McDonald was unable to fly out with the rest of the touring party on Wednesday after returning a positive test on Tuesday.
Michael Di Venuto will coach the Twenty20 team in the absence of McDonald, who must spend a week in isolation.
A three-match T20 series gets under way in Colombo next Tuesday.
Sri Lanka and Australia will then play five ODIs this month before a two-match Test series in Galle.
Australia have not been in action since McDonald was appointed as Justin Langer's successor on a four-year deal.
The paceman, who was only in the T20I squad, was struck on the left index finger by a net bowler this week.
Cricket Australia confirmed ahead of the opener in the three-match T20I series in Colombo on Tuesday that Abbott will not be replaced in the squad.
Abbott was due to link up with Australia's A squad in Sri Lanka after the T20I series. Scott Boland has been called up to cover for Abbott in the A team's four-day matches ahead of the two-match Test series
Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb will leave the A squad to return to Melbourne and be with his pregnant wife.
Jimmy Peirson has been added to the squad as a replacement for Handscomb.
Alex Carey is set to captain the Australia A team in their first 50-over match in Colombo on Wednesday after being added to the squad along with Cameron Green, who will also play.
In the third T20I of the five-match series, captain Finch scored 35 and Maxwell struck an entertaining 39 to put Australia in control in Canberra.
Australia's bowlers set the tone, limiting Sri Lanka to 121-6 from their 20 overs, with Kane Richardson (3-21) leading the way.
Danushka Gunathilaka (nine) and Charith Asalanka (six) both fell to Richardson in the third over of Sri Lanka's innings, with the Australia paceman then bowling Dinesh Chandimal, whose 25 from 29 deliveries had helped the tourists steady the ship.
Chandimal's stint came after Kusal Mendis (four) and Pathum Nissanka (16) fell in swift succession, and though captain Dasun Shanaka hit an unbeaten 39 that included five boundaries, Chamika Karunaratne's late dismissal to Josh Hazlewood (1-31) left Sri Lanka needing an outstanding performance in the field.
Shorn of the world's number one T20I bowler, with Wanindu Hasaranga testing positive for COVID-19, Sri Lanka started brilliantly – Ben McDermott caught off the first ball.
Maheesh Theekshana sent McDermott packing and dismissed the batsman's fellow opener Ashton Agar for 13 in the fifth over.
Yet with Finch prodding and probing at one end, Maxwell was able to let rip at the other, striking two sixes and three fours in his 26-ball effort.
Maxwell was dropped in the covers, and his luck ran out when he tried to go big off Theekshana, but Finch then stepped up his scoring.
By the time Australia's captain edged Jeffrey Vandersay through to slip, the damage had been done, with Josh Inglis (21) and Marcus Stoinis (12) seeing out a comfortable win.
Aussies roll on
Australia have now registered two consecutive bilateral multi-game series win against Sri Lanka for the first time in the men's T20I format.
Reigning world champions Australia have now won eight successive T20I matches against Sri Lanka, with Stoinis capping this victory with a four that just looped over the man at cow corner.
Theekshana stands tall
Sri Lanka were dealt a huge blow before the match started with the news that Hasaranga had been forced into isolation.
The all-rounder has scalped 41 T20I wickets since the beginning of 2021, the most by any bowler. However, Theekshana at least stepped up to take 3-24 in an impressive four-over spell and give the tourists hope.
In a lopsided encounter remarkably similar to the first of the three games between the teams, the tourists posted a challenging total before skittling their opponents.
Opening duo David Warner and Aaron Finch both made half-centuries as they powered Australia to 193-5 after being put into bat.
The Proteas – who managed just 89 when chasing 197 last Friday – lost captain Quinton de Kock early and never threatened in a reply that lasted just 15.3 overs.
Mitchell Starc claimed the key early breakthrough, bowling left-hander De Kock with the fourth ball of the innings, and also removed Faf du Plessis cheaply during the powerplay. The paceman finished with figures of 3-23, wrapping up the win by trapping Kagiso Rabada in front.
Ashton Agar also claimed three wickets, with the spinner coming close to recording a second hat-trick in the series after seeing off Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi with successive deliveries in the 15th over.
Tabraiz Shamsi survived to deny Agar another treble but South Africa did not last too much longer, bowled out for 96 – the lowest total posted in a T20I at the Cape Town venue.
They appeared set to be chasing well in excess of 200 when Warner (57) and Finch (55) were in full flow, the pair putting on 120 in 11.3 overs.
Australia rather lost their way after the well-set pair departed in quick succession, yet Steve Smith – who surprisingly came in down at number five in the order – benefited from a repreive when bowled by a Rabada no ball to make an unbeaten 30 in a hurry.
Starc's double strike had South Africa teetering and while Rassie van der Dussen (24) and Heinrich Klaasen (22) tried to repair the damage, the slow-bowling combination of Agar (3-16) and Adam Zampa (2-10) turned the screw. Fittingly, the impressive Starc landed the knockout blow.
The two teams now turn their focus to 50-over cricket with a three-match ODI series rounding out Australia's trip. The first match takes place in Paarl on Saturday.
Australia could only make 149-9 at the SCG, which staged the first encounter of the five-match series, but it proved more than enough as their bowlers came good.
Hazlewood finished with 4-12 and player of the match Zampa took 3-18 from his four overs, with Sri Lanka finishing on 122-8 after a short rain interruption adjusted their victory target to 143 from 19 overs.
Ben McDermott, son of former Australia fast bowler Craig McDermott, earlier made his first international half-century as he top-scored with 53 for the home side.
The 27-year-old shared in a partnership of 50 for the second wicket with T20I debutant Josh Inglis, who made 23, while Marcus Stoinis added 30, but no other batter reached double figures.
Pathum Nissanka made a handy 36 at the top of the order for Sri Lanka in reply, and Dinesh Chandimal added 25 not out, but a steady trickle of wickets meant Australia were always in control.
Striking out on his own
Dad Craig played 71 Tests and 138 ODIs for Australia in a distinguished career. Ben McDermott could hardly be any more different as a cricketer, given he is a wicketkeeper-batsman, and so comparisons between the pair are futile. What is clear is that Ben has plenty of talent, and here, opening the innings, he clubbed two fours and three sixes in an attention-grabbing 41-ball knock, which ended when he was trapped lbw by Chamika Karunaratne.
Fernando keeps it tight
Sri Lanka's Binura Fernando had an economy rate of 3.0 as he took 2-12 in his four overs, with the left-arm paceman keeping Australia's batters on a tight rein. That miserly rate ranks as the third best by any pace bowler (minimum four overs) for Sri Lanka in a T20I innings away from home, beaten only by Nuwan Kulasekara (2.5 v UAE in February 2016) and Lasith Malinga (2.75 v South Africa in March 2019).
At the Wanderers in Johannesburg, left-arm spinner Agar was the unlikely chief destroyer as he finished with figures of 5-24 in a 107-run victory.
Australia made 196-6 before bowling out South Africa for a meagre 89 in the first of three matches between the teams in the shortest format.
Agar reduced South Africa from 44-4 to 44-7, and incredibly he almost took a second hat-trick later in the innings, only narrowly missing out on bowling last man Tabraiz Shamsi after taking wickets at the end of the 12th and start of the 14th over.
"It was really exciting, obviously a highlight of my cricketing life," Agar said at the post-match presentation, where he was named man of the match.
"But my job's made a lot easier when I've got Mitch Starc, Patty Cummins, Richo [Kane Richardson] and Zamps [Adam Zampa] doing the job before me."
Agar revealed he was not at his best before the match began, but thrashing 20 not out from nine balls at the end of Australia's innings must have set him right.
"It's funny, I was actually feeling horrible leading into the game," Agar said.
The man from Melbourne found it difficult to explain why the day proved such a personal success.
Trying to pin it down, he said: "I don't know... that self-belief at the top of the mark, to just let it all out and give it your best go.
"Obviously when the wicket turns a bit, you get a bit of assistance, your job gets a bit easier and you get on a roll and keep going."
Agar saluted captain Aaron Finch for the brilliant slip catch that clinched the hat-trick, removing Dale Steyn after the spinner earlier prised out Faf du Plessis and Andile Phehlukwayo to tease the big chance.
Finch appeared more thrilled than Agar as he charged off in celebration.
"Unbelievable catch, I think he really enjoyed it as well," Agar said. "He was halfway off the ground when I looked over.
"But great catch, great team performance, good game."
Top spot was on the line at the Rose Bowl, after England twice beat Aaron Finch's side to make sure they would win the series. This third and final game presented a chance for England to swipe away Australia's proud world-leading status, but the tourists raised their game to protect that position.
Rashid's 3-21, including a glorious googly that outfoxed Finch, almost turned the match England's way, but their attack was blunted once his allocation was used up, and the tourists stayed calm to get the job done.
Mitchell Marsh made his highest T20 international score - 39 not out - to guide Australia beyond England's 145-6, his chancy single off Chris Jordan securing the win with three balls to spare.
It means Australia remain premiers in the International Cricket Council's T20 standings, albeit with England perched right behind them.
Tom Banton was promoted to the top of the England order in the absence of Jos Buttler, with Moeen Ali captaining the side for the first time with Eoin Morgan ruled out by a finger injury.
Australia put England in, and the reshuffling got off to a worrying start when Banton fell for two to Josh Hazlewood.
Opening partner Jonny Bairstow made a brisk 55, Dawid Malan added 21, Moeen chipped in with 23, and Joe Denly contributed 29 not out, but England's total always looked on the low side and proved to be so.
Moeen was given out after a moment of uncertainty, as he clubbed Mitchell Starc towards the deep midwicket boundary where Steve Smith, with his left foot devilishly close to the boundary, held on.
Australia were 86-2 in 10 overs, looking for all the world comfortable, having lost only Matthew Wade (14) and Marcus Stoinis (26) to that point.
Yet Rashid had the tourists rattled when he took two wickets in three balls, nicking out Glenn Maxwell and Finch, the latter removed for 39 by a dream of a delivery that befuddled the Australia skipper.
The Yorkshire leg-spinner took his third wicket from the final ball of his permitted four overs, having Smith caught and bowled for three.
Marsh had crucially survived a scare between Rashid's second and third wickets, when he edged Denly towards Malan at slip and the England fielder missed the chance.
Australia needed 46 from 42 balls after Rashid's stint, with five wickets standing and Marsh and Ashton Agar at the crease.
England swapped spin for pace by summoning Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, and it was a change of tack that Australia welcomed, Marsh pulling Wood for six from the first ball of the 16th over.
The Australians gathered 14 runs from that over, thoroughly calming their nerves, and it was steady all the way to the finish line from there.
The Black Caps restricted Australia to 142-8 from their 20 overs after the visitors won the toss and elected to bat in Wellington, with Ish Sodhi taking 3-24.
Guptill (71 from 46 balls) eased any anxiety about a smaller run chase on a pitch being used for the third time this series, with New Zealand claiming victory with 27 balls to spare.
New Zealand's successful chase bucked the series trend of the side batting first winning every game.
Australia captain Aaron Finch said: "We probably just weren't aggressive enough with the bat. We probably let them dictate slightly, but we didn't get enough runs and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
"A couple of us put a fair bit of time into our innings, 20, 30, 40 balls and then to not go on with that it was probably the difference in the game. If one of us gets 60 or 70, that might be a 160-170 score and then you're a couple of good power-play overs away from really squeezing."
Sodhi was named as the player of the series, finishing with 13 wickets at an average of 12.07 across five games.
The win was set up by a disciplined bowling display led by Sodhi, while Trent Boult (2-26 with 10 dot balls) did early damage, Mitchell Santner (0-21 with 10 dots) was tight and Tim Southee (2-38 with eight dots) restricted Australia at the death.
Boult trapped Josh Philippe lbw early before Finch (36 from 32 balls) and Matthew Wade (44 from 29 balls) put together a 66-run second-wicket stand.
Finch, who came under pressure earlier in the series after a poor run of form on the back of the Big Bash League, managed one six and five fours during his knock, while Wade hit two maximums and three fours.
Sodhi got the breakthrough with Finch slicing to Santner at point, leaving Australia 74-2 after 10 overs before the innings fell away, with Glenn Maxwell falling for one, Ashton Agar for six and Mitchell Marsh for 10.
Australia lost 68-6 in the final 10, including being restricted to 36-4 from the last five overs, battling an inconsistent pitch and tight New Zealand bowling.
Devon Conway (36 from 28) and Guptill combined for a 106-run opening partnership in the chase, before Glenn Phillips (34 not out from 16) finished the job.
Guptill blasted four sixes and seven fours in his knock, going at a strike rate of 154.35.
Riley Meredith (2-39) took two wickets in two balls, with Conway caught in the deep by Agar and Kane Williamson trapped lbw for a golden duck, but it was too little, too late.
The defeat compounds a bad 24 hours for the Aussies, after India's Test win over England on Saturday confirmed Australia would miss the Test Championship final.
Black Caps captain Williamson said: "Incredibly hard-fought series and momentum shifts throughout. Then to finish with three games on a surface, try and get a read on it was a real challenge."
For the second time in as many days, Sri Lanka produced a disappointing batting showing in Colombo, following up 128 all out in the first game with 124-9 on Wednesday.
Charith Asalanka (39) again impressed with the bat but the Australia attack fired without the injured Mitchell Starc, as his replacement Jhye Richardson and namesake Kane Richardson accounted for seven wickets.
Australia stuttered to 64-4 in reply but were still in cruise control even when Marcus Stoinis departed to leave them 80-5 in the ninth over.
However, Hasaranga gave them hope with his final over, removing Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar in successive deliveries before narrowly missing out on a hat-trick.
But Matthew Wade kept his composure, scoring an unbeaten 26 to steer Australia over the line and secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a three-wicket win.
Relentless Richardsons
Starc suffered a hand injury in Australia's 10-wicket win on Tuesday but his absence mattered not thanks to the efforts of Kane and Jhye Richardson.
Kane Richardson claimed 4-30 and Jhye Richardson 3-26, the latter dismissing Kusal Mendis (36) hit wicket and removing all-rounder Hasaranga (12) in the penultimate over.
Wow-nindu
Hasaranga was 0-27 for his two overs in the first game but bounced back in style with 4-33.
He looked to be turning the game in Sri Lanka's favour in the 12th over, deceiving Maxwell (19) with a googly and then bowling Agar through the gate. Hasaranga came agonisingly close to drawing an outside edge from Jhye Richardson, who denied him a hat-trick.
The 36-year-old called it quits in ODIs last September, but continued to captain Australia later in the year in the T20 format as they looked to defend their World Cup title on home soil.
However, Finch's side failed to reach the semi-finals despite the right-handed batsman top-scoring in a group-stage victory over Ireland, one that ultimately ended up being his last international match.
Finch has called it a day after a fantastic international career, during which he set the record for the highest score in a T20I with his 172-run innings against Zimbabwe in 2018.
He played for Australia 254 times across the three formats with 146 ODIs and 103 T20Is, as well as five Test matches.
Finch will continue playing for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League after racking up 3,120 T20I runs, putting him sixth in the all-time rankings.
Finch told reporters at the MCG: "Realising that I won’t be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event.
"I also want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international career."
Finch captained his country in 76 T20Is and 55 ODIs, with his finest hour as Australia skipper coming in 2021 when he led them to the T20 World Cup, while he was also part of the team that won the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2015.
Finch added: "Team success is what you play the game for and the maiden T20 World Cup win in 2021 and lifting the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2015 will be the two memories I cherish the most.
"To be able to represent Australia for 12 years and play with and against some of the greatest players of all time has been an incredible honour."
Cricket Australia (CA) said the planned fixtures in March had been shelved "due to New Zealand's border controls and quarantine requirements".
The three matches were due to be played in Napier, on March 17, 18 and 20.
Yet the travel restrictions between the two countries, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, mean Australia would not be able to make the trip.
In a statement on its website, CA said: "The three-match series, scheduled for March 17-20 at McLean Park in Napier, was initially arranged with the New Zealand government's plan to relax restrictions at the trans-Tasman border in mind.
"However, with those plans now substantially delayed, the decision was made to abandon the series."
CA chief executive Nick Hockley added: "We thank NZ Cricket for making every effort to host the series, but unfortunately it wasn't possible given the border restrictions and quarantine requirements."
The teams are due to clash in the short format later in the year at the T20 World Cup. The October 22 match at the SCG in Sydney will be the opening game for both sides in that tournament.
Australia was due to stage the showpiece in October and November, but the coronavirus pandemic put paid to that.
West Indies will instead look to defend their title in India in October 2021, with Australia hosting the tournament the following year.
The format for the 2021 edition will be unchanged, so the teams that qualified for this year's tournament will play in India and a new qualification process will take place for the event in Australia.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the Women's T20 World Cup in New Zealand has been put back from next year and will get under way in February 2022.
Five teams have already qualified for the event and they will still take their place in the tournament in 2022, and the three remaining places will be up for grabs in a qualification event next year.
ICC acting chairman Imran Khwaja said: "Over the last few months as we have considered how we return to staging global events, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in ICC events.
"The decisions the board have taken today are in the best interests of the sport, our partners and importantly our fans.
"I'd like to thank our partners at the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket New Zealand as well as the Australian and New Zealand governments for their continued support and commitment to a safe return to ICC events."
ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said: "We now have absolute clarity on the future of ICC events enabling all of our members to focus on the rescheduling of lost international and domestic cricket. We will now proceed as planned with the Men's T20 World Cup 2021 in India and host the 2022 edition in Australia.
"We have taken the decision to move the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup to give players from every competing nation, the best opportunity to be ready for the world's biggest stage and there is still a global qualifier to complete to decide the final three teams.
"There has been no women's international cricket played since the conclusion of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year and due to the varying impact of COVID-19 globally that is likely to remain the situation for a number of the teams.
"Moving the event by 12 months gives all competing teams the chance to play a sufficient level of cricket ahead of both the qualification event and leading into a Cricket World Cup so the integrity of the tournament is maintained.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed details of a month-long tour in March and April 2022 comprising three Test matches, three ODIs and one T20I.
The Tests will be held in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore in March, with the latter also hosting the white-ball matches.
While the Tests will form part of the ICC World Test Championship, the one-day matches will be linked to the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, a 13-team event from which seven qualifiers and host nation India will progress to the final tournament in 2023.
Speaking of Australia's first visit since 1998, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said: "I am delighted to welcome Australia to Pakistan. From a personal point of view, it pleases me no end that we'll be engaged in a three-Test match series, connoisseurs delight.
"Australia are one of the high-performing sides and them playing in our backyard for the first time after a gap of 24 years will be a special treat for the fans.
"Likewise, it will be a great opportunity for the Australia cricketers to not only play at our iconic venues but also feel and enjoy the respect, love and hospitality that this great country offers, something which most of their previous generation of cricketers missed out by playing offshore."
Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley: "Cricket Australia is excited about the prospect of touring Pakistan next year for what will be a highly anticipated series in a country so incredibly passionate about the game and their national team.
"Pakistan is a formidable opposition with an exceptionally talented team, as evidenced by their dynamic performances in the current ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the UAE.
"We thank the PCB for their considerable efforts in planning for the tour and look forward to continuing to work closely over the coming months to finalise the necessary operations, logistics, security and Covid-19 protocols.
"The safety and welfare of our players and staff remains our number one priority, and we will continue to work with the PCB and relevant agencies to ensure that appropriate and sufficient arrangements are put in place for the tour."
Australia won the series 1-0 in their previous tour of Pakistan, which was their first since Richie Benaud's side won 2-0 in 1959-60.
The previous four series between the countries have been held offshore, most recently in 2018-19, when Pakistan won 1-0 in the United Arab Emirates.
Labuschagne made his Test debut for Australia in 2018 against Pakistan in Dubai. However, it was during the 2019 Ashes that the 27-year-old came to prominence.
He became the first player to be a concussion substitute in a Test match when he replaced Steve Smith in the second match at Lord's, after the former Australia captain had been struck on the back of the neck.
His resilient 59 helped Australia secure a draw and he was named in the line-up for the following Test and has not looked back since.
Labuschagne has averaged 62.14 from 20 Tests, and has scored 74, 0 (not out), 103 and 51 in his four innings in the 2021-22 Ashes as Australia cruised into a 2-0 lead.
He has hit six centuries, including one double-hundred against New Zealand in January 2020.
Labuschagne's career-high 912 rating points saw him leapfrog England captain Joe Root, who has had a brilliant 2021 when it comes to run-scoring, even if his side have struggled.
Indeed, Root has now scored 4,859 runs as England Test captain, surpassing the previous record set by Alastair Cook (4,844).
Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and India's new white-ball captain Rohit Sharma complete the top five.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam, meanwhile, has risen to the number one spot for T20I batsmen, though he is tied with England's Dawid Malan.
Mitchell Starc has bowled impressively in the Ashes so far and has moved into the top six for bowlers.
The move comes after the T20 World Cup, which was due to be played in Australia this year, was postponed last month due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, Cricket Australia (CA) said it and the Windies had agreed to postpone their scheduled three-game T20 series, which was set to be played in Queensland.
"Given the preference to host the warm-up three-match T20 series against the West Indies to coincide with the rescheduled T20 World Cup in Australia [which will take place in either 2021 or 2022], it has been agreed to postpone the matches," part of a statement from CA read on Tuesday.
Townsville, Cairns and the Gold Coast were scheduled to host the T20 matches.
Pakistan claimed a five-wicket victory in the opening game in Lahore on Friday, and Babar and Hafeez ensured the hosts were in cruise control again at the same venue on Saturday.
After Bangladesh finished on 136-6 thanks predominantly to Tamim Iqbal's 65, Babar (66 not out) and Hafeez (67no) combined superbly for an unbroken stand of 131.
It meant Pakistan clinched the match and the three-match series with 20 balls to spare, rendering Monday's finale a dead rubber.
Bangladesh opener Mohammad Naim went for a duck in the second over and, though Tamim held the innings together, he found little in the way of partners.
Afif Hossain (21), stayed with Tamim for a stand of 45, but after the latter was run out in the 18th over, any impetus Bangladesh's innings had was lost.
Shafiul Islam removed Ahsan Ali for a duck to give Bangladesh hope of defending their total, which was swiftly and brutally extinguished by Babar and Hafeez.
Hafeez brought up his half-century in 39 balls, but Babar was four deliveries quicker, the pair hitting 16 fours and two sixes between them as they tormented the Bangladesh attack en route to an easy win.
Captain Babar made 52 but it was Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten 91 that powered Pakistan to 165-3 in the third and final game at the Harare Sports Club.
That total proved beyond Zimbabwe, though Wesley Madhevere (59) had the hosts in contention. They were 102-1 at one stage in reply, only to lose three wickets for eight runs to scupper their hopes.
Tadiwanashe Marumani departed for 35 to trigger the mini collapse and, despite 20 from Brendan Taylor, the innings fell away in the closing stages, finishing up at 141-7 to lose by 24 runs.
Hasan Ali was the star performer for Pakistan with the ball, taking career-best figures of 4-18, as the tourists bounced back after a first ever loss to Zimbabwe in the format on Friday.
With his side bowled out for 99 when chasing in the previous game, Babar opted to bat first after winning the toss. Sharjeel Khan fell for 18 in the powerplay but the skipper combined with opener Rizwan to put on a crucial second-wicket stand worth 126.
The partnership eventually came to an end when Babar was caught in the deep in the final over, with Fakhar Zaman then falling immediately in similar fashion as he registered a first-ball duck.
Luke Jongwe benefited from the late double to finish with figures of 3-37, giving him nine wickets in the series at an average of 8.77. He had claimed 4-18 in his team's victory but the hosts were unable to pull off a repeat result.
The two nations now switch their focus to Test cricket. A two-match series begins in Harare on Thursday.
Rizwan gets maximum rewards
As was the case in the opening fixture, the home team appeared in a strong position in a run chase, only to falter as the finishing line drew into sight. Madhevere hit seven of his team's 16 fours, yet they did not manage a solitary six between them.
Indeed, Rizwan was the only player to clear the boundary rope in the match, doing so three times as he registered a fourth unbeaten half-century in his past seven T20 games.
Captain fantastic in fine form
The ever-consistent Babar has now managed 50 or more on 11 occasions in T20 cricket for Pakistan since the start of 2019, a fine run of form that has helped him reach a notable personal milestone.
He made it to the 2,000-run mark in 52 innings - four fewer than India skipper Virat Kohli. His career average in the format now stands at a hugely impressive 47.32.
Pakistan captain Babar was replaced by England's Dawid Malan as officially the best batsman on the planet in the shortest format in September after he was in the runs against Australia.
Babar has spent a cumulative 774 days as number one across four stretches since January 2018 and is only eight rating points shy of Malan.
Pakistan have won all 11 T20 contests with Zimbabwe and the classy Babar will see three games against the tourists as a golden opportunity to dislodge Malan.
Yet Zimbabwe come into the first match of the series on Saturday on a high from a shock Super Over victory that prevented them from suffering a 3-0 ODI whitewash at the hands of Pakistan.
We use Opta data to preview the series in Rawalpindi.
- Pakistan beat Bangladesh in each of their two other T20 matches at home this year. They had suffered three defeats on the spin on their own patch before those victories.
- Zimbabwe have been beaten in nine of their past 13 T20Is in Asia. Three of their four victories came against non-Test playing nations, but they beat Afghanistan in September 2019.
- Brendan Taylor has 878 runs at international level in the shortest format and is looking to join Hamilton Masakadza as the only Zimbabwe batsman to reach the 1,000 mark.
- Sean Williams heads into this contest on the back of scoring a fourth ODI century (118 not out), at this venue in a famous win on Tuesday. He has made 58no and an unbeaten 40 in two of his past three T20 knocks versus Pakistan.
- Shaheen Afridi (23), Imad Wasim (22), Shadab Khan (21) and Haris Rauf (17) had more dot balls than any England bowlers in a drawn T20 series in August and September.
As Jos Buttler looks to the future, Warwickshire batting all-rounders, Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley, have been given their first international call-ups for the three-match T20 series against Australia next month.
Essex batter Jordan Cox, Hampshire seamer John Turner and Leicestershire left-arm bowler Josh Hull, who was named as Mark Wood's replacement in the Test squad to play Sri Lanka, have also been picked.
The latter three will also be involved for the five one-day internationals that follow.
World Cup winners Bairstow and Moeen, who have been regular fixtures in England's white-ball squad for over a decade, could have made their final international appearances after being left out of the squad, with Chris Jordan also being overlooked.
Brydon Carse, however, has been recalled for both squads after serving a betting ban, while Saqib Mahmood returns for the T20 series after recovering from injury. Buttler will also be fit to feature after overcoming a calf injury.
Marcus Trescothick will lead England for the first time against Australia after being named Matthew Mott's interim replacement.
Mott left in July following England's semi-final exit to eventual champions India in the T20 World Cup, having also failed to help England defend their 50-over world title in 2023.
The first match of the T20 series will take place on September 11 at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
England T20 squad to play Australia:
Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.
England ODI squad: Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner.
Bairstow is in the form of his life and bludgeoned 90 off only 53 balls on Wednesday, while Moeen made the fastest T20I half-century by an England batter from just 16 deliveries.
The exploits of Bairstow and Moeen (50) enabled England to rack up 234-6 at the County Ground in Bristol, their second-highest total in the shortest format and the biggest they have posted at home.
Tristan Stubbs top scored with a sublime 72 off 28 balls in his first international innings and Reeza Hendricks made 57, but the tourists fell short on 193-8 in a run-fest.
Jos Buttler smashed 22 off only seven balls after losing yet another toss, but Lungi Ngidi (5-39) removed the skipper and fellow opener Jason Roy.
Dawid Malan (43) was looking in ominous touch before he nicked Andile Phehlukwayo behind, setting the stage for Bairstow and Moeen put on an astonishing show of power and timing.
From 112-3 after 12 overs, the left and right-hand combination wreaked havoc, putting on 106 for the fourth wicket in just under six overs, with Bairstow dropped twice as the Proteas suffered under the lights.
Moeen fell straight after bringing up a fastest T20I half-century and Bairstow finally departed in the last over from Ngidi, just missing out on hundred.
The in-form Reece Topley (2-29) dismissed Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw cheaply, but Hendricks and Stubbs made a game of it as they made hay on a great track.
Moeen had Hendricks caught by Sam Curran and Adil Rashid (2-21) struck twice before Stubbs took centre stage as the boundaries continued to flow, but he was one of Richard Gleeson's three late victims and Chris Jordan bowled superbly at the death in a hugely impressive win for England.
Bairstow and Moeen go berserk
The powerful Bairstow struck eight sixes and Moeen cleared the rope six times, with Phehlukwayo (1-63) conceding 33 runs from an astonishing 17th over and Tabraiz Shamsi going for 49 in three wicket-less overs.
Rossouw and Hendricks dropped Bairstow, who was finally removed in an excellent last over from the Ngidi, but the damage had already been done.
Stubbs stakes his claim
The 21-year-old Stubbs had batted in his only two previous internationals against India, but he staked a claim to be a regular fixture in the side with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.
He hit eight sixes to keep the Proteas in with an outside chance of chasing down a huge target, scoring at a rapid rate on both sides of the wicket before falling to Gleeson (3-51).
