PAK vs AUS 1st T20I Results

2:57 PM IST Seven years of waiting, ended in one night - The home team start the series on a perfect note. One will say Australia were missing quite a few core members, but they were expected to give a fight. With a couple of players coming back in for the second match, we should get a much more neck-to-neck game. That concludes this game. Join us back for the second T20I on the 31st of January at 11 am GMT. You can join us a lot sooner for the build up. Goodbye and cheers!

2:49 PM IST Saim Ayub wins the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance - Ayub says the conditions were a bit challenging, but his plant was to dominate with the new ball as much as possible. Reckons that with the ball, he tried to hit the good length as it was not easy to score.

2:48 PM IST Pakistan's captain - Salman Agha says they started well with the bat but couldn't finish as they wanted to, as it was challenging to bat after 10 overs. Reckons that he will bat at number 3 as he feels he can dominate against the spin. Shares that he felt 170 was enough, but could have scored 10-15 more. On Abrar Ahmed,  Agha says he has been outstanding since his debut. Agha expressed hope that the team can carry this form into the World Cup.

2:46 PM IST The skipper of Australia -  Travis Head spoke after the match, calling the result disappointing but acknowledging that sometimes things don’t go as planned. He noted that scoring became difficult as the ball got softer. Head praised the debut performances of several players and singled out Mahli Beardman, Adam Zampa, and Xavier Bartlett for their strong contributions. He concluded by emphasizing the team’s focus on improving and performing better in their next outing.

2:39 PM IST A fight against the spin - The Australian chase began with a characteristic blitz from skipper Travis Head, who took the attack to the Pakistani bowlers from the opening delivery. Head seemed to find his rhythm instantly. However, the momentum shifted when Saim Ayub struck a crucial blow, cleaning up Short and Head cheaply.  In the wake of the openers' departures, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Green opted for a more measured approach. Just as the partnership began to look promising, a moment of individual brilliance from Salman Agha in the field turned the tide. A lightning-fast piece of fielding caught Renshaw comfortably short of his ground, providing Pakistan with a vital breakthrough just before the halfway mark.

2:38 PM IST History made in Lahore - For the first time in 7 years, Pakistan have conquered the Aussies in a T20I. With a clinical 22-run victory, the Men in Green take a 1-0 lead in the series. The drought is over, and Pakistan have picked the right momentum before the mega event kicks off.