Second T20: Australia defeat Pakistan by seven wickets after Steve Smith masterclass

Australia's Ashes hero has done it again, with Steve Smith making a tricky run chase look like a walk in the park as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in their Twenty20 series with Pakistan with one match to play.

Steve Smith put on a masterclass on Tuesday night, proving his quality in cricket's shortest format. Picture: AAP

• Hazlewood insists his best is still to come
• How Turner can provide World Cup X-factor

Australia's modern-day Bradman silenced any lingering doubts over his Twenty20 prowess on Tuesday night, with a match-winning masterclass against Pakistan in Canberra.

Steve Smith’s ever-growing reputation as the second coming of the greatest ever batsman has been based on his Test match heroics, but a scintillating 80 not out off 51 balls offered a timely reminder that he is just as ruthless when the ball is white.

For the first time in Australia’s complete domination of T20 internationals this summer, they lost both openers inside the power play, but the middle-order engine room led by Smith stepped in to engineer another convincing seven-wicket victory.

RE-LIVE ALL THE ACTION IN OUR BLOG AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

Live stream the Australia v Pakistan T20 & Test Series with KAYO SPORTS on your TV or favourite device. Click here to get your 14-day free trial >

Steve Smith put on a masterclass on Tuesday night, proving his quality in cricket's shortest format. Picture: AAP

Pakistan attacked Smith hard, but his counter-attack was ruthless and the batting phenomenon smashed 11 fours and a six to complete the successful chase of 150 with nine balls to spare and put Australia 1-0 up with one final game to go in Perth on Friday.

When Ben McDermott was trapped lbw by Imad Wasim for 21 the door was left slightly ajar for Pakistan with 42 needed off the last 36, before Smith took the game away from them in the final six overs with some clinical stroke play.

McDermott was frustrated that ball tracking was unavailable for his decision review after a human error from the scorer affected the technology.

He looked out anyway and for the first time this summer, Australia felt some pressure after destroyers David Warner (20 off 11) and Aaron Finch (17 off 14) built another platform, but couldn’t go on with the job.

It wasn’t a bad result for Australia though, who for the first time this summer got a proper look at some of their other role players.

David Warner has suffered his first international dismissal of the summer. Picture: AAP

HE’S OUT

When David Warner dispatched Imad Wasim to the fence four times in the second over of the chase, it looked like another case of shut the gate.

Warner had not been dismissed in his four international innings this summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but finally the Bull was tamed.

World class Pakistan quick Mohammad Amir took Warner’s middle stump with a beautiful delivery in the third over that did him for pace, and the celebration that followed befitted the enormity of claiming the scalp of a man averaging 239 in T20s this summer.

Warner’s quick-fire 20 off 11 balls was once again decisive in laying a winning platform, and there was a relief that a bruising blow he copped to the elbow off the bowling of Pakistan giant Mohammad Irfan did not result in injury – despite him getting it iced after he was dismissed.

GOLDEN ARM

Warner has had the Midas touch with the bat so far this summer, but it was his golden arm which lit up Manuka Oval.

The outfield hare raced around and off-balance, picked off Pakistan star Babar Azam with a stunning direct hit in the 16th over which changed the game.

Azam, the No.1 batsman in Twenty20 cricket, was flying towards a match-defining score when he tried to run two off Warner and came off second best to be out for 50.

FIRED UP BABAR

The Pakistan skipper also left no doubt over the standards he will demand of teammates this summer, with a withering on-field admonishment of batting partner Asif Ali.

Babar gave it to his offsider for not running two when it was clearly on offer in the 12th over.

Then when Ali compounded his error by self-destructing and skying one into the air off Ashton Agar to be caught by Pat Cummins – Babar followed up with another animated spray and bellowing body language.

KANE KANED

The third prong in Australia’s bowling attack said earlier this week he felt like he was playing for his career, considering the fierce competition for spots amongst the country’s plethora of international-class quicks.

But Kane Richardson was forced to endure one of those nights in Twenty20 cricket where the rub of the green just isn’t there.

In the penultimate over Richardson was slaughtered for 22 runs, including two sixes and two fours – despite not bowling that badly.

Originally published as Second T20: Australia defeat Pakistan by seven wickets after Steve Smith masterclass

Updates