Pakistan come out of slumber to douse New Zealand by 7 wickets to romp into World Cup final
Pakistan rode to the final of the T20 World Cup in typical party gate crashing style by a 7-wicket semi-final routing of high riding opponents New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. Bouncing back from the brink of elimination literally helped by the Netherlands upsetting South Africa that brought them back among the first two in Group 2, Pakistan shrugged off the early perils standing like the rock of Gibraltar when it mattered with its batting mechanism roaring to 153 for 3 in overhauling New Zealand’s 152 for 4 off 20.
In a typical demonstration of it’s cricketing prowess, Babar Azam’s charges rose from the shaky to the big occasion with the skipper 53 off 42 leading from the front in a 105-run opening assault on New Zealand’s attack together with Mohammad Rizwan who smote 57 off 43. It has put Pakistan a step away from the world cup becoming the first team to reach the final of cricket’s showpiece in the short format and lined up to face the winner of tomorrow’s second semi-final between England and India at the Adelaide Oval. It will be their second tilt at the world cup having won it in 2009.
The defining moment will dawn for Pakistan on Sunday the 13 whether Babar Azam’s team can repeat cup success in the grand finale following their decimation in breathtakingly rousing fashion of a New Zealand side that had ascended the challenging rough of the heavyweights to looking good for the big stakes. That Kane Williamson’s men’s bravo was shackled in a modest obtainable 152 for 4 underscored Pakistan’s bowling attack mounted by Shasheen Shah Afridi’s 2 for 24 take with the leg before wicket scalping of Finn Allen who fell in the third ball of the very first over. Having opted to take first lease on winning the toss New Zealand was soon in trouble losing the second wicket for 47 and the third at 49 by the 8th over with Devon Conway run out for 21 and Glenn Phillips, the century making match winner against Sri Lanka caught and bowled by Mohammad Nawaz for 6. New Zealand recovered to 117 on a 61-run fourth wicket resilience off 50 between skipper Kane Williamson 45 off 42 and Daryl Mitchell who remained unbeaten on 53 off 35. But Afridi clean bowled the Kiwi captain for Pakistan to tighten their grip.
Pakistan put the icing on the cake in a final spurt with Player of the Match Rizwan and Mohammad Haris 30 off 26 setting it up following Babar Azam’s dismissal by Trent Boult. But New Zealand would be ruing letting off the Pakistan captain before he had scored.
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