Australia Trounces Pakistan in Rain-Shortened First T20

Glenn Maxwell’s Heroics Propel Australia to Convincing Victory

Glenn Maxwell’s blistering 43 off just 19 balls propelled Australia to a convincing 29-run victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected first T20 match on Thursday.

After a nearly three-hour delay due to inclement weather, the match was reduced to a seven-over-per-side affair. Undeterred, Maxwell powered Australia to a formidable 93-4, unleashing three sixes and five boundaries in his typically flamboyant display. He toyed with the Pakistani bowlers, showcasing his signature lap shots to third man against the pace of Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

“Certainly had a lot of fun out there,” said a delighted Maxwell. “We thought we had enough on the board, and the bowlers did a great job.”

While Maxwell’s heroics set the stage, Australia’s bowlers stole the show, with Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett ripping through the top order. Pakistan slumped to a dismal 16-5 inside the first 15 deliveries, and despite a late cameo from Abbas Afridi’s unbeaten 20, they could only manage 64-9 in response.

The rain delay had caught some Australian players off guard, with Maxwell admitting, “There were a few of us who had packed our bags expecting the game to be called off, so it was a mad rush to get ready.”

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged the challenge of the shortened format, saying, “It was difficult to keep things normal in a seven-over game. Got to give credit to Maxy, his style worked really well.”

The two-match series now heads to Sydney on Saturday, followed by the final contest in Hobart on Monday.

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