Australia fast bowler Xavier Bartlett delivered a blunt assessment after his side were comprehensively outplayed by Pakistan in the second T20I at Lahore, a defeat that sealed the three-match series for the hosts with a game to spare. With the T20 World Cup 2026 set to begin on February 7, the loss served as a timely wake-up call for the 2021 champions.
Pakistan seized control early with an aggressive powerplay approach, exposing Australia’s struggles in unfamiliar conditions. The visitors never found their footing with either bat or ball as the hosts dictated terms throughout the contest.
“The aggressive way Pakistan played in the powerplay took the game away from us,” Bartlett said, as quoted by The Nation. “They outplayed us in all facets, with both bat and ball. These conditions were new and difficult for us. Pakistan’s spinners, especially Shadab Khan, bowled exceptionally well and used the conditions far better than we did.”
On a slow, turning Gaddafi Stadium pitch, Australia’s batting failed to fire. Pakistan piled on a challenging total before their spinners ripped through the visitors’ line-up, leaving Australia all out for 108 while chasing 199, a crushing 90-run defeat.
The dominant display underlined Pakistan’s strength at home and sent a warning to other World Cup contenders about their ability to exploit familiar conditions.
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Despite the setback, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh remained hopeful of a response in the series finale.
“Pakistan outplayed us in the first two games,” Marsh admitted. “But hopefully we can turn it around tomorrow. When you lose, there are always lessons to take from it, and hopefully we can implement them going forward.”
The third and final T20I will be played on February 1 at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Australia will be looking to salvage some momentum ahead of the World Cup.
