Marcus Stoinis led Australia to a commanding victory over Pakistan by seven wickets in the third T20I at Bellerive Oval, securing a 3-0 series sweep with his dynamic half-century.
Chasing a modest target of 118, Australia reached the goal swiftly, losing only three wickets with 52 balls remaining.
The innings began uncertainly as openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short were dismissed early, leaving Australia at 30/2 in four overs.
Captain Josh Inglis then partnered with Stoinis, adding a vital 55-run stand for the third wicket before Inglis was out in the 10th over.
Following Inglis’s exit, Stoinis accelerated, guiding Australia to victory in 11.2 overs. He remained unbeaten on 67 from 27 balls, hitting five sixes and five fours.
Pakistan’s bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Abbas Afridi, each took a wicket.
Earlier, Pakistan, opting to bat first, was restricted to 117, dismissed at the start of the 19th over. The opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam failed to establish a solid start, with Farhan departing early.
Babar and Haseebullah Khan then built a 44-run partnership, which ended when Adam Zampa dismissed Haseebullah in the seventh over. Babar was Pakistan’s top scorer, making 41 off 28 balls.
Shaheen Shah Afridi briefly resisted with 16 runs, but following his wicket, Pakistan only added one more run before succumbing.
In a notable off-field gesture, Pakistan’s white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan donated his wicketkeeping gloves and jersey to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Museum after the second T20I. The SCG expressed gratitude for these additions, which enrich the museum’s collection and celebrate cricket’s heritage.
