Dubai:
A bottleneck game, both teams giving their best, but only one can win, and that winner is Australia.
Australia has successfully chased the target of 177 runs with 5 wickets spare in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup and now will face New Zealand in the final.
Australian skipper happy with the team performance said, “Never thought it was in the bag. It was a great game of cricket. The way Wade held his nerve at the end was amazing. That partnership with Stoinis was crucial. I got my feet in a tangle and opening batsmen do get a few good balls now and then in T20 cricket”.
Aaron Finch and the team are once again unbeaten in the ICC Knock out games against Pakistan, who was undefeated in the entire tournament.
Most runs scored in last 5 overs in a successful run chase (T20 WC)
75 Aus vs Pak Gros Islet 2010
62 Aus vs Pak Dubai 2021 *
60 SL vs Ind Gros Islet 2010
60 Pak vs SA Colombo 2012
60 NZ vs Eng Abu Dhabi 2021
Despite the consistent fall of the wickets, the Australian batting order made it once again where it was required with the team effort.
Matthew Wade, player of the Match, shouldered the responsibilities to take the team on the winning side.
Surprised by his performance, he said, “I got a little more pace on than expected, I probably could have used it a little bit earlier, but yeah.. glad to get a couple at the end. There wasn’t a lot of chat before I went as we lost quick wickets. But when I got out there, Me and Marcus had batted together in the first game and got some momentum today. I was a bit unsure but Marcus showed me the way out”.
Shadab Khan took four of five wickets for Pakistan, it just wasn’t enough today to win the game. Shaheen Afridi had started the game fantastically dismissing Finch on the third ball of the innings.
Pakistan had put a challenging total of 176 runs on the board against Australia in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan lost its opening wicket of Babar Azam after a steady start making 71 after 9.6 overs.
Mohammad Rizwan, another star opener for Pakistan, garnered 67 runs in 52 deliveries before retiring to the dressing room hitting four sixes and three fours.
In the last overs of the innings, Pakistan failed to play without pressure leading to losing 3 wickets one after another. Starting with Mohammad Rizwan (after 17.2 overs), Asif Ali (after 18.1) and Shoaib Malik (after 19.2), Pakistan stumbled at the crucial time but managed to gather runs to challenge Aussies.
Fakhar Zaman played a significant inning for the team scoring half-century and five runs in 32 balls, giving the total their bowlers should be able to defend.
Babar Azam, captain of the losing team, said, “I thought we scored as many runs as we had planned in the first innings. I think we give such teams a chance in the back end, it is going to be costly. The turning point was that dropped catch. Had we taken it, the scenario could have been different. The way we gelled and played the entire tournament, I am satisfied as a captain”
Babar hopes for a better future by learning from their mistakes. He said, “Hopefully we’ll learn from this for the next tournament. When you play so well throughout, there were small mistakes that cost us the match in the end. We give players roles and they executed it really well. The way the crowds supported us, we enjoyed a lot as a team. We always enjoy playing here”.
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