All-rounder Saim Ayub starred in Pakistan's spin-assisted 22-run win over Australia in the first Twenty20 international in Lahore on Thursday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ayub top-scored in Pakistan's 168-8 with a 22-ball 40 that included two sixes and three fours, while Salman Agha added four sixes and a four in his 27-ball 39.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tourists managed 146-8 in their 20 overs with spinners taking six wickets for Pakistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the ball, Ayub dismissed Australian openers Matthew Short (five) and Travis Head, who hit two sixes and two fours in his 13-ball 23.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cameroon Green resisted with a 31-ball 36 but Australia succumbed to spin with Abrar Ahmed taking 2-10 while Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan took a wicket apiece.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Both teams were tuning up for the Twenty20 World Cup starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan skipper Agha praised a team effort.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It was a great game with complete team effort," said Agha. "We started well with the bat but couldn't finish the way we wanted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It became challenging after the first 10 overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Head, standing in for regular skipper Mitchell Marsh who rested, showed disappointment over batting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It was disappointing, but that's how batting goes sometimes," said Head.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We felt like we dragged it back well after the first 10 overs but as the ball got softer, it became harder to score."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, Ayub led Pakistan's batting after the home team won the toss and chose to bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Paceman Xavier Bartlett jolted Pakistan by dismissing Sahibzada Farhan with the first ball of the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But Ayub and Agha restored the innings with a second wicket stand of 74, but spinner Adam Zampa put the brakes on Pakistan's progress with 4-24.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Zampa dismissed both Ayub and Agha in successive overs before accounting for Babar Azam (24) and Usman Khan (18).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Debutant Mahli Beardman finished with 2-33 as Pakistan managed just 31 in the last five overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The last two matches are on Saturday and Sunday, also in Lahore.
\r\n <\/p>\r\n",
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