Australia won by 29 runs in the first T20I contest of the three-match series against Pakistan on Thursday as the rain-hit match prompted both sides’ batters to hit maximum on every delivery.

“I have had a lot of fun out here and I get a good opportunity to play and I am happy with the job done,” Glen Maxwell said after receiving the player of the match award.

Maxwell made 43 off 19 deliveries. He hit three maximums and four fours. The right-handed batter came to the crease at a time when his side was losing quick wickets.

He hit sweep shots off fast deliveries and also hit sixes on the bowling of pacer Haris Rauf who got him out three times in the ODI series.

Pakistani skipper Mohammad Rizwan was of the view that it was difficult to keep things in check due to the limited-overs game. He applauded Maxwell for the he played and that ended up being the difference in the end.

As the wicket-keeper batter said, the visitors struggled to set momentum while chasing the target. The top seven batters, including Rizwan, were caught in the field while trying to hit the ball out of the park.

They needed 41 runs in the last over, with tailenders on the crease. Shaheen Shah Afridi did hit a six, but his side needed more.

Australian skipper Josh Inglis said that he was satisfied with the victory. “It is good to get the first will of the series and we will look to get the job done in Sydney,” he said and praised the bowlers for taking wickets in the early overs.

Rizwan won the toss and elected to bowl in a truncated first of a three-match T20I series against Australia in Brisbane on Thursday.

The match was reduced to a contest with seven overs per side after a delayed start due to heavy rain and lightning.

Two bowlers could bowl two overs and three could bowl one each.

After a surprising 2-1 victory in the recent three-match ODI series, Pakistan are chasing a rare double in Australia as they return to cricket’s shortest format for the first time since their early exit in June’s T20 World Cup.

Having led his team to their first series victory against the Australians in Australia in 22 years, Rizwan has also taken the reins of the T20 side after Babar Azam stepped down last month.

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A shorthanded Australia are without several top players, who are preparing for the upcoming blockbuster Test series against India.

Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who captained Australia for the first time in the third ODI against Pakistan, will take the reins for the entire series in the absence of skipper Mitchell Marsh, who is on paternity leave.

Teams

Australia: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Josh Inglis (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis,Tim David, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haseebullah Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah