanning shared the ball around in Australia’s final series before the T20 World Cup in South Africa beginning in February.
Spinner Alana King came on in the middle to late stages with great effect, picking up 2-10 from two overs.
King dropped Ayesha Naseem in the 13th over, but made up for it in the 14th when she trapped her plumb lbw for five.
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Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Jessica Jonassen, Grace Harris and Annabel Sutherland all chipped in with a wicket each.
Star all-rounder Gardner (1-20), who earlier this week expressed her discomfort with playing on Australia Day, was one of just two players to bowl four overs.
Gardner, a proud Muruwari woman, said January 26 was a day of hurt and mourning for Indigenous people.
Australia’s squad attended a smoking ceremony and completed a walking tour of kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Hobart, and wore an Indigenous jersey, socks and wristbands for the match.
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Megan Schutt, who took 5-15 in the first game, conceded 10 runs from her one over.
Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali top scored with 33 from 43 balls, but was one of only three in her side to reach double figures.
There was an awkward moment not long before the first ball, with the on-field sprinklers briefly coming to life.
Injured wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy (calf) was again left out, with Mooney taking the gloves in her absence.
-AAP
