Category: Games

Dubai, November 11, 2021 (PPI-OT):For the second day running, a seemingly doomed chase proved anything but as Australia matched New Zealand in getting home with an over to spare thanks to some spectacular late hitting against Pakistan.

While the parallels with the Black Caps’ victory over England are obvious, this game also brought back memories of the only previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals played by these two teams.

Rewind 11 years and Pakistan looked to be on their way to a third straight final when they piled up 191 for six batting first and then reduced Australia to 144 for seven in the 18th over.

In 2010 in the West Indies, it was Michael Hussey who almost singlehandedly swung the game, with six sixes in his 24-ball 60.

A player at the peak of his powers, he was able to do something that few thought possible at the time, the sort of destructive knock that has become more commonplace as the format has developed.

Still, Hussey was regarded as arguably the best white-ball finisher in the game at the time. If someone was going to turn a game like that, it was probably him. His three maximums off Saeed Ajmal were matched by Matthew Wade in Dubai, who went one better by getting three in a row off Shaheen Shah Afridi to seal a stunning chase of 177.

Wade was a more unlikely hero than Hussey. Not that he is not a capable batter, but he had only ever topped 30 on one occasion in a chase in T20Is, and that came when opening. He did not have anywhere near the pedigree of Hussey when it came to finishing.

In fact, it was his batting partner Marcus Stoinis who seemed the more likely match-winner, and for Wade, the all-rounder was the man who turned the game when he took 13 off Haris Rauf in the 17th over including a six and a four.

That brought the required rate down to just over 12 an over from the last three, the sort of numbers that have become easily attainable, particularly with the rapport between the batters that Wade and Stoinis possess.

They did just that, Stoinis finishing unbeaten on 40 and Wade a blistering 41 from just 17 deliveries.

Asked about how the pair have become such good finishers, Wade explained: “It’s confidence, confidence in your ability to finish the game. To be able to bat with Marcus has been awesome, I’ve played a lot of cricket with him at Victoria early on in his career so I’ve seen him grow into the cricketer he is today.

“I know if I can hang with him for four or five overs, he’s going to find the boundary, he’s too big and strong not to. The reason that he and I worked well towards the back end is that we know each other’s game so much.

“Trying to keep calm is probably the biggest thing towards the back end. That’s quite easy for me because I look down the other end and I see his big rig ready to send it out of the park. It might not be as easy for him at the other end.”

Where Hussey produced a virtuoso solo performance to stun Pakistan over a decade ago, this time it was a joint effort from the next generation of Australian finishers.

The hope for Australia now is that history does not repeat itself once more. In 2010, Hussey’s heroics did not lead to a title as England won the final. With Wade and Stoinis, perhaps this is the year that Australia end their wait for an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup crown.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, November 11, 2021 (PPI-OT):Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis produced a brilliant partnership to carry Australia to a stunning five-wicket victory over Pakistan and set up a date with New Zealand in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

When David Warner and Glenn Maxwell fell in successive overs from Shadab Khan, the chase of 177 seemed doomed, but Stoinis and Wade had other ideas as they put on 81 in 7.4 overs.

Stoinis started the comeback as he went after Haris Rauf, but it was Wade who did the most damage with three consecutive sixes off Shaheen Shah Afridi after being dropped by Hasan Ali to seal an unlikely success.

Pakistan had made 176 for four batting first thanks to half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, while Shadab Khan’s four for 26 looked to have swung the game their way.

But this Australia team has already shown incredible resolve in this tournament and it was the case again here as they dug themselves out of a hole to reach a second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.

It was a remarkable game, with Pakistan batting consultant Matthew Hayden revealing that Rizwan had spent the previous night in hospital with a lung problem, but he was fit to take his place in Dubai as Pakistan were put in to bat.

And while he looked very nervous early on, Babar Azam was able to score quickly before Rizwan settled in. He was almost dismissed off Maxwell, a surprise choice to bowl in the powerplay, with Warner racing back but not quite able to take a stunner over his shoulder.

The turning point for Rizwan seemed to be the first ball of the fifth over from Josh Hazlewood which he smashed for six over the legside, before being given a second life, Adam Zampa this time putting down a tough chance off the last ball of the powerplay when it was whipped flat down to him at long leg but slipped from his grasp inches from the ground.

With 47 for none, Pakistan had their best score of the powerplay in the tournament and Babar continued to press on. But Maxwell and Zampa then managed to stem the flow of runs and that pressure told as Babar tried to take on the latter, picking out Warner on the boundary.

Maxwell’s bowling was proving crucial, ensuring that Australia’s fifth bowler would not prove the weak link as he went for just 20 from three overs.

Rizwan’s charge was slowed by a vicious short delivery from Mitchell Starc which rattled into the grill on his helmet.

He responded by hitting Hazlewood for six before getting to his half-century the next delivery.

In this tournament, Pakistan have been exceptional in the final four overs, and it was no different here as Fakhar finally found his groove, smashing Hazlewood for six over long-on before Rizwan put a high full toss away for four and the resulting free hit into the stands for six. With 21 off that over and 49 off his four, Hazlewood proved expensive.

Eventually, Rizwan went for 67, scooping Starc to mid-off, but Fakhar, the only Pakistan batter who had not really fired in this tournament to date, had his eye in. The next ball he smashed Starc miles back over his head before almost taking out umpire Chris Gaffaney with a straight four.

Asif Ali had averaged a six every three balls in this tournament, but he could not contribute this time, picking out Steve Smith on the boundary on his first ball, from Pat Cummins.

It should have been two in two but Smith put down Fakhar next ball, running in from the boundary as he watched the ball bounce out of his hands.

While Cummins went for just three runs off the 19th over, and Starc removed Shoaib Malik at the start of the last, back-to-back sixes from Fakhar took him to an unbeaten 55 and Pakistan to an imposing 176 for four.

Australia’s chase got off to the worst possible start as Shaheen produced one of the overs of the tournament to kick things off. He trapped Aaron Finch leg before off the third delivery, then Mitchell Marsh almost suffered the same fate from a yorker next ball, surviving the review thanks to a pair of umpire’s calls.

In the fourth over, Warner started to take a liking to Imad Wasim, and as he and Marsh got going, suddenly Australia were motoring along.

By the end of the powerplay, they had 52 for one, the best of any team against Pakistan, but Shadab did for Marsh, a steepling catch well held by Asif as he fell for 28.

Mohammad Hafeez was brought into the attack and his first ball gripped in the hand and came out all wrong, bouncing twice before Warner lifted it into the stands, a no-ball rubbing salt into the wounds.

Steve Smith became Shadab’s second victim, again trying to attack and finding the fielder in the outfield, Fakhar the safe pair of hands on this occasion.

Warner was nearly run out after a misjudged single from Maxwell gave Fakhar a chance with a direct hit.

It felt like Warner had the win at his fingertips, while he was there, Australia were favourites. But the ball after the drinks break he went after one from Shadab that went away from him, nicking through to Rizwan. The elation from bowler and keeper as Warner fell for 49 told its own story.

Remarkably, a replay appeared to indicate that Warner had missed the ball, but like everyone else, he obviously thought he had hit it, choosing not to review.

Shadab was piling on the pressure and he got another, again with the help of some good fielding, as Haris Rauf caught Maxwell with a diving grab in the deep from a reverse sweep as Australia’s most destructive batter departed for seven.

It was down to Stoinis and Wade and after another fine over from Shaheen, the equation was 62 from five overs.

Stoinis was first to take on the bowlers as targeted Haris, with a huge six over midwicket followed by a four driven straight back past the bowler.

The next over it was Wade who stepped into Hasan, hitting him back over his head for six to bring up the fifty partnership as Australia took 15 off the over in all, leaving 22 to get off two.

Shaheen returned for the penultimate over and Hasan had the chance to remove Wade, dropping the keeper in the outfield after he did not connect with a heave over midwicket. A ball later, Wade jumped across his stumps and scooped Shaheen for six to take Australia to within touching distance.

The next ball suffered the same fate, picked up and smashed over the leg side before he finished the job in style with a third maximum.

Scores in Brief

Australia beat Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium, Dubai by five wickets

Pakistan 176/4 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 67, Fakhar Zaman 55 not out; Mitchell Starc 2/38, Adam Zampa 1/22)

Australia 177/5 in 19 overs (David Warner 49, Matthew Wade 41 not out; Shadab Khan 4/26, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1/35)

Player of the Match: Matthew Wade (Australia)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, November 11, 2021 (PPI-OT):There is a sense that a single player can win a game in T20 cricket, but Aaron Finch felt it was a whole team effort that got Australia over the line and into the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

Put into bat, Pakistan piled up an intimidating 176 for four thanks to half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, and with Shaheen Shah Afridi unplayable early on and Shadab Khan producing the best figures in the history of Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals, everything was stacked against Australia.

It was then that Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade came together, scoring 40 and 41 respectively as they scored an unbeaten 81 runs to take Australia home with an over to spare.

And while his side were not as his best, Finch felt that the victory was testament to the depth within his squad.

The Australian skipper, who went first ball to Shaheen, said: “It was a great game of cricket. The way Matthew Wade held his nerve was outstanding, that partnership with Marcus Stoinis was crucial.

“I thought we were pretty sloppy today, we dropped a couple, though they were tough ones. But what we showed today was that you need all your players, everyone in your 15 to contribute.”

For Wade, the run-chase caps a remarkable turnaround, having been dropped from all three forms by Australia in 2017, only to work his way back into the thoughts of the selectors.

That faith has been repaid in spades, and now at 33, Wade was able to reflect with some maturity on the journey that has taken him to a World Cup final.

He said: “I’m happy I got the opportunity to reinvent myself, go away and come back with more confidence. I really feel like I belong at international level now.

“I just feel like the older I am, the more eyes wide open I am about the opportunity I got. I don’t know when my last game is going to be, I treat everyone like it potentially could.

“I’m proud that I could come back and hopefully at the end of my career I can look back on nights like tonight and be proud that I could contribute to what we’ve done.”

It was tough on Pakistan, who were brilliant for much of the night but just could not break that crucial sixth-wicket partnership.

Despite looking nervy early on, Rizwan’s 67 was almost enough, with the wicket-keeper’s knock more remarkable considering he had spent the night in hospital with a lung complaint.

And his skipper, Babar Azam, paid tribute to his opening partner for the way he performed despite less-than-ideal preparation.

Babar said: “The way he played today was exceptional. When I saw him, he was a little bit down but he said he would play. The way he played, he showed he is a team man and I’m very confident about his attitude and his performance.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com