Fawad Ahmed’s breakthrough performance for Australia failed to prevent the tourists suffering a 29-run loss to England in the second Twenty20 international on Saturday.
The former Pakistani refugee took his first full international wickets, finishing with 3-25 at Chester-le-Street in only his second appearance for his adopted homeland.
The leg-spinner’s performance helped keep England to 5-195 from 20 overs after it appeared they were set for a bigger total, but Australia could only manage 9-168 in response.
England’s win was set up by opener Alex Hales’ superb 94 from 61 balls while David Warner led the chase for Australia with 53 off 42.
The result ensured honours were even in the two-match T20 series, setting up an intriguing five-match one-day battle starting next week.
Ahmed, who fled to Australia from Pakistan in 2010 as an asylum seeker, completed a remarkable journey when he made a wicketless debut in Australia’s 39-run win in the opening T20 in Southampton on Thursday.
But he showed on Saturday why he is being tipped for an Ashes call-up in the Australian summer and being touted as a potential new spin king.
The 31-year-old was one of few bowlers not to cop heavy punishment after Australia captain George Bailey won the toss.
Hales and Michael Lumb (43 off 27) took it to Australia’s pace attack early with James Faulkner (2-37) conceding 19 runs from his first over.
But it was Ahmed who slowed the run rate and took a much-needed wicket, getting Lumb to sky a shot over his head for Matthew Wade to glove a good catch.
Ahmed blew a kiss to the sky after taking his first international wicket before being embraced by his teammates.
Faulkner recovered from his sloppy start to take two wickets including that of Hales, denying the batsman a chance to become the first Englishman to score an international T20 century.
Ahmed was trusted with the last over of the innings and didn’t let his captain down, clean bowling Jos Buttler for a golden duck with a great turning bowl before having Eoin Morgan (20) caught in the deep.
The big target set up a chance for Australian opener Aaron Finch to repeat his heroics at the Rose Bowl, where he set a world record for the highest individual score in T20 internationals with 156.
But he made just five, mistiming an attempted slog to be caught by Luke Wright off Stuart Broad’s bowling.
Shane Watson followed for seven when he was sent back by Warner in a mix-up and run out by Morgan to have Australia in trouble at 2-15.
Warner and Shaun Marsh steadied the ship with a 67-run partnership, before Marsh departed for 13 when he was bowled by Joe Root.
Warner brought up his 50 from 48 balls but departed a short time later when caught by Hales, a ball after Steve Finn had made a mess of an attempted catch.
Quick runs from Glenn Maxwell (26 off 16), Bailey (23 off 13) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (13 off 5) kept Australia’s faint hopes alive but England wrapped up the win with Ahmed surviving the last over to be three not out.
Jade Dernbach took 3-23 for England, narrowly missing a hat-trick.
Australia will head to Edinburgh for a one-off 50-over match against Scotland on Tuesday before returning for the start of the ODI series against England in Leeds on Friday.
