‘Biscuit’ on offer as Pakistan take on Australia in T20I series

The teams last played against each other in July, in the tri-series in Zimbabwe. Australia won their first encounter there, before Pakistan came back to win the next two, including the final.

Even as Pakistan geared up to take on Australia in the first of the three-match T20I series in Abu Dhabi, the trophy came under the scanner as it looks like a biscuit. In fact, even the ICC took a dig at the trophy on social media.

Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch and Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed unveil the trophy in Abu Dhabi. (ICC/Twitter)

Taking to Twitter, ICC wrote: “Giving taking the biscuit a whole new meaning!”

The teams last played against each other in July, in the tri-series in Zimbabwe. Australia won their first encounter there, before Pakistan came back to win the next two, including the final. That, as well as the two-match Test series just played in the UAE, means the teams are familiar with what they can expect.

Australia lost the Tests 1-0, but Finch, who made his debut in whites then, insisted the 20-over side came with “no baggage”. “There’s nine fresh guys that have come into our squad from the Test series so there’ll be no baggage from them whatsoever,” he said.

“I’m the only batsman out of the top handful that was here for the Test series so I think in that regard, they’re just going to come in and play their natural game. They’re all really good strikers of the ball.”

For Pakistan, Shadab Khan is back from an injury break and will be an integral part of the spin attack.

“He’s a world-class spinner,” agreed Finch, adding that they would dig into what they learnt of him in Zimbabwe. “I thought we played him really well in Harare on a wicket that was spinning a little bit.”