Pakistan at the double

• 06/07/2010

Pakistan beat Australia by 11 runs in the second Twenty20 International at Edgbaston to take the series 2-0

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Having ended their 12-match losing stretch against Australia the previous day, Pakistan began their own winning streak with an 11-run victory that brought a 2-0 series triumph. 

After the previous day's game, there was a big crowd of Pakistan fans to watch Pakistan score 162-9 and then tie down Australia's batsmen who were unable to orchestrate a successful chase. 

Pakistan had useful contributions from all their key men. Shahid Afridi made a quick 18 and later picked up two wickets, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt and Umar Akmal all chipped in at the top of the order, as they posted a similar score to the previous day.

If Pakistan were surprised by the selection of O'Keefe, they were astounded when David Hussey bowled the first over - a wicket-maiden that included Shahzaib Hasan lbw trying to slog-sweep.

Afridi and Umar Akmal provided a key partnership for Pakistan; their 30-run stand included one monstrous six from Afridi, who hammered Shaun Tait straight back over his head clearing the construction area, to the roars of the Pakistan fans.

Nannes 3 for 30 dismissed them with consecutive balls after, Umar 25 was caught and bowled when his top edge flew so high that almost any infielder could have run in and caught it, and Afridi was caught behind for 18. Earlier, Butt and Kamran Akmal had given them a strong start with a sixty one run partnership.

The left-arm spinner O'Keefe struck in his first over when Butt 31, top-edged a sweep and was caught at short fine leg, while. Kamran quickly followed for 33 when he skied a pull off  Johnson and was caught by a back pedalling Michael Clarke at midwicket. 

When it was Pakistan's turn to bowl, a couple of rapid bouncers whizzed past the faces of Australian batsmen but Aktar's sole success was Tim Paine, caught at mid-off. .

Clarke, opening the innings, found gaps and cleared the infield several times with well-judged chips and drives, before playing on to Aamer who earlier had trapped David Warner lbw for 1 -  finishing with 3 for 27. James Hopes 30 and David Hussey 33 worked the ball around through the middle overs but boundaries were few and far between, and it left the lower order with too much to do at the end as wickets fell with batsmen desperately chasing a total that always looked to be just beyond Australia.