Pakistan vs Australia 2018: Top 3 Performers of the T20I series

Pakistan whitewashed the Australian side 3-0 in the recently concluded 3-match T20I series between the two sides. The Men in Green proved why they deserve to be the number one team in T20 rankings after a superb effort against Australia in the U.A.E. Sarfraz Ahmed's side batted first in all the 3 matches and their bowling successfully defended the target in the second innings.

While the Australian bowlers performed well, it was their batting which let them down as they fell short by a huge margin of 66 runs in the first match. They fought back in the second match just to fall short of 11 runs while the Pakistani team defeated Australia by 33 runs in the 3rd encounter of the series.

Here's a look at the top 3 performers of the T20I series-

#1 Babar Azam - Most Runs (163)

Babar Azam's clinical batting performances helped him gallop to the top of the ICC T20 batsmen's rankings

It was Babar Azam who set the tone of the series for Pakistan as his 68* in the first match helped his side reach 155/8 in 20 overs. Azam stayed on the crease in the entire innings batting for all 20 overs. He scored a half-century in the third T20 international as well after hitting 45 in the second match.

Babar scored 163 runs in 3 matches at an average of 81.50 and a strike-rate of 117.52. Though these numbers indicate that Azam played slow but his innings mattered the most in the end as no other batsman managed to have 2 half-centuries to his name in the series. In the latest ICC T20 rankings, Babar Azam notched the top spot due to his good form in the Australia series.

#2 Mohammad Hafeez - Most Sixes (5)

M Hafeez struck 5 sixes in the series

In the tough batting conditions of the U.A.E, Pakistani all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez struck 5 huge sixes in the 3 innings he batted in. The all-rounder also scored 111 runs in 3 matches at an average of 55.50. Hafeez scored runs at a blistering strike-rate of 132.14 and smashed 8 fours and 5 sixes in the series.

The all-rounder had a highest score of 40 in the 3 matches and was the second best batsman for Pakistan. He supported Babar Azam and had match-winning partnerships with the opener to help Pakistan post huge totals on the scoreboard. Hafeez also scalped 2 wickets in the series from the 3 overs he bowled. The off-spinner's 1-4 in the second match helped Pakistan to win the match as he dismissed Australia's wicket-keeper Alex Carey at a crucial time.

#3 Shadab Khan - Most Wickets (6)

The young leg-spinner emerged as the best bowler of the series from both the sides

Shadab Khan played a key role in Pakistan's triumph over the mighty Aussies as the opposition batsmen failed to read the young leg-spinner's deliveries. He scalped 6 wickets in 3 matches at a miserly economy rate of 5.49 to turn the matches in his side's favor. His figures of 3/19 in the final match where he dismissed Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Marsh helped the Pakistani side successfully inflict a whitewash on the Aaron Finch led side.

Billy Stanlake was the second best bowler of the series with 5 wickets however his side failed to win a single match in the series. With the emergence of Shadab Khan, it seems like Pakistan have got their T20 leg-spinner in him.