In a decisive game of Cricket world cup, Australia positioned itself safe to the final after a bottleneck win over unbeatable Pakistan.
Australia wanted Pakistan bat first after toss win. Pakistan’s opening lingered on consuming more balls to score. However, the middle order batters played marvelously thrashing Australian bowlers and totaled 176.
Tasked with chasing down 177 to win the second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final, Australia was hit with Shaheen Shah Afridi at his very best in the opening over, with Finch falling for a first-ball duck and Mitchell Marsh surviving a tight LBW review off the next delivery.
Australia rode out the storm and seemed to be taking control of the match as Warner raced to a fiery 49. But spinner Shadab Khan seemed to turn the game in Pakistan’s favour, taking 4/26 including a controversial dismissal of Warner, to leave the game on a knife-edge.
Yet the remarkable semi-final had one final twist in the tail, as Wade and Stoinis let fly late on to get Australia across the line and knock out the tournament’s form team.
Shaheen Afridi was a target in the second last over by the Kangaroos. They finished the game an over before the final over of the innings.
Despite the defeat in the knockout match, Pakistani team received tremendous applause and appreciation from the supporters, government officials, and PCB management.
Prime Minister Imran Khan advised the team to instead “be proud of the quality of cricket you played and the humility you showed in your wins.”
President Arif Alvi took to the tweeter and said,’’ “Green Shirts you played well but lost. Congratulations to Australia. A good game of cricket,”
Pakistani supporters on one side lauded the sincere effort put in by the green shirts in the match and over all tournament, on the other side, people took to the social media trolling Hassan Ali and Shaheen Afridi for their misspelled at the turning point of the game.
The Daily Beat is an unconventional Digital Media and News Company/Website. We publish News not chaos.
well said.