Travis Head Inspires Australia to Thrilling Victory Over England
Head's Unbeaten 69 Guides Australia to Six-Wicket Win
Curran's Four-Wicket Haul in Vain as Australia Chase Down 171
Travis Head starred with an unbeaten 69 as Australia beat England by six wickets in the first Twenty20 International at Perth Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing 171 for victory, Australia lost skipper Aaron Finch in the second over but Head and David Warner (58) steadied the innings with a 98-run stand for the second wicket.
Head was particularly severe on England's spinners, hitting Adil Rashid for three sixes in one over.
Sam Curran gave England hope with four wickets, including the key scalps of Warner and Head, but Marcus Stoinis (22) and Cameron Green (21) saw Australia home with 10 balls to spare.
Earlier, England had posted a competitive 170 for seven thanks to Dawid Malan's 42 and Sam Billings' 35.
However, Australia's bowlers kept chipping away at the England batting line-up, with Josh Hazlewood taking two wickets and Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa sharing the others.
Head's Knock Earns Player of the Match Award
Head was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.
The left-hander struck six fours and three sixes in his 40-ball knock, playing a key role in Australia's victory.
Head's form will be a welcome boost for Australia ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
Curran's Impressive Performance
Despite finishing on the losing side, Curran produced an impressive performance for England.
The left-arm seamer took four wickets for 33 runs, including the dismissals of Warner, Head, and Stoinis.
Curran's performance will give England hope that they can be competitive in the T20 World Cup, even though they lost the first match of the series.
What's Next?
The two teams will meet again in the second T20 International at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday.
England will be looking to level the series, while Australia will be aiming to wrap up the series with a 2-0 lead.
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