Pakistan Triumphs Over Australia in Thrilling 1st T20I at Lahore
People were waiting Pakistan vs Australia Match. Pakistan finally broke their long T20I drought against Australia with a gripping win in Lahore. In front of a buzzing crowd at Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan put up 168 for 8 in 20 overs, then held Australia to 146 for 8 to seal a 22-run victory. The last time Pakistan beat Australia in this format? Over seven years ago—2,650 days, to be exact. So yeah, this one felt special. The energy in the stadium, the pressure, the sheer relief at the end—fans soaked it all in as Pakistan claimed a win they’d been waiting for.
Pakistan’s Innings: A Tale of Promise and Pressure
Salman Ali Agha won the toss and didn’t hesitate—he chose to bat first. The pitch looked good for batting, and honestly, it showed right from the start. Pakistan’s openers got things rolling. Saim Ayub stole the show, hammering 40 runs off just 22 balls. He played some gorgeous shots, and when he smashed that six over deep backward square leg, the whole crowd went wild.
Agha kept things steady at the other end, and the two of them put together a solid 43-run stand before Ayub lost his wicket at long-on, caught off Adam Zampa. Then Babar Azam came in. He’d had a rough run in the Big Bash League, but chipped in with 24. Still, he got a bit too fancy with a reverse sweep and Zampa trapped him LBW.
The middle order didn’t fold. Usman Khan brought some spark, smashing 18 runs with a couple of boundaries in the 15th over off Jack Edwards. But then Australia’s bowlers hit back hard at the end. Zampa was everywhere, grabbing four wickets and keeping Pakistan in check. Xavier Bartlett and Cooper Connolly chipped in too, each picking up important wickets. Pakistan wrapped up at 168 for 8—a decent score, but after such a strong start, you could tell they wanted a bit more.
Australia’s Chase Falls Short
Australia needed 169 to win and came out swinging, especially with Travis Head leading from the front. But under the bright Lahore lights, Pakistan’s spinners took control. Saim Ayub, already a standout with the bat, stepped up with the ball too—he grabbed two wickets for just 29 runs and really changed the game.
Australia seemed steady enough at 51 for 2 after the Powerplay. Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw looked comfortable, but things fell apart fast in the eighth over. Renshaw got run out after a mix-up with Green, and just a few balls later, Abrar Ahmed bowled out Cooper Connolly. Suddenly, Pakistan had the upper hand.
The chaos didn’t stop there. In the 11th over, Australia lost Mitchell Owen in a bizarre run out—Green hit a shot, it clipped Mohammad Nawaz’s fingertips, and crashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Green tried to steady things with a gritty 36, but wickets just kept tumbling.
Down the order, Xavier Bartlett fought back with an unbeaten 34, teaming up with Adam Zampa for a record ninth-wicket stand worth 34 runs. Still, Pakistan’s spinners kept things tight. Abrar Ahmed was outstanding, giving away just 10 runs in his four overs and picking up two wickets. Saim Ayub chipped in with two more, and both Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz snagged one each. Australia just couldn’t break the stranglehold.
Player of the Match
Saim Ayub grabbed Player of the Match after a top-notch performance—smashing 40 from 22 balls and grabbing 2 wickets for 29 runs. After the game, he gave a lot of credit to the team’s game plan. “The conditions were tricky, but we wanted to come out strong with the new ball,” he said. “We aimed to play smart, keep an eye on the ball, and just enjoy ourselves out there.”
Pakistan’s Legacy in Pakistan vs Australia
Pakistan’s win puts them up 1-0 in the three-match series, and honestly, it’s the kind of momentum both teams need as they get ready for the T20 World Cup 2026, which kicks off February 7. They’ll be back at it for the second T20I on January 31, still in Lahore.
Australia handed debuts to Matt Renshaw, Jack Edwards, and Mahli Beardman, but the match really showed how tough it can be to play in the subcontinent, especially when you’re up against sharp spin bowling. On the other side, Pakistan got a big lift from Shaheen Shah Afridi returning after injury, plus their spinners looked sharp. That’s got to feel good as they set their sights on the World Cup.
Looking Ahead
Pakistan’s win puts them up 1-0 in the three-match series, and honestly, it’s the kind of momentum both teams need as they get ready for the T20 World Cup 2026, which kicks off February 7. They’ll be back at it for the second T20I on January 31, still in Lahore.
Australia handed debuts to Matt Renshaw, Jack Edwards, and Mahli Beardman, but the match really showed how tough it can be to play in the subcontinent, especially when you’re up against sharp spin bowling. On the other side, Pakistan got a big lift from Shaheen Shah Afridi returning after injury, plus their spinners looked sharp. That’s got to feel good as they set their sights on the World Cup.