Warner, Watson guide Australia to 7-168

David Warner and Shane Watson shared a record opening stand of 111 as Australia put their batting woes behind them to score 7-168 in the third Twenty20 match against Pakistan on Monday night.

While the series is already lost after going down in the opening two games, Australia’s resurgence with the bat is an encouraging sign ahead of the World T20 which starts in Sri Lanka on September 18.

Warner (59 off 34 deliveries) and Watson (47 from 32) beat the previous Australian first-wicket record jointly held by themselves (2010) and Adam Gilchrist and Matt Hayden (2007).

Warner hit six sixes and Watson was no slouch either, heaving five deliveries over the rope in a remarkable turnaround from last Wednesday’s game one in which Australia had been bowled out for 89 and hit no sixes.

Watson smashed three sixes in the eighth over, bowled by Shoaib Malik whose only over cost 20 runs.

Warner enjoyed three sixes in the following over from 20-year-old spinner Raza Hasan (1-34 off three overs).

A highlight of left-hander Warner’s innings came in the 10th over when he used his switch-hit right-hander stance to put Pakistan’s star spinner Saeed Ajmal over the fence.

Ajmal held his nerve to take 2-19 from four overs.

Both openers fell to pace bowler Yasir Arafat (2-30 off three) in the 11th and 13th overs.

Glenn Maxwell, who was recalled in place of David Hussey, hit 27.

But Australia’s momentum stalled in the second half of their innings as Umar Gul removed Cameron White (duck) and Dan Christian (three) while George Bailey (three) and Mike Hussey (12) fell to Ajmal.

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