SYDNEY, Nov 3: Pakistan were saved by the rain on Sunday as persistent showers halted a rampant Aaron Finch as Australia headed for victory in their opening Twenty20 International.
The visitors managed 107 for five in a reduced 15 overs due to the weather at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with Australia set a target of 119 under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
With dark clouds looming, Finch plundered 37 off the first 3.1 overs, leaving David Warner, who scored 217 without losing his wicket in his previous three innings, a mere spectator at the other end. He finished Sunday not out on two.
But the heavens opened again, with Australia, fresh from a 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka, stranded on 41 without loss when the match was abandoned, with no result declared.
�It�s frustrating,� said the Australian skipper.
�But you can�t do too much about the weather. We played really well. To restrict them to 107 off 15 overs was a great effort and then to be on track to get them was nice.�
A valid result would have been declared if 11 more balls had been bowled under DLS, but a 20-minute break between innings, when it wasn�t raining, prevented this from happening.
SCORECARD
Pakistan: F Zaman c Smith b Starc 0, B Azam not out 59, H Sohail c Smith b Richardson 4, M Rizwan c Cummins b Agar 31, A Ali c Agar b Richardson 11, I Wasim c Smith b Starc 0, I Ahmed not out 1. Extras: (lb-1) 1. Total (For 5 wickets, 15 overs) 107. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-10, 3-70, 4-92, 5-96. Bowling: Starc 3-0-22-2, Richardson 3-0-16-2, Cummins 3-0-15-0, Zampa 3-0-30-0, Agar 3-0-23-1.
Australia: DA Warner not out 2, AJ Finch not out 37. Extras: (lb 1, nb 1) 2. Total: (For no loss, 3.1 overs) 41. Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 2-0-31-0, Mohammad Amir 1.1-0-9-0. � AFP
