Sports Desk: Pakistan reached the final after defeating New Zealand by 7 wickets in the first semi-final of T20 World Cup. Batting first, New Zealand scored 152 for 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday. In response, Hayden’s disciples anchored to the port of victory by losing 3 wickets in 19.1 overs based on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s fifties. Babar scored 53 and Rizwan 57 and was dismissed by Trent Boult. Mitchell Santner dismissed Mohammed Haris who scored 30 runs.
Before that, in New Zealand’s innings, Darryl Mitchell scored an unbeaten 53 from 35 balls with 3 fours and 1 six. And Kane Williamson scored 46 runs. Shaheen Afridi of Pakistan took 2 wickets with the ball.
Rizwan returns with fifty, Pakistan in the final after scoring 21 runs:
Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed in the last ball of the 17th over. He was caught by Glenn Phillips while hitting Trent Boult through sweeper cover. 57 runs off 43 balls with 5 fours came from his bat. After 17 overs, Pakistan’s collection is 132 for 2 wickets. Pakistan need 21 runs from 18 balls to win.
Pakistan on the way to victory with the bat of Rizwan:
Babar Azam returns with a fifty but Mohammad Rizwan rules the New Zealand batsmen. Rizwan has already picked up fifty. He scored fifty in just 36 balls with 5 fours. His unbeaten 55 and Mohammad Haris’s unbeaten 15 innings lead Pakistan to victory. Pakistan scored 127 runs after losing 1 wicket at the end of 16 overs. They need 26 runs off 24 balls to win.
Babar returns with fifty, Pakistan crosses century:
Pakistan is playing great in chasing down 153 runs thrown by New Zealand. Babar Azam took half century. Pakistan scored 105 runs in 12.3 overs with the bat of Babar and Rizwan. However, captain Babar was out in this run. He scored 53 runs off 42 balls with 7 fours. Babar returned with a catch in the hands of Mitchell Santner from Trent Boult.
However, Babar could have returned by hitting a golden duck in the fourth ball of the first over. The Pakistan captain caught the ball behind. But Devon Conway missed it. After that he returned to Sajghar after scoring 53 runs off 42 balls leaving Pakistan in a favorable position.
Haris Rauf is the new batsman. Rizwan waiting for half century. At the end of 13 overs, Pakistan collected 109 runs for 1 wicket. They need 44 runs off 42 balls to win.
Babar-Rizwan Pakistan moving at a great pace:
Chasing 153 runs, Pakistan is moving forward with the bat of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. At the end of 10 overs, they scored 87 runs without a wicket. Rizwan is batting with 41 and Babar 43 runs. They need 66 runs off 60 balls to win.
Pakistan scored 55 runs in the power play:
Pakistan scored 55 runs without a wicket in the power play. Mohammad Rizwan 28 and Babar Azam are batting with 25 runs. It remains to be seen how far they can take this great start from Pakistan in the run chase.
Great start for Pakistan in Babar-Rizwan:
Chasing 153 runs, Pakistan got off to a great start. Although New Zealand could have taken the wicket of Babar Azam in the first over of the innings. Babar took the catch off the fourth ball of the first over by Trent Boult. But Devon Conway misses the catch. After 3 overs, Pakistan’s collection is 33 for no wickets. Rizwan is batting for 17 and Babar for 7 runs.
New Zealand gave Pakistan a target of 153 runs:
New Zealand gave Pakistan a target of 153 runs in the T20 World Cup semi-final. Darryl Mitchell’s half-century saw them score 152 for 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Opening pair of just 4 runs. Finn Allen was out after two balls of four. It is a big shock to play New Zealand.
But Ken Williamson took it upon himself to handle it with Devon Conway. Conway was aggressive from one end. He also had to stop by running out. He was run out in the non-strike end by Shadab Khan’s direct throw. He scored 21 runs in 3 fours off 20 balls.
New Zealand lost 2 for 38 in the powerplay and lost Glenn Phillips (6) in the eighth over. Mohammad Nawaz caught the return catch.
Then the great pair of Williamson and Mitchell. This pair of 68 runs from 50 balls broke to the chagrin of the New Zealand captain. Shaheen Shah was bowled by Afridi at 46 runs from 42 balls.
In the end, Mitchell’s half-century took New Zealand to 150. He scored his second consecutive World Cup semi-final fifty off 32 balls. Mitchell was unbeaten on 53 off 35 balls with 3 fours and 1 six. Neesham scored 16 runs off 12 balls to make an unbeaten 35 off 22 balls.
Shadab Khan gave his highest 33 runs in four overs in this tournament, without getting any wicket. Afridi took maximum 2 wickets with 24 runs.
Daryl Mitchell scored a half-century in the second consecutive World Cup semi-final. New Zealand won with their best performance against England in the last tournament.
Mitchell scored a 32-ball fifty with two runs off the last ball of the 19th over against Pakistan. He became the third cricketer after Chris Gayle (2009 and 2012) and Virat Kohli (2014 and 2016) to score half-centuries in two World Cup semi-finals. Kiwis 144 runs for 4 wickets in 19 overs.
Kane Williamson was cautiously moving towards his half-century. But could not. He was bowled in the second ball of the 17th over. The New Zealand captain scored 46 off 42 balls with 1 four and 1 six. New Zealand score 117 for 4 in 16.2 overs.
Jimmy Neesham has partnered with Darryl Mitchell unbeaten on 38 runs.
Darryl Mitchell took the team’s score to 99 by hitting long off the fifth ball of the 14th over. In the next over, Kane Will crossed New Zealand’s score with a four off Shaheen Shah Afridi on the third ball
