Spencer Johnson's first five-for in T20Is led Australia to a hard-fought victory over Pakistan in Sydney, clinching a series success with a match to spare.
Johnson took the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (16), Sahibzada Farhan (5), Usman Khan (52), Salman Agha (0) and Abbas Afridi (4) as Australia followed up their 29-run win in Thursday's rain-affected opener.
The momentum swung back and forth as both teams' batters struggled on a difficult surface, with Haris Rauf finishing with figures of 4-22 for Pakistan.
No Australia batter managed more than the 32 runs of opener Matthew Short, and they found themselves bundled out for 149, losing their last five wickets for just 53 runs.
However, Pakistan were dropped to 44-4 by the middle of their ninth over, with Johnson clearing up the tourists' captain Rizwan and vice-captain Salman with successive deliveries.
Usman's fine knock of 52 off 38 balls – including four fours and one maximum – dragged Pakistan back into contention, but he was beaten by the pace of another Johnson delivery with four overs remaining.
Pakistan ultimately needed 16 runs off the final over to level up the series, but their hopes were ended when Rauf was run out following a calamitous mix-up with Irfan Khan (37 not out), which saw both batters almost finish at the bowler's end.
Data Debrief: Australia on a roll
Australia entered this series having won just one of their last four bilateral T20I series against Pakistan, triumphing 2-0 in 2019 but losing the other three.
Regardless of the outcome of Monday's third match in Tasmania, the hosts have backed up that triumph, extending their unbeaten run across all men's T20I series to five (four wins, one draw).
They last enjoyed a streak of this length between November 2018 and February 2020 (also four wins, one draw).
Scorpions all but book semi-final spot with 82-run DLS method win over Hurricanes
The Jamaica Scorpions all but booked a spot in the last four of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup with an 82-run DLS method win over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on Friday.
After being put in to bat by the Leewards in the game that was reduced to 43 overs per team, the Scorpions made 264-9 from their 43 overs thanks to some smart and destructive batting.
Jermaine Blackwood led the way with 54 off 69 balls before Odean Smith provided some fireworks towards the end of the innings with 52 off just 33 balls including three fours and five massive sixes.
Captain John Campbell, moving from his usual opening position to number five for this game, contributed 42 while wicket-keeper/batsman Romaine Morris, who took the opening spot, made 27.
Hayden Walsh Jr bowled consistently on his way to figures of 3-33 from his nine overs while Jeremiah Louis took 2-30 in four overs.
Marquino Mindley was then spectacular with the ball to help restrict the Hurricanes to 182 all out in 34.3 overs.
Mindley finished with figures of 5-28 in his eight overs and was well supported by Jeavor Royal who took 2-20 from 6.3 overs and Odean Smith who took 2-40 from five overs.
Karima Gore and Jewel Andrew both hit 47 for the Hurricanes.
The win means the Scorpions end the league phase of the tournament at the top of the points standings with 53 points from their seven games.
The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (52 points from six games) and the Barbados Pride (43 points from six games) are currently second and third and will face off on Saturday at Queen’s Park Oval.
The Hurricanes (38 points from six games) currently occupy the final semi-final spot and could book their spot with a win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges on Sunday.
Guyana are out having played all their matches and finished with 37 points. The Windward Islands Volcanoes have 31 points from their six games and could make things interesting with a big win over the West Indies Academy in their final game on Sunday.
Batters walked the talk, says Suryakumar after India's series win over South Africa
India captain Suryakumar Yadav heaped praise on his batters after the tourists thumped South Africa by 135 runs to claim the four-match T20I series 3-1 in Johannesburg.
Batting first, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma both hit unbeaten centuries as India posted a total of 283-1 before bundling out the Proteas for 148.
India's ultra-aggressive approach under head coach Gautam Gambhir has taken T20I cricket by storm, with the team scoring their third 250-plus score in the format on Friday - the most by any team.
"Our plan was very clear. The last time we came here, we played the same brand of cricket as well and we wanted to continue that," said Suryakumar after the commanding victory.
"We wanted to follow those good habits. We didn't think about the results and it happened automatically."
Their 283-1 was also the fifth-highest total in men's T20I history and India's second-highest total after the 297-6 that they scored at home against Bangladesh only last month.
With his unbeaten 109 from 56 balls, Samson became the first batter to register three hundreds in a calendar year in T20Is, while Tilak's 120 from 47 balls was his second hundred in as many matches.
Consistency key for Australia ahead of Wales Test
Australia scrum-half Tate McDermott says the Wallabies are still searching for consistency ahead of Sunday's Autumn International versus Wales in Cardiff.
Australia beat England on their travels for the first time since 2015 last week, with Max Jorgensen's last-gasp try sealing a dramatic 42-37 success.
However, Joe Schmidt's team have not won successive Tests since July, losing three in a row before their triumph at Twickenham.
The last time they were on the winning side, against Argentina in the Rugby Championship in August, they were then thumped 67-27 by the Pumas in the return fixture just a week later.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's game, McDermott called on the visitors to produce a repeat of last week's performance.
"We've had a couple of good wins this year – flashback to Argentina where we knocked them off in the first game, but a week later, we're a completely different team," said McDermott.
"The group in general has a feeling that repeatability is the biggest thing for us to move forward, and we've got to make sure of that.
"Backing up our performance against the English is crucial for us.
"It's a fresh page and while last week was a great moment, it's irrelevant because we've got a fierce Welsh team in our face, and we've got to make sure we're ready for them."
Schmidt has made six changes to Australia's XV for the game, with centre Joseph Suaalii among those to make way after impressing against England last time out.
Samu Kerevi returns to the lineup, with Jorgensen, Nic White, Allan Alaalatoa, Seru Uru and Will Skelton also introduced.
Wales, meanwhile, have made four alterations to the team that started last week's 24-19 loss to Fiji, with James Botham, Jac Morgan, Ellis Bevan and Tom Rogers the players introduced.
Coach Warren Gatland said: "We haven't thrown in the towel. We can only continue to work as hard as we've been doing and, hopefully, we'll get across the line.
"Do I believe in what we're doing? 100%. The conviction is there and if the conviction is there, it probably takes away a little bit of some of the noise that's coming towards us."
Wales team: Cameron Winnett, Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Blair Murray, Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Bevan; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (c), Archie Griffin, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, James Botham, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Sam Costelow, Eddie James.
Australia team: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Samu Kerevi, Max Jorgensen, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, Angus Bell, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Seru Uru, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini.
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
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