Billy Stanlake burst sets up crushing Australia win

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Harare, July 2: Billy Stanlake ripped through Pakistan to spoil Shoaib Malik's record-breaking 100th Twenty20 international appearance as Australia stopped the rot with a crushing nine-wicket victory in Harare.

Scorecard

Australia had suffered 10 consecutive defeats in all formats, but Stanlake took 4-8 - the second-best T20I figures for an Australian bowler - from four outstanding, hostile overs as Pakistan were dismissed for only 116.

Captain Aaron Finch smashed an unbeaten 68 from only 33 deliveries to get Australia home with 55 balls to spare on a day which saw Shoaib become the first player to feature in a century of T20Is.

Stanlake set the tone when he had Mohammad Hafeez caught by Finch at first slip with a rapid, rising delivery from the third ball of the innings and the skipper took a superb catch to get rid of Hussain Talat in a devastating burst from the towering paceman.

Fakhar Zaman edged behind and a diving Finch clung on to another superb catch to get rid of Sarfraz Ahmed, Stanlake's fourth wicket leaving Pakistan in the mire on 24-4 in the seventh over.

Asif Ali (22) lofted Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis over the ropes before the latter removed his off stump, while Shoaib was run out following a mix-up and, although Shadab Khan (29) took Pakistan into triple figures, their total never looked like being enough.

Hasan Ali snared D'Arcy Short for 15 to end an opening stand of 35 from only 3.2 overs, but the powerful Finch struck 16 off three deliveries from Shadab (0-41) and reached his half-century by pulling Usman Khan for three.

The clean-striking opener launched Shadab for a huge six and ended a one-sided match with a boundary from the following delivery, Asif Ali spilling a regulation chance at long-on and watching on as the ball crossed the ropes behind him.

Source: OPTA