... THE RUN CHASE ...
Right then. The Australian batting line-up has plenty of firepower but the Pakistan bowling attack is a force to reckon with. The Aussies would hope to get a good start and also some dew later on to aid the chase. Who will join New Zealand in the final? The next 20 overs will tell us. We will be right back with the chase.
Matthew Hayden, the batting consultant of Pakistan, comes up for a chat. Smiles and says that it's a conflict of interest as his heart is always with Australia. Tells that Pakistan have performed absolutely brilliantly in this tournament and today was no exception. He calls Rizwan a warrior who was not well before this game but showed his class.
Pakistan had a steady start. Mohammad Rizwan was not at his fluent best but Babar Azam made sure that they had a good scoring rate to start with. They took things a bit slowly and Azam lost his wicket while looking to up the ante. But right then, Rizwan found his mojo and started getting boundaries regularly. He along with Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan the perfect platform to slog away in the last few overs. Zaman was brilliant but the other batters struggled to get the boundaries in the last couple of overs. It is thanks to the southpaw that Pakistan managed to cross the 175-run mark. They would be more than happy with that score.
After winning the toss, Australia would have wanted early wickets but they were disappointing in that regard. There were quite a few loose deliveries that allowed the Pakistani openers to get their eyes in. In the middle overs too, barring Adam Zampa, none of their bowlers picked up a wicket and things were looking tough for them. They took a beating in the death overs too and never really were in charge of the innings. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took wickets towards the end, but it was Zampa who was the pick of the bowlers. The leggie went for only 22 and took the big wicket of Babar Azam. The rest of the bowlers, well, they had a day to forget.
What a finish to the innings! After a brilliant 19th over by Pat Cummins, the Aussies would have hoped to keep Pakistan under 170 but some brilliant hitting by Fakhar Zaman has seen them get to a very, very competitive score in a semi-final. They surely have the momentum on their side here.
19.6 overs (1 Run) Just one run to end! PAKISTAN END ON 176/4! This too was in the slot though. Fuller and outside off, Zaman probably looked to hit it too hard, it goes off the inner half through mid-wicket for a single. 15 from the over to end proceedings!
19.5 overs (6 Runs) SIX! BANG! That is out of here! Fifty for Zaman, off just 31 balls! We say it again, what a time to come to form! There were questions about him not performing but he has come to Pakistan's rescue at the big stage. Another brilliant shot. This one too is right in the slot. On middle, Zaman clears his front leg and heaves it over the mid-wicket fence. Can he hit 3 in 3, can he bring 180 up?
19.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! What a hit! What a hit that is! That came off the bat ever so sweetly. Really not sure about why Starc went full here. He has been bowling it on a length initially in this over which has not been easy to hit but this time he goes really full and on middle, Zaman lifts it high and over the wide long on fence for a biggie.
19.3 overs (1 Run) A good short one now! On middle, Hafeez is hurried into the pull shot, it goes more off the gloves towards fine leg for one.
Mohammad Hafeez is the new batter.
19.2 overs (0 Run) OUT! TIMBER! Australia finishing strongly here. Just the 4 runs from the last 8 balls. Shoaib Malik fails to make an impact in this game. Once again Starc bangs it on a length at 84 mph from 'round the wicket. Shoaib Malik looks to pull but this one does not bounce as much as he expected it to. He misses and the stumps are rearranged.
19.1 overs (1 Run) Into the pitch this time by Starc! Not easy to hit those. Zaman mistimes it down to long on for one. Singles won't harm the Aussies.
18.6 overs (1 Run) Just the one to end! What an over by Cummins. Only three from the 19th. Australia needed this. Once again Pat varies his pace and also length. Bangs it short and on the body, a slower one. Zaman looks to pull but misses. It hits him near the helmet and rolls beside the wicket. A leg bye is taken. Can Starc now bowl a brilliant final over?
18.5 overs (0 Run) Yet another dot! Outstanding from Cummins. He is varying his pace brilliantly. Length now, the seam-up ball, outside off. Zaman is late in the slash. He misses again.
18.4 overs (0 Run) Another swing and another miss! Dots are precious right now. A good slower bumper, angling away from off. Zaman looks to pull early and misses.
18.3 overs (1 Run) This is an outstanding over so far! Two from the first three balls. Outside off, this is chopped towards point for one.
18.2 overs (1 Run) PUT DOWN! Steven Smith is the one who has put down a catch that he would take 9 out of 10 times. Big, big miss. Australia could have easily had two in two. Another slower one, wide outside off. Zaman looks to go over long off. He too does not get the timing right. It goes towards Smith who runs in but does not hang on. A single is taken.
Shoaib Malik is the new batter.
18.1 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT! The crowd has been silenced! Cummins gets rid of the dangerous Asif on the very first ball. Good stuff from the pacer. Goes full and wide outside off. A slower one. Asif looks to drag it over the long on fence but is a touch early in the stroke. It goes off the toe-end and Smith makes no mistake there in the deep. This is a crucial wicket, could stop Pakistan from getting to 180.
17.6 overs (2 Runs) Two to end! So despite a dot on the first ball and a wicket on the second, 15 runs came from this over. This time Starc nails the yorker, it is jammed down to long on. By the time the fielder runs in and fields it, the batsmen take two.
Pat Cummins (3-0-28-0) will bowl the penultimate over.
17.6 overs (1 Run) WIDE! Starc has lost his line and length here! Bowls a full toss again but down the leg side. Zaman swings but misses.
17.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! That is powered! Zaman is in top gear now! Almost took the umpire along. Starc bowls a full toss on middle, this is hammered back towards Starc, he sticks his left hand out but the ball passes him in a flash. The umpire does well to get down in time and it goes to the fence.
17.4 overs (2 Runs) Two! 150 up for Pakistan. Fuller but this time on the leg pole, this is whipped through mid-wicket. Maxwell, in the deep, runs to his left and keeps it down to two.
17.3 overs (6 Runs) SIX! That is colossal! What a game for Zaman to come into form. That is not an easy shot he has just played there. Yes, Starc missed his length, it is full but not perfectly into the slot. Zaman though is so deep inside his crease that it allows him to get under it. After that, Fakhar shows some great bat speed as he dismisses it behind the bowler for a maximum at long on.
Right. The stage is set for someone like Asif Ali to bat now. Will he get a promotion? Yup, here he is.
17.2 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! Starc strikes! A welcome wicket for the Aussies. These two were really taking Pakistan in pole position. Nevertheless, end of a brilliant knock from Rizwan. Would have loved to be there till the end but he has probably done his job. Starc goes full and wide outside off again. This is really full, difficult to get under those. Rizwan looks to go over mid off but it goes off the toe end. A simple catch to Smith there inside the ring.
17.1 overs (0 Run) Excellent bowling! Rizwan makes room and Starc bowls a yorker, just inside the tramline outside off. Rizwan fails to reach it.
Adam Zampa has bowled out. Mitchell Starc (2-0-8-0) is back now.
16.6 overs (1 Run) 21 from that Hazlewood over and he goes for one less than a fifty in his 4. Not a good day for him. Rizwan opts to come down the track, Josh Hazlewood shortens his length. This is hit down to long off for one.
16.5 overs (6 Runs) SIX! That is massive! What a shot again from Rizwan. Takes the full toll of the freebie. This though is right in the slot. Full and on middle, Rizwan makes excellent use of his wrists and whips it high and over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. The crowd is loving every bit of this stupendous batting.
16.5 overs (5 Runs) NO BALL AND FOUR! That is the second time it has happened in the game so far. Josh Hazlewood is feeling the pressure. He has been so good before this game but the pressure of the semi-final is getting to him. This is a high full toss, on middle and Rizwan has pulled it over the fielder inside the ring at mid-wicket, for a boundary. Free Hit to follow...
16.4 overs (1 Run) Well bowled! A yorker outside off, Zaman jams it towards covers for one. Zaman is quite deep in his crease and despite that, this hit the bottom of the blade.
16.3 overs (2 Runs) Two more! Hazlewood goes full and on middle, this is whipped through mid-wicket. It is in the gap and results in a couple of runs.
16.2 overs (6 Runs) SIX! That is muscled! Why try to drag it when you can just tonk it over the fence on the off side. Josh Hazlewood misses his length, he goes full and outside off. This is powered over the long off fence for a biggie.
16.1 overs (0 Run) Goes full and goes wide outside off. Zaman looks to play the sweep, he tries to drag it from way outside off. Misses.
Change. Josh Hazlewood (3-0-28-0) to bowl out.
15.6 overs (1 Run) Just the one which means 5 from the over. End of an outstanding spell by Zampa. 4-0-22-1 for him. Zaman steps out but does not get to the pitch of the ball. He ends up playing towards deep mid-wicket for a single.
15.5 overs (0 Run) A dot now! Gold at this stage! Slows it up and bowls it wide outside off. Zaman looks to cut but under-edges it towards the keeper.
15.4 overs (1 Run) Excellent fielding there! Cummins does brilliantly to keep it down to one! Rizwan shuffles across and this is fired on the pads. Rizwan sweeps it behind square on the leg side. Cummins runs to his right, slides and keeps it down to one. The 50-run stand comes up.
15.3 overs (1 Run) Three balls, just the three runs! On middle, Fakhar drags his attempted slog-sweep to deep mid-wicket for a run.
15.2 overs (1 Run) Does not find the gap and that is a brilliant dive in the end! Steps out and Zampa bowls it wide, it is slapped towards cover and Rizwan goes for the run. The throw is at the bowler's end but Rizwan dives in.
15.1 overs (1 Run) We have seen Zampa go full most of the time today and does so again, almost a yorker length. It is jammed through covers for one.
Match Reports
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