In a stunning pre-World Cup display, Pakistan delivered Australia’s most crushing defeat in Twenty20 cricket history with a monumental 111-run victory in Lahore on Sunday, completing a dominant 3-0 series sweep.
The comprehensive triumph surpassed Australia’s previous worst T20 loss—a 100-run defeat against England in 2005. With the T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka approaching, Australia’s persistent vulnerability against spin bowling was ruthlessly exposed by left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, who recorded career-best figures of 5-18.
Pakistan’s strategic decision-making proved impeccable from the outset, winning their third consecutive toss and posting a formidable 207-6—their highest-ever T20 total against Australia. The visitors crumbled under pressure, bowled out for a meager 96 in just 16.5 overs.
Captain Salman Ali Agha expressed supreme confidence in his squad’s performance: ‘Over the past two days, we’ve been exceptional across all departments without discernible flaws. Our domination has been absolute, and I’m maintaining an optimal mindset for leadership and batting as we approach the World Cup.’
Opener Saim Ayub provided stability with 56 off 57 balls, while under-scrutiny batsman Babar Azam answered critics with an unbeaten 50 off 36 deliveries. The innings’ explosive catalyst was Shadab Khan’s blistering 46 off just 19 balls, featuring five sixes that propelled Pakistan’s momentum.
Australia’s batting collapse began early with Shaheen Shah Afridi dismantling the top order, removing captain Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw for single-digit scores. Nawaz’s spin wizardry then dismantled the middle order, with Marcus Stoinis (23) and Cameron Green (22) among his victims.
Marsh acknowledged Pakistan’s superiority: ‘We were comprehensively outplayed throughout this series. Chasing on this surface proved exceptionally challenging, but we’ll extract valuable lessons from these defeats as we prepare for the World Cup.’
The series demonstrated Pakistan’s emerging strength in T20 cricket, having previously secured victories by 19 runs and 90 runs in the opening matches.