Australia captain Aaron Finch acknowledged his side “lost our way” with the ball as Pakistan claimed a six-wicket win in the Twenty20 tri-series final on Sunday evening (AEST).

Pakistan might be the top-ranked Twenty20 team in the world but it looked in huge trouble at 2-2 when chasing 184 to win.

But opener Fakhar Zaman smashed 91 from 46 deliveries and had good support from Shoaib Malik (43 not out) and Sarfraz Ahmed (28) as Pakistan won in the final over.

Australia has now lost eight of its 11 matches under new coach Justin Langer, with two of those victories coming against Zimbabwe in the eight-day tri-series.

Failure to win the Twenty20 tri-series comes after an embarrassing tour of England, in which Australia lost all five one-day internationals and the only Twenty20 international.

Australia looked on course for a morale-boosting series victory after openers D’Arcy Short (76) and Finch (47) combined for a 95-run partnership for the first wicket.

But a flurry of late wickets restricted Australia to 8-183, a tally Finch thought was short of what was required.

“I thought we should have got up around 200 towards the end. They bowled very well,” he said.

“We just keep losing a few wickets, which stalls your momentum a touch.

“When you’re losing wickets at the end of [an] innings, [you lose] five or 10 runs here and there, but Pakistan played well.

“I thought we started off very well with the ball [but] probably lost our way in the middle there.

“Fakhar Zaman played a hell of a knock, 90-odd in a T20 game is going to be hard to beat most times.”

Pakistan’s late wickets were important. Photo: Getty

Finch rolled the dice and opened the bowling with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (2-35 off three overs) and the move paid dividends.

First, Maxwell had Sahibzada Farhan stumped down the leg side after a sharp piece of work from wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

And Hussain Talat fell in the same over, caught by Jhye Richardson after trying to heave the spinner over the covers.

Fakhar got to work, though, and he and Sarfraz added a whirlwind 43 in less than five overs to repair the innings.

Sarfraz was eventually run out but Shoaib came in and picked up the slack, as he and the man-of-the-match combined for a crucial 107-run partnership that took the game away from the Australians.

Both Jack Wildermuth and Ashton Agar went for 16 runs off their one over, while Marcus Stoinis (0-31 off 2.2) was also expensive.

Jhye Richardson (1-29 off four) bowled well early but was hit for 17 runs in the third-last over, a costly blow to Australia’s hopes.

Earlier, Short and Finch – who were both dropped – gave Australia a fast start.

A Shadab Khan (2-38 off four) double-salvo saw both Finch and Maxwell depart and Short’s departure, after seven fours and four sixes, put pressure on Australia’s middle order.

And it failed to fire, with Stoinis (12), Travis Head (19), Carey (two) and Agar (seven) all falling in the pursuit of quick runs.

Left-arm quick Mohammad Amir finished with 3-33 from his four overs – wickets that would ultimately prove crucial.

Australia is next in action in the United Arab Emirates, where it faces Pakistan in a Test series provisionally scheduled for September and October.