Spencer Johnson delivered the best figures ever by an Australian fast bowler in a men's Twenty20 international, leading his team to a 13-run victory over Pakistan. With Australia defending 9-147 at the SCG on Saturday night, Johnson's five for 26 with the ball saw Pakistan all out for 134, securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead for the hosts.

Johnson's impressive performance made him only the sixth bowler in history to take five wickets in a match for Australia in T20s, surpassing James Faulkner's 5-27 from 2016. Remarkably, Johnson's first over went wicketless and for 12 runs, including a ball to first slip and five wides to the fine-leg boundary. However, he bounced back with his first-ever white-ball five-wicket haul at either domestic or international level.

Johnson removed Muhammad Rizwan (16 runs) and Salman Agha (0) with successive balls, leaving Pakistan reeling at 4-44. Usman Khan (52) and Irfan Khan (37) then launched a comeback, putting on 58 for the fifth wicket. Johnson stepped up again, getting Usman caught on the pull shot and Abbas Afridi at cover in the same over. Adam Zampa then dismissed Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, both for ducks, as Pakistan teetered on the brink.

Pakistan managed to reduce the equation to 24 from the final two overs and 16 needed off the last six balls. However, Haris Rauf was run out attempting a second run, leaving the tourists needing 15 from four. Earlier, Australia squandered a strong start from Matt Short (32 from 17) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (20 from nine), who blasted 47 runs off the first 15 deliveries.

The hosts added only 100 runs from the next 105 balls, with Australia hitting as many boundaries in the first 2.3 overs as they did the rest of the innings. The game shifted when McGurk was caught trying to jump and uppercut Rauf, and Josh Inglis was caught behind for a duck two balls later. Wickets fell regularly as Pakistan slowed the pace, with Rauf finishing with figures of 4-22, taking his tour tally to 15 wickets. Aaron Hardie hit 28 runs off 23 balls before being dislodged by Abbas Afridi.

Despite his heroics, Pakistan will leave Australia after Monday's third T20 in Hobart without series success in the shortest format, having secured a 2-1 ODI series win.

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