Pakistan seek better support for Babar Azam to counter red-hot Australia.

PERTH -- Rain in Sydney not only robbed Australia of the chance to complete a T20 series victory over Pakistan in the space of two matches, it also meant that the hosts will not be able to overtake Babar Azam's team as the world's No. 1 ranked T20I team with a win in the final match in Perth - the tourists will cling on by a single point even in defeat. But there remains plenty to play for, not least the series itself, and also the continuing road towards a now imminent Test series between the two teams, beginning in Brisbane in a couple of weeks' time. Pakistan still appear very much in acclimatising mode, having run into an Australian side committing serious mental and physical energy to T20 international matches for the first time since the 2016 global event - next year's on home soil being the first of two in as many years.

While Australia will have to rebalance their bowling attack somewhat, in the absence of Pat Cummins as he freshens up ahead of the Tests, there has been a strong sense of cohesion about the hosts'...