Australia v Pakistan Twenty20 as it happened: Maxwell hurt as Stoinis leads Aussies to series win

A left hamstring injury to Glenn Maxwell was the only dampener as Marcus Stoinis helped Australia crush Pakistan by seven wickets to whitewash their three-game Twenty20 series.

Allrounder Maxwell limped off with a suspected low-grade issue in Hobart on Monday night after pulling up sore while fielding.

He wasn’t required to bat and will have almost a month to recover for the Melbourne Stars’ Big Bash League season opener against Perth on December 15.

After losing the toss, Australia skittled Pakistan for 117 in the penultimate over before ironing out the chase with more than eight overs to spare.

Stoinis was slow to get going before whacking five fours and five sixes, including one which reached the roof of the members stand at Ninja Stadium, in an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls.

It was Australia’s first clean sweep of a T20 series against Pakistan.

Earlier, Aaron Hardie’s career-best white ball figures of 3-21 and Adam Zampa’s ultra economical 2-11 ripped the heart out of the Pakistan innings.

Marcus Stoinis of Australia bats during game three of the Men’s T20 International match series between Australia and Pakistan.Credit: Getty Images

The tourists, who rested skipper and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and quick Naseem Shah, got off to a promising start and were 1-61 in the seventh over.

But it fell away quickly in a horror collapse of 6-31 through the middle overs.

Babar Azam (41 from 28) top scored but couldn’t hold his nerve and was bowled trying to hit Zampa in the 13th over.

It came after a tumultuous 24 hours for Pakistan, who were forced to refute a report that red ball coach and interim white ball coach Jason Gillespie had been sacked.

Australia lost openers Matthew Short (two) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (18) inside the first four overs of the chase before skipper Josh Inglis (27) steadied the ship.

After picking up the best T20I figures by an Australian quick at the SCG on Saturday, Spencer Johnson took 2-24 and ended the Pakistan innings by bowling Sufiyan Muqeem.

Johnson topped the series wicket tally with eight.

There were lengthy queues for tickets outside the ground after the match had started following an issue with the Ticketek website.

Australia claimed the first two games of the series in Brisbane and Sydney.

Attention now turns to the first Test of the summer against India on Friday.

Australia’s Marcus Stoinis receives the player of the match award during game three of the Men’s T20 International match series between Australia and Pakistan.Credit: Getty Images

AAP

Thanks for following along tonight, the Aussies completing a 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan in their Twenty20 series.

Now the one-day international series, which Pakistan won, and the T20 internationals are over, we can concentrate on the showpiece event of the summer - the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India, the first Test beginning in Perth on Friday.

For all the best news, views and analysis, please continue to follow this masthead through the summer.

Showpiece event: Steve Smith, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.Credit: AP

Marcus Stoinis was named player of the match for a super-slick unbeaten 61, adding some heat on a chilly Hobart night, while fast bowler Spencer Johnson, with eight wickets, was player of the series.

Skipper Josh Ingles said the Australians had enjoyed a “great week”, having completed a 3-0 series mauling of Pakistan.

Ingles will fly home to Perth on Tuesday, where he is a back-up batsman for the Test side in this week’s first Test against India.

Whack: Marcus Stoinis was brutal on the Pakistan attack in Hobart.Credit: Getty Images

It was an odd end to this contest, Marcus Stoinis caught in the deep off a no-ball, the bowler’s indiscretion confirming Australia’s victory by seven wickets with 52 deliveries remaining. Stoinis was magnificent, finishing unbeaten on 61 off 27 balls, with five boundaries and five sixes. Chasing 118 for victory, the home side was never in doubt.

Marcus Stoinis thumps another six, this time down the ground off Abbas, to knot the scores in only the 12th over.

“That’s incredible striking,” David Warner said on Fox Cricket.

Marcus Stoinis notches his fifth T20 international 50 in style, with five boundaries and four sixes, as Australia are cruising to victory. On a cold night in Hobart, with Pakistan batting dismally, Stoinis has given the locals something to remember.

“What an innings,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.

Josh Inglis (27 off 24 deliveries) attempts to scoop paceman Abbas over short fine leg, only to be caught, snapping a 55-run stand off 38 deliveries with Marcus Stoinis. Australia are 3-85 off 9.5 overs, chasing 118 for victory.

Marcus Stoinis is taking to his Melbourne Stars’ teammate Haris Rauf, with two boundaries and two sixes in the ninth over of the innings.

The first six was a simple nudge down the track. Two balls later came what David Warner on Fox Cricket dubbed “the maximum of all maximums”, a towering six over mid-wicket that ended up on the roof of the new stand.

“You might have to call an Uber to get that one back,” Warner joked.

“That’s the brute power of this man … straight out of the middle of the bat.”