Finch comes up, shares a big, friendly handshake with Babar on the way. "Really proud of my boys. The way we've applied ourselves over the last couple of weeks has been really impressive. We're improving as a team, and that's the most important thing. The way Ashton bowled in these two series was amazing. He was outstanding, alongside Adam Zampa, and they were bowling against quality players of spin. The quicks in the Powerplay were outstanding, too. Starc in general and Abbott today.
"It's pleasing one of our top three batted really deep throughout the two series, and we can only kick on from here."
So Australia finish 2019 unbeaten in the shortest format, and within 12 months, have propelled themselves to among the hottest favourites for the World T20 next year. For now, they celebrate with the trophy, and it's time for us to sign off here. From Danyal and Alex, goodbye, and many thanks for joining us.
Babar is up there now. "I am very disappointed, but we lost to a very good team. We've learnt a lot and we want to make sure we don't make the same mistakes again. As captain, I learnt a lot personally too, but there's along way to go. Musa and Hasnain were bowling well, but Finch and Warner were just in a different class. We wanted to blood them through, however, and I'm sure the experience will be good for them in future. Our focus moves to the Test series and the four-day games now, and we're excited for it."
Right, so here come the presentations. The player of the match is Sean Abbott. Fantastic on his return to international cricket; first game for Australia in 5 years.
"It's been a privilege to be part of this side," he says. "A lot of hard work has gone into it, but there's a lot of talent in this country. It's awesome to be back out here tonight. The guys have been playing really well and they've welcomed me back in the group. Very pleased."
The player of the series is Steve Smith; I suppose the innings in the second T20I was good enough to merit it.
"It was nice to contribute, but i'm a little but surprised to be up here for this award." He pays rich tribute to the bowlers, too. "You always want to try and do well for the team and get better and it was nice to contribute to the team. My role is to fix it when the top two don't come off."
We're with you for the presentations, hopefully, and we'll bring you what the captains had to say after an exceptionally one-sided game here in Perth
Australia keep their unbeaten T20 streak in 2019 intact. Pakistan never looked like threatening that, in reality. The 2-0 scoreline actually flatters Pakistan; Australia would have romped home in the first T20, surely. Many thought Pakistan would be a sterner test for Australia than Sri Lanka, but if anything, Babar Azam's men have rolled over even more easily. The pacers were ineffective; Australia lost three wickets in the whole series. The batsmen were abject, relying on Babar and Iftikhar to put runs on the board, when more contributions were needed.
END OF OVER:20 | 1 Run | PAK: 106/8 | RR: 5.30
- Mohammad Hasnain4 (10b)
- Mohammad Amir9 (9b)
- Sean Abbott4-0-14-2
- Kane Richardson4-0-18-3
And if it isn't, then you'll know Pakistan's bowlers will be at their legendary, mythical best. That should be worth a watch, but you really have to be the optimistic sort, and from the evidence of the feedback I'm receiving, there's little evidence of that.
Either way, join us in 20 minutes or so, where Alex will take you through the first ten overs of that innings!
Sajid: "Any chance we can rely on our second best batsman after Babar Azam, a certain Mr. Rain?"
Rehan : "Lets just cancel tests and award it to Australia 2-0 without wasting any more resources " Oooh, they keep getting bleaker, these messages.
Abbott to bowl the last over
END OF OVER:19 | 1 Run | PAK: 105/8 | RR: 5.52
- Mohammad Hasnain4 (8b)
- Mohammad Amir8 (5b)
- Kane Richardson4-0-18-3
- Mitchell Starc4-0-29-2
Hamza Mufarrih: "Are you carefully filtering out messages about Sarfaraz missing in action or is no-one talking about how Sarfaraz was really the reason why the t20 team did well. It was his aggressive approach to the format that made Pakistan so dangerous" If I'm doing that, I'm really not being careful enough
END OF OVER:18 | 8 Runs | PAK: 104/8 | RR: 5.77
- Mohammad Hasnain4 (3b)
- Mohammad Amir7 (4b)
- Mitchell Starc4-0-29-2
- Kane Richardson3-0-17-3
END OF OVER:17 | 4 Runs 2 Wkts | PAK: 96/8 | RR: 5.64
- Mohammad Hasnain4 (1b)
- Mohammad Amir0 (0b)
- Kane Richardson3-0-17-3
- Billy Stanlake4-0-19-0
Shadab Khan c Finch b Richardson 1 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 12.50
Ahmed Shaukat: "I think it is a masterstroke to get beaten badly just before World cup so that everyone underestimate us and us being Pakistan would be predictably unpredictable. " The hope in Pakistan never really dies, does it?
Sheraz Ahmed: "Well ! One can now question as to how this team was able to reach the top in T20Is. "Pakistan = Miracles""