Publish : 13 Nov 2021, 08:55 AMUpdate : 24 Dec 2021, 06:44 PM
The T20 World Cup couldn’t have asked for a better show than the ones witnessed in the two semi-finals this year.
The two knockout matches – first between England and New Zealand in Abu Dhabi Wednesday and the second between Australia and Pakistan in Dubai – had simply taken the spectators to the edge of their seats before cliffhanger finishes.
New Zealand at one point needed 57 off the last 24 balls and achieved the improbable to put England and the cricket world in a state of shock; Australia Thursday night almost replicated the act.
The venue in Dubai was packed in color green in support of tournament favorites Pakistan.
The atmosphere was simply electrifying in Pakistan’s support, they were after all playing at their second home – a venue that they have used as home during the time international cricket was off in Pakistan due to security concern.
Then there was their performance to take into account – Pakistan had come to the semi-finals as the only unbeaten side in the tournament and they were living upto expectations until the business end of the Australia chase.
The dropped catch of Matthew Wade by Hasan Ali in the deep followed by the three sixes off left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi saw Australia crush Pakistan dreams.
Australia stormed to the final with a five-wicket victory and are set to take on New Zealand with the cricketing world bracing for a new champion.
This is the first final for New Zealand while their Trans-Tasman rivals lost to arch-rivals England in the final in 2010.
This however, is not the first time Pakistan got knocked out by Australia from the semis in world events.
The occasion Thursday in Dubai was the fifth for Pakistan to suffer a defeat at the hands of Australia in a World Cup, be it T20 or 50-over format, in the knockout stage.
In 1989 World Cup, Pakistan had lost in the semis to Australia by 18 runs.
In 1999 World Cup, Pakistan despite the shock defeat to Bangladesh had made it to the final but were denied the crown after an eight-wicket defeat.
Fast track to 2010 T20 World Cup, the two teams met in the semi-final and Australia finished victorious by three wickets and in 2015 World Cup, Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat to the Aussies in the quarter-final.
Interestingly, one can find similarities between the encounter of the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final to that of the 2021 edition.
In 2010, Australia in Gros Islet while chasing 192 found Michael Hussey come in at 105 for five in the 13th over with too much needed and not enough wickets in hand.
But as he garnered 38 runs from the last 10 remarkable balls of the game, he completed what must be - with little doubt - the finest innings of its kind in the short history of this format.
Going into the last over, Australia needed 18 and Hussey took a liking to the best bowler of the tournament - right-arm spinner Saeed Ajmal - just like Wade took the sword upon Afridi - the best bowler in 2021 format - hitting three sixes after getting a reprieve from fielder Hasan.
Mitchell Johnson took a single on the first ball to bring Hussey on strike and then see wonders happen.
The next two balls went for sixes, the third for a four.
The mighty Australia needed just one for the win but Hussey chose to finish it in glory hitting the fifth ball over the ropes.
A high-flying Pakistan had crash landed in 2010 and the same happened in 2021.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has come in defense of Hasan as the cricketing world points at him to be the culprit for dropping Wade and costing the game.
Opening batsman Mohammad Rizwan is being widely praised for his effort and commitment in coming out from the ICU, admitted due to lung infection, and playing like a champion.
While for Australia and New Zealand – they were not on top of the list as pre-tournament favorites and both had come to the world event on a losing note – in the tours of Bangladesh.
Led by Wade, Australia, comprising majority of players who are in the T20 World Cup squad had lost the five-match series to Bangladesh 4-1.
New Zealand were cunning and sent their second-string team to Dhaka as the visitors conceded a 4-1 defeat.
T20 WC awaits grand finale after stellar semis
The T20 World Cup couldn’t have asked for a better show than the ones witnessed in the two semi-finals this year.
The two knockout matches – first between England and New Zealand in Abu Dhabi Wednesday and the second between Australia and Pakistan in Dubai – had simply taken the spectators to the edge of their seats before cliffhanger finishes.
New Zealand at one point needed 57 off the last 24 balls and achieved the improbable to put England and the cricket world in a state of shock; Australia Thursday night almost replicated the act.
The venue in Dubai was packed in color green in support of tournament favorites Pakistan.
The atmosphere was simply electrifying in Pakistan’s support, they were after all playing at their second home – a venue that they have used as home during the time international cricket was off in Pakistan due to security concern.
Then there was their performance to take into account – Pakistan had come to the semi-finals as the only unbeaten side in the tournament and they were living upto expectations until the business end of the Australia chase.
The dropped catch of Matthew Wade by Hasan Ali in the deep followed by the three sixes off left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi saw Australia crush Pakistan dreams.
Australia stormed to the final with a five-wicket victory and are set to take on New Zealand with the cricketing world bracing for a new champion.
This is the first final for New Zealand while their Trans-Tasman rivals lost to arch-rivals England in the final in 2010.
This however, is not the first time Pakistan got knocked out by Australia from the semis in world events.
The occasion Thursday in Dubai was the fifth for Pakistan to suffer a defeat at the hands of Australia in a World Cup, be it T20 or 50-over format, in the knockout stage.
In 1989 World Cup, Pakistan had lost in the semis to Australia by 18 runs.
In 1999 World Cup, Pakistan despite the shock defeat to Bangladesh had made it to the final but were denied the crown after an eight-wicket defeat.
Fast track to 2010 T20 World Cup, the two teams met in the semi-final and Australia finished victorious by three wickets and in 2015 World Cup, Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat to the Aussies in the quarter-final.
Interestingly, one can find similarities between the encounter of the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final to that of the 2021 edition.
In 2010, Australia in Gros Islet while chasing 192 found Michael Hussey come in at 105 for five in the 13th over with too much needed and not enough wickets in hand.
But as he garnered 38 runs from the last 10 remarkable balls of the game, he completed what must be - with little doubt - the finest innings of its kind in the short history of this format.
Going into the last over, Australia needed 18 and Hussey took a liking to the best bowler of the tournament - right-arm spinner Saeed Ajmal - just like Wade took the sword upon Afridi - the best bowler in 2021 format - hitting three sixes after getting a reprieve from fielder Hasan.
Mitchell Johnson took a single on the first ball to bring Hussey on strike and then see wonders happen.
The next two balls went for sixes, the third for a four.
The mighty Australia needed just one for the win but Hussey chose to finish it in glory hitting the fifth ball over the ropes.
A high-flying Pakistan had crash landed in 2010 and the same happened in 2021.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has come in defense of Hasan as the cricketing world points at him to be the culprit for dropping Wade and costing the game.
Opening batsman Mohammad Rizwan is being widely praised for his effort and commitment in coming out from the ICU, admitted due to lung infection, and playing like a champion.
While for Australia and New Zealand – they were not on top of the list as pre-tournament favorites and both had come to the world event on a losing note – in the tours of Bangladesh.
Led by Wade, Australia, comprising majority of players who are in the T20 World Cup squad had lost the five-match series to Bangladesh 4-1.
New Zealand were cunning and sent their second-string team to Dhaka as the visitors conceded a 4-1 defeat.
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