Aussie quick rips through Pakistan top order as Zampa debuts new look — LIVE

Pakistan are 4-54 off 11 overs chasing Australia’s 9-147 at the SCG, with Usman Khan (20) and Mohammad Irfan Khan (1) at the crease.

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Babar Azam could only manage 3 before he was caught in the deep by Nathan Ellis off the first ball of Xavier Bartlet’s first over.

Sahibzada Farhan could only manage 5, before he was caught by Bartlett off the bowling of Spencer Johnson.

Pakistan skipper Muhammad Rizwan struggled to 16 form 26 before he was Johnson’s second scalp.

Salman Ali Agha was gone for a duck first ball giving Johnson two in two balls and three wickets for the innings.

The hosts posted 9-147 after openers Matt Short (32 off 17 balls) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (20 off nine balls) got the match off to a flying start, cracking 48 runs from the first three overs.

However, an electrifying burst from speedster Haris Rauf, who finished with 4-22, halted Australia’s charge and swung momentum back in Pakistan’s favour.

Australia’s middle order struggled on the two-paced deck, only managing three boundaries between the third and 14th overs. Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem tightened the screws during a probing spell of 2-21 from four overs, including the crucial dismissals of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.

However, all-rounder Aaron Hardie steered the Australians towards a respectable total, notching 28 (23) during the death overs.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s bowlers didn’t receive much support from their teammates, with the visitors putting down four regulation catches alongside some sloppy ground fielding throughout the innings.

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MATCH PREVIEW

Australian quick Nathan Ellis is itching to string together as many games as possible for his country after making a successful return from injury against Pakistan earlier this week.

Shattered after a hamstring injury ruled him out of white-ball matches in September against Scotland and England, the 30-year-old paceman bounced back with three wickets in two overs in Australia’s 29-run win over the Pakistanis on Thursday night.

In the absence of Australia’s top three fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who are all preparing for the first Test against India starting Friday in Perth, Ellis showed off all his skills, taking 3-9 in the rain reduced opener.

And he wants another opportunity when the T20 series against Pakistan continues in Sydney on Saturday.

“The quicks in there now ­– myself, Spence (Spencer Johnson), ‘Sabba’ (Sean Abbott) and ‘X’ (Xavier Bartlett) we’re all chomping at the bit to get our opportunity and play as many games as we can and string as many games we can together while we’re here,” said the Hobart Hurricanes quick who now has 18 T20 internationals to his name.

“You never want to miss any games for Australia. You work so hard to get there … (but) that one specifically, I knew I was going to get a good opportunity to play some games for Australia, so it was one I had pinned on the calendar knowing the schedule and the workload of the stalwarts. I knew I was going to get a good run at it, so to miss that obviously was really disappointing.

“I’m really thankful to have put that behind me now, get back on the park, and get a win in Aussie colours.”

The second T20 between Australia and Pakistan gets underway at 7pm AEDT.