[Watch] Babar Azam falls cheaply to Nathan Ellis in AUS vs PAK 2024 1st T20I
Australian seamer Nathan Ellis struck in his first over to see the back of Babar Azam in the first T20I against Pakistan at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday, November 14. The right-handed batter ran three in the very first ball, but could not add more to his tally.
The dismissal occurred in the third over of the innings as Babar looked to whack a slower length delivery out of the park but miscued it. Despite seeming like the ball will clear the fence, Jake Fraser-McGurk intercepted to take a well-judged catch at deep mid-wicket.
Take a look at the dismissal here:
The very same over saw Irfan Khan lose his wicket after failing to trouble the scores. With persistent showers causing delay, the match was reduced to seven overs per side as visiting captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bowl first. Glenn Maxwell's 19-ball 43 was the catalyst behind Australia's total of 93/4 in seven overs.
Babar Azam, the former Pakistan skipper, had an indifferent ODI series coming into the shortest format. He scored a compact 37 in the first match and remained unbeaten in the next two games, with the tourists chasing low totals.
Babar Azam and six other Pakistan batters fall for single-figure scores to get 1-0 lead
Meanwhile, seven batters fell for single-figure scores as the total of 93 proved to be a touch too far for Pakistan. Only Haseebullah Khan, Abbas Afridi and Shaheen Shah Afridi managed to reach double figures. Australia eventually won by 29 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-game series.
Ellis and Xavier Bartlett took three wickets each, while Adam Zampa claimed two. Spencer Johnson picked up the solitary scalp of Sahibzada Farhan.
The two sides will meet in the second T20I on Saturday, November 16, in Sydney. The series ends with the third T20I on Monday, November 18, at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.