World Cup-bound Australia have been given a real hiding in Lahore, bamboozled by Pakistan's spinners as they crumbled to a whopping 90-run defeat and a T20I series capitulation.
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Just hours after their squad for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka was announced, Mitch Marsh's side, featuring nine of the Cup crew and looking desperately in need of their absent big guns, simply couldn't cope with the hosts' five-pronged spin armoury on Saturday.
Losing the three-match series after just the second game was hardly the way Marsh would have wanted them to warm up for the tournament which starts for the Aussies against Ireland in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo in 11 days time.
"Pakistan outplayed us. Hopefully we can improve and come back tomorrow," conceded the skipper, suggesting things will be different once the rest of his cavalry arrive.
"We have got experienced guys who know that partnerships are really important in run-chases. We were not able to do that today. So some really good lessons," he said.
After capitulating for just 108, with all 10 wickets falling to spin, in just the 16th over as they chased Pakistan's formidable 5-198, a second comprehensive defeat in three days on the low, slow Gaddafi Stadium track means any real edge has been removed from Sunday's third clash.
Xavier Bartlett, who got carted for 52 runs, is keen for a quick response, though. "You've got to give credit where credit's due. Pakistan played unbelievable, with both bat and ball, but we're better for the run, and hopefully we can at least make the series 2-1 tomorrow."
After Salman Agha had win the toss and opted to lead from the front for the hosts, hammering 76 off 40 balls with four thumping sixes, wicketkeeper Usman Khan kept up the pressure with a 35-ball half-century.
Bartlett (1-52) went at 13 an over, and Matt Kuhnemann's spin (1-40) was deposited for 10 an over, with experienced legspinner Adam Zampa once again the pick of the Australian attack with his 1-27, while Cooper Connolly (1-30) also did well not to get mauled.
Zampa snared Babar Azam lbw for just two with a beauty to continue the concerns in Pakistan about their batting hero's lean run, but it was just a mini-success as Shadab Khan (28no off 20) combined with Usman for a late charge.
Chasing 199 always looked a pretty forlorn task and once Abrar Ahmed, the spinner nicknamed Harry Potter for his wizardry, trapped Marsh lbw in the third over before Saim Ayub (1-32) bowled Travis Head the very next ball with one that kept low, it soon felt hopeless.
Abrar (3-14) then got Josh Inglis (five) with a devilish wrong 'un the next over, with only Cam Green's sixth-over assault on Ayub, with two sixes and a four, giving a flicker of hope before Matt Renshaw was trapped lbw by Mohammad Nawaz for just two and Cooper Connolly was skittled by Shadab Khan (3-26) for one.
Once Green (35 off 20) sliced a simple catch off Usman Tariq (2-16), the fifth spinner to torment them after being introduced late into the attack, only Matt Short, fresh from the disappointment of being left out of the World Cup squad, was able to mount any kind of last stand with his 27 off 23 balls.
"Shorty's a class player, and I'm sure Matty'll be back bigger and better than ever," said the sympathetic Bartlett.
Australian Associated Press
