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After a humiliating tour of Australia, Pakistan have started their journey on the road to redemption in the best possible way by recording a clean-sweep of their 'home' T20 series being played in England. After a comfortable 23-run win in the 1st T20 international yesterday in Edgbaston, the Pakistanis repeated the dose at the same venue, this time recording a facile 11 run victory.

While the first match was won largely thanks to the belligerent hitting of young Umar Akmal, today belonged to almost niggly contributions both up and down the order with bat and ball. No batsman for either side crossed the early thirties and no bowler produced a match-winning spell, but as a combined unit Pakistan put on 162 runs on the board, and the Australian chase stuttered and spluttered, but never really took off.

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat on the same pitch used for yesterday's game. There was a surprise in store for them with David Hussey opening the bowling and he struck with his fourth delivery as Shahzaib Hasan, trying to sweep early, was struck on his pads for another duck. This was the first time Australia had started a T20 game with spin and it worked. It was upto Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal to reboot the Pakistani innings and the in-form Kamran wasted no time slashing Shaun Tait over point for the first boundary of the innings. It was "one over" tactics for the first 4 overs from Skipper Michael Clarke with Dirk Nannes and then Mitchell Johnson getting a shot each at the batsmen. Butt and Akmal though went on the offensive, hitting over the top to take advantage of the power play. After 5 overs Pakistan were 37/1 with the help of seven boundaries mostly from the bat of Butt. Nannes and Tait continued to bowl a length the field was not really set for and Pakistan kept taking advantage. The Pakistani fifty came up at the end of the 6th over and the left arm spin of Steve O'Keefe was introduced. Butt continuing in his aggressive form top edged Keefe's final delivery to Cameron White at short fine leg to bring in Shoaib Malik and Pakistan were on 61/2 after 7 overs.

Johnson was brought back for his second over with Kamran, reading the slower ball thumped it for a six. Johnson banged the next one in short and Kamran 33 (25) attempting the pull shot top edged it to Clarke who took a fine catch running back from mid-wicket. The fall of his wicket brought in yesterday's hero and younger brother Umar with Pakistan on 79/3 after 10 overs.

James Hopes was introduced into the attack to take some pace of the ball as the batsmen swung at everything on offer. Nannes coming back to bowl the 14th over of the innings had Malik 12 (16) miscuing the very first delivery and O'Keefe took a simple catch at mid-on. It was another soft dismissal for the former Pakistani captain to bring in current skipper Shahid Afridi who this time was off the mark with a blistering four straight down the ground. Pakistan's most explosive batsmen were at the crease and the Aussie bowlers varied their pace in an effort to restrict them. At the end of the 15th over Pakistan were 116/4 with the run rate a shade under 8, a situation which needed to improve dramatically if they were to challenge an opposition desperate for a win. But Nannes was the breakthrough man for Australia getting rid of Umar Akmal 25 (21) and Afridi 18 (13) off consecutive deliveries to leave Pakistan on a precarious 134/6 after 17 overs.

With two new batsmen in the form of Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Amer at the crease, Clarke threw the ball to his bogeyman David Hussey to bowl the 18th over. He overstepped while bowling the final delivery but still managed to run out Razzak who had strayed out of his crease. The ensuing free hit was cleanly hit over long on by Aamer for a much needed six. New man in Umar Gul did not last long as he played all over an O'Keefe delivery and Pakistan were in danger of being bowled out with 11 deliveries to spare. A fluffed run out chance by the bowler to get rid of Shoaib Akhtar was followed by another clean hit over long-on by Aamer who was determined to further Pakistan's cause. Akhtar hoping to emulate his bowling partner charged down the track and was stumped by Paine. Pakistan were on 154/9 with one over to go, giving O'Keefe his third wicket on debut. Everything was a bonus from then on as new batsman Ajmal Saeed slashed Tait for four. Pakistan finished their 20 overs on 162/9 a competitive total given yesterday's game when Australia failed to get to 167.

Michael Clarke opened the batting for Australia along with David Warner in the absence of Shane Watson. Shoaib Akhtar was entrusted with the new ball despite a below par performance yesterday and the first boundary flew off Clarke's bat over the wicket-keepers head and one bounce into the fence. A cut through point signalled the second four of the over and Australia were on their way. Mohammad Aamer was cover driven to the boundary by Clarke but eventually got a look at Warner who had faced just 2 deliveries and Aamer got one to crash into his back leg as he attempted to whack it through mid-wicket. The ball appeared to be swinging down the leg side, but the umpire upheld the appeal.

Australia lost a second straight wicket in the following over as the hard hitting Tim Paine, mishit the second delivery he faced from Shoaib Akhtar to mid-off and a waiting Umar Gul took a decent catch over his head. Pakistan continued to pile on the misery on Australia, picking up a third wicket in consecutive overs as MIchael Clarke, who had raced to 30 from 16 balls, under edged a ball from Aamer onto his stumps.

Australia were 33/3 at the end of the fourth over as David Hussey walked out to join James Hopes. This propelled Afridi to bring on Saeed Ajmal for the final power play over. He was swept for a couple of boundaries by Hopes, the second one being a fortuitous top-edge to take Australia to 47/3 after 6 overs. A double change in the form of Umar Gul was introduced given his splendid spell in the previous game, but he too was dispatched to the boundary by Hussey and Hopes. Afridi brought himself on in the 8th over and kept the runs down to six off the over. What followed was a quiet period of play as Afridi, Gul and Ajmal got the required run rate to creep up to the 8.5 mark after 10 overs. The partnership had just reached 50 when skipper Afridi delivered the much needed breakthrough, when he had Hopes 30(28) miss a quicker drifting delivery and Kamran Akmal had the bails off in a flash to bring in the dangerous Cameron White.

White and Hussey shared in a useful stand of 21 before the former fell once again to the guile of Shahid Afridi. Saeed Ajmal made it a telling double blow removing innings top scorer David Hussey in the following over as Australia slipped to 113/6. In what looked like a replica of yesterday's match, Australia continued to show their ineptitude against the spinners, showing that they had the ability to hit the ball out of the park, but lacked the technique to rotate the strike.

All the pressure was once again on Michael Hussey, and with him batting ridiculously low at no.7, he had just the tail for company. Hussey made a quickfire 25 from 14 balls to keep Australia interested as long as possible, but with wickets falling regularly from the other end, he was always chasing a lost cause. When Hussey fell in the 18th over Australia still needed 26 to win and with Mitchell Johnson following 3 balls later for naught, the game was as good as over. Dirk Nannes did his best to entertain the fans, forcing the match into the final over, but with Tait run out on the 4th ball, the Aussies fell 11 runs short.

The Pakistan bowling unit is what has really won them both games in this series, and with the first test match getting underway next Tuesday at Lord's that is an exceptionally positive sign. Pakistan appear to have the skill at their disposal to be able to take the 20 wickets necessary to win a game, but do they have the patience in the batting line-up to be competitive, we'll know in a few days time!

Mini Scorecard:

Pakistan 162/9 (20 overs, 8.1rpo)
Kamran Akmal 33 (25)         O'Keefe 3-29
Salman Butt 31 (21)            Nannes 3-30

Australia 151 all out (19.4 overs, 7.7rpo)
David Hussey 33 (27)          Aamer 3-27 
Michael Clarke 30 (17)       Afridi 2-30

Click here to read about Pakistan's win in Game 1

File Photograph Copyright: ICC World T20

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