Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez (C) celebrates with teammate Raza Hasan (R) and Sohail Tanveer (L) after bowling Australia out for just 89 runs during the first Twenty20 international match at the Dubai international cricket stadium Wednesday. — AFP

DUBAI – Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said he is confident his team will beat Australia in the Twenty20 series and go on to prosper at the World Twenty20 championship in Sri Lanka.



Pakistan trounced Australia by seven wickets in the first Twenty20 international Wednesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.



“Our win will help us in the World Twenty20, we need to carry the winning momentum on into the World Twenty20,” said Hafeez of the World Twenty20 which starts on Sept. 18.



Pakistan’s spin trio of Saeed Ajmal, Hasan Raza and Hafeez shared six wickets to bowl Australia out for its second lowest Twenty20 total of 89 before the modest target was achieved for the loss of three wickets.



Australia’s lowest Twenty20 total of 79 came against England at Southampton in 2005.



Saeed Ajmal (2-13), Raza Hasan (2-15) and skipper Hafeez (2-24) shook the Australian batting before left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir (3-13) wrapped up the innings in 19.3 overs. Pakistan then romped home in 14.5 overs.



Shoaib Malik hit the winning boundary, finishing with nine not out while Kamran Akmal finished with an unbeaten 31 with three boundaries and a six.



The second match will be played here Friday.



Hafeez denied he was surprised at Australia’s capitulation.



“It wasn’t surprising because I am confident that my bowling will come good and this is a good sign for our team ahead of the big event where we want to do well,” said Hafeez.



Australia’s captain George Bailey expressed disappointment over the abject loss. “I am very disappointed and there’s plenty to go away and work on.



You don’t ever want to be setting those sorts of records. But in terms of the group we’ve got together and what we’re capable of, it certainly hasn’t altered my thoughts that we can still be a very good team,” said Bailey.



Bailey, whose team is ranked a lowly ninth in Twenty20 cricket, insisted his team can still win the World Twenty20.



“I still think we can win it. Definitely. Absolutely. I certainly don’t think we will win if we play like we did today. It’s hopefully just a bad performance and one that you won’t see again. Even if we gained a tiny bit of momentum, we gave it back by losing a wicket.”



Bailey said he hoped Australia, who won the preceding one-day series 2-1, will improve. — Agencies

Scoreboard

 

Australia

S. Watson lbw b Gul     08

D. Warner c and b Hafeez     22

M. Hussey c Malik b Tanvir     01

G. Bailey c Umar b Hafeez     14

D. Hussey c Ajmal b Hasan     03

C. White b Ajmal     15

M. Wade c Nazir b Hasan     06

G. Maxwell c Jamshed b Ajmal     04

P. Cummins c Umar b Tanvir     01

X. Doherty not out     06

B. Hilfenhaus c Kamran b Tanvir     00

Extras: (lb6, w3)     09

Total (19.3 overs)     89

Falls: 1-12 (Watson), 2-13 (MEK Hussey), 3-46 (Warner), 4-51 (D. Hussey), 5-52 (Bailey), 6-72 (Wade), 7-81 (Maxwell), 8-81 (White), 9-88 (Cummins) 10-89 (Hilfenhaus).

Bowling: Hafeez 4-0-24-2, Tanvir 2.3-0-13-3 (w1), Gul 4-0-17-1, Ajmal 4-0-13-2 (w1), Hasan 4-0-15-2 (w1), Malik 1-0-1-0

Pakistan

M. Hafeez c D. Hussey b Cummins     17

I. Nazir c White b Watson     22

N. Jamshed b Hilfenhaus     10

K. Akmal not out     31

S. Malik not out     09

Extras: (w1)     01

Total: (3 wkts, 14.5 overs)     90

Falls: 1-30 (Hafeez), 2-44 (Jamshed), 3-68 (Nazir).

Bowling: Maxwell 2-0-25-0, Hilfenhaus 3-0-18-1, Cummins 3-0-14-1 (w1), Doherty 3-0-12-0, Watson 2.3-0-9-1, White 1-0-12-0.