T20 World Cup 2021: Twitter Erupts As Australia Defeat Pakistan In The Semi-Final, Book Date With New Zealand In The Final
T20 World Cup 2021: Twitter Erupts As Australia Defeat Pakistan In The Semi-Final, Book Date With New Zealand In The Final

Australia defeat Pakistan by 5 wickets in Dubai in the second semi-final to set up a trans-Tasman final against New Zealand on Sunday.

Chasing 177, Australia were given a big blow in the first over when Shaheen Afridi trapped Aaron Finch lbw. After playing out three tight opening overs, David Warner unleashed against Imad Wasim, whacking the spinner for a six and two fours in a 17-run over.

Mitchell Marsh thumped a maximum and three fours to take Australia to 52/1 at the end of the powerplay. But Marsh soon perished, trying to attack Shadab Khan, who also got the better of Steve Smith. Between those two wickets, though, Warner slogged two more sixes, keeping the required rate under 9 with half of the innings to go. Warner, however, lost his wicket to Shadab, just one short of his fifty.

Shadab capped off his superb spell with the big wicket of Glenn Maxwell, caught at deep point off a mishit reverse-sweep. Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade kept Australia alive with plenty of powerful hits bringing down to 22 runs needed off the last two overs.

David Warner
David Warner scored 49 runs. Credits: Twitter

After getting a life from a dropped catch by Hasan Ali, Wade ramped Afridi for a six over fine leg before depositing the pacer over mid-wicket and completing the chase with another ramp six to send Australia in the final. The partnership between Stoinis and Wade yielded 81 runs off 41 balls.

Earlier, after being put in to bat first, Pakistan were off to a flyer from openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. The pair put up 47 runs in the powerplay; Babar scored 24 runs and Rizwan 21, both off 18 balls each. Babar stroked 4 classy boundaries while Rizwan smashed Pakistan’s first six of the innings.

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The partnership grew at run-a-ball for the next four overs and was broken by Adam Zampa, when Babar (39 off 34) holed out at long-on.

Rizwan, though, attacked Zampa for a slog over deep mid-wicket before slamming Josh Hazlewood over the same area. Fakhar Zaman got going with a couple of boundaries. Rizwan, who raised his fifty off 41 balls, and Zaman then clobbered a six each to Hazlewood taking the lanky pacer for a 21-run over.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Image Source: Twitter

Mitchell Starc got rid of Rizwan for 67 off 52 balls but was smoked for a six and four by Zaman. Cummins dismissed the dangerous Asif Ali for a duck, caught at long-on, while Starc castled Shoaib Malik. However, Zaman tonked Starc for two massive sixes to reach his half-century off 31 balls as Pakistan put up 176.

Twitter Erupts As Australia Defeat Pakistan In The Semi-Final, Book Date With New Zealand In The Final:

 

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