Stoinis, Wade complete epic run chase, carry Australia to T20 World Cup final

Marcus Stoinis (R) and Matthew Wade celebrate after the winning runs hitting

By Champika Fernando in Dubai

Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade ended Pakistan’s unbeaten run at the World Cup with an epic run chase here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to reach the finals of the global showpiece. 

Australia needed 62 runs off the last five overs, chasing a competitive 177 to win and reached the target with an over to spare, just like New Zealand did against England chasing 167 in the first semi-finals on Wednesday.
With 22 required off the last two overs, Pakistan brought in Shaheen Shah Afridi—their main weapon to bowl the penultimate over, hoping he could stop the Australians, but Wade had other plans.

He survived a drop catch off the third ball when the ball slipped through the fingers of Hasan Ali at deep mid-wicket and launched three sixes in the remaining balls, including two scoops over keeper’s head to complete a classic run chase with five wickets in hand.

The pair shared 81 runs off just 40 balls with Wade finishing on an unbeaten 41 off 17 with four sixes and two boundaries while Stoinis hit 40 off 31 with two fours and two sixes shattering Pakistan’s title hope.

Shadab Khan with 4 for 26 kept Pakistan in the hunt until Stoinis and Wade came together to steal victory from the jaws of defeat bringing vociferous Pakistan supporters into their knees.

Australia got off to the worst possible start with skipper Aaron Finch out for a first ball duck when seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi trapped him leg before with his third delivery of the match. The left-arm seamer caused all sorts of trouble to the Australian batters, bowling at a tight line and length and moving the ball at a speed.

Australia managed just 8 runs off his first two overs but David Warner and Mitchell Marsh responded well, capitalizing on the rest of the bowling, reaching 52 runs off the powerplay overs. First over after the powerplay, spinner Shadab Khan struck with his second ball to remove Marsh who was trying to slog sweep, top edge to Asif Ali who was running from deep square.

Khan had Steve Smith dismissed in an identical manner to that of Marsh, when the batter attempted to slog sweep him but a top edge flew it down to deep midwicket where Zaman caught it safely as Australia slumped to 77 for 3 in the ninth over.

Australia were still in the hunt with Warner seemingly a man with a mission, nearing his half-century, but he was caught behind off Shadab when the batter tried to cover drive it. The umpire ruled him out after a huge appeal but instead of going to the third umpire Warner walked off on 49. However, television replays showed that there was no nick when the ball was passing the bat, a huge blow to their run chase.

Khan continued to drive the match Pakistan’s way removing Glen Maxwell in his final over to finish with excellent figures of 4 for 26.

Earlier Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan neutralized the Australian seam attack effectively in the early part of their innings, scoring 47 runs off the powerplay overs but run-making became harder when Australia employed their spinners, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell in tandem.

Australia created two half chances, first in the third over and the next in the sixth over when Rizwan on 0 and 20 but both chances went begging despite terrific efforts by David Warner and Adam Zampa.

Rizwan, trying to take on Glenn Maxwell, came dancing down the pitch and lofted it straight and Warner running backward almost got his hands on it close to the boundary but the ball bounced off his hands.

Pat Cummins almost had Rizwan caught at fine leg but Zampa could not latch on to it as the right-hander survived to complete his second half-century of the tournament.

Australia put pressure back on the Pakistanis with spinners operating from both ends, forcing batters to take risks to keep the scoreboard ticking. Azam departed trying to slog-swept Zampa in the tenth over with Warner completing a clean take head high but Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman took them to an imposing total.

Rizwan 67 came off in 52 balls that included four sixes and three boundaries while one-drop Zaman was ruthless, striking over 170kmph in his unbeaten knock. Rizwan and Zaman shared 72 runs for the second wicket in 44 balls as Pakistan scored 106 runs off the last 10 overs.

He offered a straight forward chance off Pat Cummins, a ball after Asif Ali was caught out first ball by Steve Smith at long-on, but Smith let a regulation chance slip through his fingers at long-off to allow Zaman reach an unbeaten half-century, a 55 off 32 balls. Zaman hit four sixes, including back-to-back sixes off the last over bowled by Starc towards the long-on and mid-wicket boundaries and three boundaries as Pakistan reached a competitive176 for 4.

Pakistan: 176/4 in 20 overs (Rizwan 67, Azam 39, Zaman 55*, Starc 2/38, Zampa 1/22, Cummins 1/30)   
Australia: 177/5 in 19 overs (Warner 49, Marsh 28, Stoinis 40*, Wade 41*, Khan 4/26, Afridi 1/34)