Pakistan defeated Australia by 22 runs in the first T20I match played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. This is Pakistan’s first victory against Australia in the T20 format in seven years.
Below are the key highlights and report of the match:
Pakistan vs Australia: 1st T20 (Lahore) – Match Report
Toss and Pakistan’s batting
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and decided to bat first. Pakistan started aggressively:
- Saim Ayub played a lightning-fast innings of 40 runs off 22 balls.
- Captain Salman Agha supported him by scoring 39 runs.
- Babar Azam scored 24 runs but was out LBW off Adam Zampa.
- Australian spinner Adam Zampa bowled brilliantly and took 4 wickets for 24 runs, due to which Pakistan’s middle order staggered and the team could score 168 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Australia’s reply and the magic of Pakistani spinners
Chasing a target of 169 runs, Australia had a good start, but Pakistani spinners turned the tide of the game:
- Saim Ayub showed great bowling after batting and dismissed openers Travis Head and Matthew Short early.
- Abrar Ahmed bowled extremely economically and took 2 important wickets for just 10 runs in 4 overs.
- Cameron Green stood out for Australia by scoring 36 runs, but he could not bring the team closer to victory.
- The Australian team managed to score 146 runs for 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Match Result
| Team | Score | Wickets | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 168 | 8 | Won by 22 runs |
| Australia | 146 | 8 | – |
Man of the Match: Saim Ayub (40 runs and 2 wickets)
Important Milestones
- Historic Victory: Pakistan defeated Australia in a T20 International after 7 years.
- Debut: Mahirli Beardman, Jack Edwards and Matt Renshaw made their T20 debuts for Australia.
- World Cup Preparation: This series is an important part of both teams’ preparations for the T20 World Cup to be held in February 2026.
The first match of the 2026 T20 series between Pakistan and Australia is scheduled to take place today, January 29, 2026 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Since the match is yet to be played or is in progress, official highlights are not yet available.
However, you can check out the following information for live updates and expected highlights of the match:
Match Details:
Date: January 29, 2026
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Time: 4:00 PM Pakistan Time (4:30 PM IST)
Team Squads:
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, and Cameron Green. (Remember that big names like Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell are not part of this series due to World Cup preparations).