In a thrilling first match of the T20 series between England and Australia, England’s fast bowlers dominated, particularly Jofra Archer and Saqib Mahmood. The game, held in Southampton, saw the Australian batsmen collapse under the pressure of Archer’s pace and Mahmood’s precision. In a sensational display of bowling, the duo took a rare team hat-trick, dismantling Australia’s middle and lower order in quick succession.
Archer’s Lethal Spell
Australia, after a solid start, were positioned at 167 for 6 wickets in 17 overs. With a strong foundation, they seemed on track to post a competitive total. However, Jofra Archer had other plans. Bowling the 18th over, Archer delivered a deadly yorker to Sean Abbott on the fifth ball. Abbott, caught off guard, couldn’t react in time, and his off stump was sent flying, leaving him stunned.
On the very next delivery, Archer bowled an equally fierce yorker to Xavier Bartlett. Bartlett was trapped, unable to move his feet, and saw his stumps shattered in an instant. Archer came close to completing a hat-trick, but the task was left to Saqib Mahmood in the following over.
Mahmood Completes the Hat-trick
Saqib Mahmood took the baton in the 19th over, and on his very first delivery, he bowled a spectacular yorker to dismiss Cameron Green. Green had no answer to the brilliant delivery, and Australia found themselves losing three wickets in just three balls, leading to a rare team hat-trick for England.
Australia’s Struggle After a Strong Start
Australia had initially looked in control, with Travis Head playing an explosive knock of 59 runs in the powerplay. The team raced to 86 runs in the first six overs, setting a solid platform for a high score. However, England’s bowlers gradually pulled things back.
In the middle overs, spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone applied the brakes, with Rashid picking up a crucial wicket and Livingstone taking three. Their disciplined bowling prevented Australia from capitalizing on their early momentum, and the pressure began to mount on the Australian batsmen.
Collapse in the Final Overs
Australia’s innings took a severe hit between the 16th and 19th overs when they lost five wickets for just 24 runs. Archer, Mahmood, and Sam Curran bowled with immense control, leaving the Australian batsmen clueless. At one point, it looked like Australia would easily cross the 200-run mark, but they were eventually restricted to 179 runs.
Despite this lower-than-expected total, Australia managed to pull off a 28-run victory against England. However, the match will be remembered for the outstanding bowling of Jofra Archer and Saqib Mahmood, who combined to deliver one of the most remarkable team hat-tricks in T20 cricket.
