Matt Short: Australia are ready to face spin challenge in Pakistan

Matthew Short is back in Pakistan for a second time this year. He was part of the Australian side that played the hosts in a three-game T20I series before the T20 World Cup earlier this year. But he would rather forget the details of that series. 

Australia ready for spin challenge

Not only did his team endure a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Pakistan, but Short's own performance did little to prevent it. In three games, the Australian all-rounder scored 34 runs at a meagre strike rate of just 119.

The 30-year-old showed particular weakness against spin as he was dismissed by a spinner in each of the three games. Pakistan's spinners did well across that series, sharing 20 wickets between them. But this time, Short believes his side is ready to face such a challenge if Pakistan were to throw it their way.

"When we look back at the last T20 series we had here before the World Cup, I think those were in preparation of the World Cup, what we had seen in Sri Lanka, we had some pretty tough conditions there, so I'm not 100 per cent sure what they're going to produce for us here," Short told reporters on the sidelines of their training camp at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium earlier today.

"But if it's anything like that, we are prepared. It was a bit of a disappointing three-game series for us before the World Cup there. But if we are to face those conditions again, we're ready for them, and we're certainly preparing for them," he added.

Short wants to get Australia's dominance back

Australia have sent a watered-down side to Pakistan, with most of their regulars busy with the Indian Premier League playoff stages. Additionally, this will be the first time Australia will play Pakistan in ODIs since Pakistan defeated them 2-1 in their backyard in November 2024. This puts more onus on the shoulders of the visiting side, but Short is hopeful Australia can flip the results this time.

"Yeah, absolutely. Anytime you play against an opponent, you want to win. Pakistan have had it over us the last couple of series, so we're certainly in the hunt for a winner and a series win," Short, who had been part of both whote-ball series Australia lost to Pakistan lately, said.

"I know there's been a lot of talk around a lot of test crew coming up for Australia, but we really want to make sure we win these white-ball series here and there."

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