Some late heroics from Pakistan's Usman Khan and Irfan Khan brought the game to a thrilling finish as the Green Shirts lost the second T20I against Australia by 14 runs in Sydney.
Irfan Khan remained not out on 37 runs from 28 balls, including 4 boundaries and 1 six, at a strike rate of 132.14. Pakistan lost all their wickets with two balls to spare and 15 runs required to complete the 148-run chase set by Austrlia.
Haris Rauf's wicket was the last to fall as he was run out for 2 runs off 3 balls, with David and Inglis combining to take the bails in the final over of the match.
He sparked a late revival for Pakistan in the 18th over, starting with a couple of boundaries off Ellis. He lofted a full ball over the bowler’s head for four, then followed it up with a drilled shot down the ground that went through Bartlett’s hands for another four. After a wide delivery, Irfan then launched a powerful six over deep square leg.
Sufiyan Muqeem was run out for a duck, facing 1 ball, as Short and Inglis combined to take the bails. However, he managed to give the strike to Irfan Khan before departing.
Naseem Shah was bowled out by Adam Zampa for a duck off 2 deliveries. Shaheen Shah Afridi was earlier also bowled out by Adam Zampa for a duck off 4 deliveries.
The game's topscorer Usman Khan earlier scored a half century making 52 runs from 36 balls, including 4 boundaries and 1 six. Soon after in a dramatic turn of events, Josh Johnson claimed two key wickets in quick succession, putting Pakistan on the back foot.
First, Usman Khan fell for 52, caught by Bartlett at short fine leg after misjudging a short ball. Moments later, Abbas Afridi was dismissed for 4, caught by Short at cover off a top-edged shot, giving Johnson his fifth wicket of the match.
He got lucky the 14th over, as a top-edged hook shot off a short ball from Ellis went straight to Short at long leg. However, Short misjudged the catch, allowing the ball to slip through his hands and roll into the boundary for four runs.
Earlier Babar Azam was dismissed for 3 runs off 3 balls, caught by Ellis off Bartlett's bowling, while Sahibzada Farhan scored 5 runs off 10 balls, caught by Bartlett off Johnson's delivery.
Mohammad Rizwan, the captain, was dismissed for 16 runs off 26 balls, caught by David off Johnson's bowling.
Salman Agha was dismissed for a duck, caught behind by Inglis off Johnson's bowling, facing just 1 ball.
Hosts Austrlia started off scoring at 16 runs per over by the end of the third over of their innings, but the Green Shirts mananged to bring run rate down to 7.35 runs per over by the end until the end ofthe innings.
While Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem went wicketless, Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers claiming the wickets of four Austrlian batsman while Abbas Afridi grabbed three wickets and Sufiyan Muqeem got two wickets.
Nathan Ellis remained not out with 1 run off 4 deliveries while Adam Zampa scored 0 off one delivery that he faced.
Aaron Hardie scored 28 off 23 balls before being caught behind off Abbas Afridi's delivery. Spencer Johnson was dismissed by Abbas Afridi, caught by Sahibzada Farhan for a duck.
Xavier Bartlett who scored 5 off 9 deliveries was bowled out by Haris Rauf.
During the 15th over, Haris Rauf was unlucky as Tim David was dropped by Babar Azam on the second delivery. David made the Green Shirts pay for the mistake, scoring 10 runs off the next 3 deliveries. But Haris had the last laugh, claiming his third wicket and getting David out on the final ball of the over.
Earlier Sufiyan Muqeem took the wickets of Marcus Stoinis, who scored 14 off 15 balls and Glenn Maxwell who scored 21 off 20 balls.
Meanhile, Abbas Afridi grabbed the wicket of Austrlian opener Matthew Short who scored 32 off 17 deliveries.
Pakistani pacer haris Rauf earlier claimed two Australian wickets getting opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and wicketkeepr captain Josh Inglis out in his first over of the match.
Earlier, Australia made a blistering start in the second T20I against Pakistan after winning the toss and opting to bat first.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, who bowled the opening spell for Pakistan, were the most expensive bowlers, with economy rates of 9.7 and 11 respectively.
The hosts raced to 48 runs in the first three overs, with their openers finding the boundary with ease and setting a fast pace for the innings of the T20 match being played in Sydney.
While Australia decided to keep their side unchanged, Pakistan, made one change to their playing XI: left-arm wristspinner Sufiyan Muqeem replaces Haseebullah Khan.
Glenn Maxwell's explosive innings, coupled with a strong bowling performance, led Australia to a commanding 29-run victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected first T20I at The Gabba earlier on Thursday.
Australia Playing XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Josh Inglis (c/wk), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Rizwan (c)†, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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