Aussies reach semifinals despite loss
Source: Agencies |
October 3, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRALIA reached the World Twenty20 semifinals despite a 32-run loss to Pakistan in the Super Eights yesterday in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Pakistan scored 149-6 off its 20 overs but Australia gave up chasing the win after openers Shane Watson and David Warner were dismissed for 8 each.
Instead, Australia went after the 112 runs it needed to seal a place in the last four, and finally got there when Mike Hussey hit a boundary off fast bowler Umar Gul to start the last over.
Australia ended up on 117-7, suffering its first loss in the tournament, and Pakistan's semifinals fate depended on the last Super Eights match late yesterday, and whether India could convincingly beat already-eliminated South Africa to overtake Pakistan.
"Pakistan completely outplayed us," Australia captain George Bailey said, "but it's a three-phase tournament and we're in phase three (semifinals).
"To this point we've been really consistent and the challenge will be to get that form back in the semifinals."
Pakistan opened its bowling with spinners and left-armer Raza Hassan accounted for the in-form Watson for his first single-digit score in the tournament with the total on 15. Watson has been in imperious form with three half centuries and an unbeaten 41.
Captain Mohammad Hafeez entered the fray with his offspin and dismissed Warner lbw to reduce Australia to 19-2 after five overs.
Australia could not recover as the spinners made them work hard for runs. With the feared opening pair of Watson and Warner virtually winning matches with the bat for Australia, its unexposed middle and low order faltered under pressure.
Hussey made a determined 54 not out off 47 deliveries including a six and four boundaries on a slow R Premadasa Stadium pitch that did not favor stroke play.
Hasan finished with a career best 2-14 off his four overs, surpassing his previous best of 2-15 also against Australia before this tournament. Offspin bowler Saeed Ajmal returned the best bowling figures with 3-17 while Hafeez also took two wickets.
Hasan was named player of the match for providing an impressive start.
Earlier, Pakistan's Nasir Jamshed made 55 off 46 deliveries and shared 79 runs with Kamran Akmal for the third wicket to lift Pakistan to a decent score after being 29-2.
Jamshed hit two sixes and four boundaries while Akmal scored 32 runs. Australia's left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc took 3-20.
Pakistan scored 149-6 off its 20 overs but Australia gave up chasing the win after openers Shane Watson and David Warner were dismissed for 8 each.
Instead, Australia went after the 112 runs it needed to seal a place in the last four, and finally got there when Mike Hussey hit a boundary off fast bowler Umar Gul to start the last over.
Australia ended up on 117-7, suffering its first loss in the tournament, and Pakistan's semifinals fate depended on the last Super Eights match late yesterday, and whether India could convincingly beat already-eliminated South Africa to overtake Pakistan.
"Pakistan completely outplayed us," Australia captain George Bailey said, "but it's a three-phase tournament and we're in phase three (semifinals).
"To this point we've been really consistent and the challenge will be to get that form back in the semifinals."
Pakistan opened its bowling with spinners and left-armer Raza Hassan accounted for the in-form Watson for his first single-digit score in the tournament with the total on 15. Watson has been in imperious form with three half centuries and an unbeaten 41.
Captain Mohammad Hafeez entered the fray with his offspin and dismissed Warner lbw to reduce Australia to 19-2 after five overs.
Australia could not recover as the spinners made them work hard for runs. With the feared opening pair of Watson and Warner virtually winning matches with the bat for Australia, its unexposed middle and low order faltered under pressure.
Hussey made a determined 54 not out off 47 deliveries including a six and four boundaries on a slow R Premadasa Stadium pitch that did not favor stroke play.
Hasan finished with a career best 2-14 off his four overs, surpassing his previous best of 2-15 also against Australia before this tournament. Offspin bowler Saeed Ajmal returned the best bowling figures with 3-17 while Hafeez also took two wickets.
Hasan was named player of the match for providing an impressive start.
Earlier, Pakistan's Nasir Jamshed made 55 off 46 deliveries and shared 79 runs with Kamran Akmal for the third wicket to lift Pakistan to a decent score after being 29-2.
Jamshed hit two sixes and four boundaries while Akmal scored 32 runs. Australia's left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc took 3-20.
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