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Pakistan beat Australia by 32 runs and keep their hopes alive for a semi-final spot. Australia also qualified despite the loss.
Australia Innings
Australia lose to Pakistan by 32 runs but still qualified for the semi-finals.
Over: 20 I Score: 117/7
Mike Hussey completes 50 to help Australia qualify for the semi-finals. They needed to get 112 to qualify which they scored in the last over off Gul. Australia finally settle for 117/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Just 7 runs from the over.
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Over: 19 I Score: 110/7
Ajmal clean bowled Wade for 13. He then removes Pat Cummins for a first ball duck. Third wicket for him. Just 5 runs from the over. Australia need 40 off 6 balls.
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Over: 18 I Score: 105/5
Pace attack for the first time from Pakistan. Gul introduced for the first time to bowl the 18th over of the innings. Gul bowls an excellent over. This over almost mars all the hopes of Australia to win this match.Just 4 runs from the over. Australia need 45 off 12 balls.
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Over: 17 I Score: 101/5
Hussey hits two fours off Afridi. 100 up for Oz. 8 runs from the over. They need 49 off 18 balls.
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Over: 16 I Score: 90/5
New man Mathew Wade hits Ajmal for a four. 8 runs from the over.
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Over: 15 I Score: 82/5
Hussey hits a four off Malik. He then heaved one for a six. A very good over for Australia.14 runs from the over.
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Over: 14 I Score: 68/5
Australia lose one more wicket. This time Maxwell throws his wicket away for 4. Hasan takes the wicket. Australia are now definitely not looking at 150. Rather 112 is very much in their minds.5 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 13 I Score: 63/4
Hussey and Glenn Maxwell tries to resurrect the Australian innings by milking the bowling. As usual Afridi bowls a good over. 5 runs from the over.
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Over: 12 I Score: 58/4
Whites hits a slog sweep for a six off Hafeez. Australia need to score 112 in this innings to qualify for the semi-final. But Hafeez had the last laugh. White goes for another heave but he was holed out at the boundary for 12. Australia now in deep trouble. 10 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 11 I Score: 48/3
Pakistan spinners now calling the shots. They are playing on the minds of the Australians batsmen. Hasan also bowls a tight over. Just 3 runs from the over.
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Over: 10 I Score: 45/3
George Bailey finally succumbed to the pressure of Pakistani spinner. He tried for another heave of Ajmal. The ball struck his thigh pad. Umpire gave him out lbw for 15. Just 2 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 9 I Score: 43/2
Bailey tries to break the shackles. He heaved Afridi for a six over deep mid-wicket. 9 runs from the over.
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Over: 8 I Score: 34/2
Shoaib Malik bowls a tight over. Australian batsmen looked to milk him all over the park.5 runs from the over.
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Over: 7 I Score: 29/2
Skipper George Bailey hits a four off Shahid Afridi. It has been all spin from Pakistan. Afridi's overs costs 8 runs. 8 runs from the over.
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Over: 6 I Score: 21/2
Mystery off-spinner Saeed Ajmal introduced into the attack to make lives more tough for the Australian batsmen. He bowls a tight over. Just 2 runs from the over.
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Over: 5 I Score: 19/2
Another blow for Australia!! Now, Dave Warner goes for an identical 8. Skipper Hafeez removes Warner. Warner also fell through lbw while attempting a sweep. Just 3 runs and a another big wicket from the over.
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Over: 4 I Score: 16/1
Massive blow for Australia!! Watson goes for 8. Raza Hasan picks up the most important wicket of his life. Watson tries to sweep Hasan but it was a stright ball which struck his back leg. Umpire did not hesitate to rule that out. Just 3 runs and a big wicket from the over.
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Over: 3 I Score: 13/0
Tight over from Hafeez. Just two singles. Just 2 runs from the over.
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Over: 2 I Score: 11/0
Good first over by rookie spinner Raza Hasan.Just 4 runs from the over.
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Over: 1 I Score: 7/0
Warner and Watson start batting for Australia. Hafeez opens bowling for Pakistan. Warner hits him for a four. 7 runs from the over.
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Pakistan Innings
Nasir Jamshed scored a fluent 55 as Pakistan posted 149/6 against Australia in the allotted 20 overs.
Pakistan would be a little disappointed with the score as they looked to be all set for something around 170 during the middle of their innings.
Over: 20 I Score: 149/6
Shahid Afridi (4) gets out after hitting just a four. Starc was the bowler. Very good over. No boundary conceded. 9 runs from the over.
Pakistan settle for 149/6 in the allotted 20 overs.
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Over: 19 I Score: 140/5
Razzak's 22-run cameo comes to an end as he was removed by Cummins. 2 boundaries from the over. 10 runs from the over.
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Over: 18 I Score: 130/4
Watson bowls another tight over. Did not allow Pakistani batsmen to hit a single boundary. 7 runs from the over.
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Over: 17 I Score: 123/4
Cummins gave away just 3 runs from his first 5 balls. But Abdul Razzaq spoils his over by hitting him a six over long-off off the last ball of his over.9 runs from the over.
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Over: 16 I Score: 114/4
Starc comes back to bowl. Another very good over from him. He picks up Kamran Akmal for 32. 6 runs from the over.
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Over: 15 I Score: 108/3
Nasir Jamshed's attractive innings of 46-ball-55 comes to an end as he was picked up by Doherty caught at long-on by Warner. 5 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 14 I Score: 103/2
Jamshed hits another cross-batted straight shots for a four. He completes a counter-attacking 50. Akmal then hoicks one over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. 100 up for Pakistan. Hogg was the bowler to suffer in this over.14 runs from the over.
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Over: 13 I Score: 89/2
Jamshed again hits one straight off Watson for a four. Boy he looks really good when he hits those straight shots! 10 runs from the over.
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Over: 12 I Score: 79/2
Jamshed whacks one on the leg side off Doherty for a six. Jamshed looks to be in murderous mood, two sixes in two overs. 9 runs from the over.
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Over: 11 I Score: 70/2
Jamshed shows no respect to Cummins when he pulled one for a six over the deep square leg. Pakistani batsmen sensing the urgency now going for their shots.10 runs from the over.
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Over: 10 I Score: 60/2
Imran Nazir drives Hogg for a four through the extra-cover off the very first ball of the over. With this Pakistan cross 50-run mark. Nasir Jamshed then gets a four when Maxwell misfield one. The ball goes for a four.11 runs from the over.
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Over: 9 I Score: 49/2
A good over from Pakistan. Doherty concedes 8 runs in this over. 8 runs from the over.
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Over: 8 I Score: 41/2
Brad Hogg comes into bowl. 4 singles from the over. Another good over for Australia. 4 runs from the over.
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Over: 7 I Score: 37/2
6 singles from Glenn Maxwell's first over. 6 runs from the over.
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Over: 6 I Score: 31/2
Watson gets Imran Nazir off a full toss. Nazir made a scratchy 14. Another good over from Watson. His dream run continues. 3 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 5 I Score: 28/1
Fast bowler Cummins replaces Watson. Nazir hits him for two fours in this over. 13 runs from the over.
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Over: 4 I Score: 15/1
Another good over from Starc. Just 3 runs from it.
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Over: 3 I Score: 12/1
Watson comes into bowl in place of Doherty. No runs from his first five balls. But Nasir Jamshed drives the last ball through the cover for a beautiful boundary. 4 runs from the over.
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Over: 2 I Score: 8/1
Mitchell Starc draws first blood for Australia, picking up skipper Hafeez off his first ball for 4. Starc bowled a perfect incoming delivery which had Hafeez plum in front of the wickets. Just 3 runs and a wicket from the over.
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Over: 1 I Score: 5
Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir start the innings for Pakistan. It's left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty who opens bowling for Australia. Three singles and a double for the Pakistan openers. 5 runs from the first over.
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Toss Report: Australia have won the toss and surprisingly asked Pakistan to bat first.
Australia go with the same team that played the last match.
Pakistan have included Abdul Razzak in place of Yasir Arafat.
Teams:
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Hafeez(c), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal(w), Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, George Bailey(c), Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Brad Hogg, Xavier Doherty
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Pitch Report: According to Ian Chappell, the pitch at Colombo looks to be a good one. He reckons that batting first or second won't make any difference to any team.
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Welcome to our Live Coverage of the crucial Super Eight match between Pakistan and Australia, scheduled to start at 3.30 PM (IST).
Australia have already qualified for the semi-final with two clinical wins against India and South Africa.
On the other hand, it's a very very crucial match for Pakistan as they have to win this match to keep their hopes alive for the semi-finals.
But as an Indian supporter, one would hope that Pakistan lose the match which would help India qualify for the semi-final with a win against the Proteas later this evening.
If Pakistan win, then India not only have to win against South Africa but have to win the match with a huge margin.
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Preview: Annihilated by India in their second Super Eight match, an inconsistent Pakistan are faced with a do-or-die situation and need nothing less than a big win when they take on a rampaging Australia in the World Twenty20 here on Tuesday.
Pakistan will have to pick up the pieces from their all-round failure against the arch-rivals and come up with an inspired performance against the unbeaten Australian side, which has been almost assured a semifinal berth with a commanding eight-wicket victory over South Africa in their last game on Sunday.
Aware that one more defeat will ensure their exit from the tournament if India manage to beat South Africa later in the evening on Tuesday, Pakistan, after a win and a loss, have to clinch it against Australia to have any chance of making the semifinals.
The fight for the second semi-final slot from Group 1 is indeed intriguingly poised as both India and Pakistan have a fair chance of making the cut with the Aussies enjoying a healthy run-rate of +1.712.
In case Pakistan (-0.426), who are shade ahead of India (-0.452) in terms of net run-rate happen to win against Australia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will then have to win comprehensively against the South Africans in order to make it to the last four.
If Mohammad Hafeez`s men lose on Tuesday, then everything will boil down to the high-octane clash between India and SA. A win against the Proteas will be good enough for them to march into the last-four stage.
Even in case of a defeat, India should ensure that they don`t lose by a big margin.
South Africa have lost both their matches in contrasting manner -- a close defeat against Pakistan and a comprehensive one against Australia.
Even if they win on Tuesday, it would be an unlikely proposition for the A B de Villiers` side to seal the semifinal berth as their inferior run-rate (-0.605) at this stage of the tournament makes their case weak.
On a roll with an all-win record in the tournament so far, the George Bailey-led Australian side`s eight-wicket win over perennial chokers but serious title-contenders, South Africa yesterday must have done a world of good to their morale after topping Group B with wins over Ireland and the West Indies.
Pakistan, on the other hand, would have to regroup their resources after being shot out for a meagre 128 against India. Their bowlers also came a cropper, thrashed by the Virat Kohli-inspired Indian batting line-up.
Australia are the in-form side of the tournament with the top-order batsmen in roaring form and the frontline bowlers among the wickets.
The main worry for Pakistan would be swashbuckling Australian openers Shane Watson and David Warner, who have become the most successful pair in the T20 Internationals.
The Squads (From):
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt.), Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Nasir Jamshed, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Yasir Arafat, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Asad Shafiq, Raza Hasan.
Australia: George Bailey (capt), Dan Christian, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White
