PERTH: Australia routed Pakistan by 10 wickets with 49 balls to spare to win the third Twenty20 international in Perth on Friday and clinch the series 2-0.
After restricting the visitors to 106 for eight, explosive openers Aaron Finch (52) and David Warner (48) put Pakistan to the sword without loss.
Australia won the second match in Canberra by seven wickets with the first game in Sydney abandoned due to rain.
With the series on the line in Perth, Australian skipper Aaron Finch sent Pakistan into bat after winning the toss, believing there was enough in the wicket for his bowlers to cause problems.
His instinct proved right with Ahmed’s breezy 45 the only innings of note, with Kane Richardson snaring three wickets.
Skipper Babar Azam had been the standout for his team this series, hitting two consecutive 50s. But he fell early on a fast, bouncy pitch at Perth Arena, out lbw to Mitchell Starc for six.
The Australian quick then smashed the stumps of Mohammad Rizwan next ball with a searing inswinger, leaving Pakistan in trouble at 15 for two.
Opener Imamul Haq, brought into the team for the out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, didn’t fare much better.
He hit two boundaries in his 14 before mis-hitting a pull shot off Sean Abbott, playing his first international since 2014, for Ben McDermott to take an easy catch.
Haris Sohail again failed, mistiming a shot out off-spinner Ashton Agar to leave the visitors struggling at 59 for four at the halfway mark.
Debutant Khushdil Shah lasted 11 balls for his eight runs before holing out to Starc off Richardson, with Imad Wasim also falling cheaply.
When the aggressive Ahmed — who also scored a quickfire 62 in Canberra — finally went looking for a boundary off Richardson, it was left to the tailenders to at least ensure their team made it into three figures.
