ICC T20 WC Semi-final, Pakistan beat New Zealand: Key takeaways
Pakistan thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets in the first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. Chasing 153 in Sydney, the Men in Green did not face much trouble as their openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan played sublime knocks. Pakistan will meet the winner of the India vs England semi-final match in the summit clash. Here are the key takeaways.
How did the match pan out?
The Kiwi team posted 152/4 after electing to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground. While Daryl Mitchell smashed an unbeaten 53, skipper Kane Williamson contributed with a 42-ball 46. Shaheen Afridi (2/24) was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers. In reply, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam led Pakistan's chase with brilliant fifties. Pakistan crossed the line with five balls to spare.
NZ were off to a sluggish start
Pakistan embraced the challenge of bowling first as New Zealand were off to a poor start. The Kiwis lost both openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway. Conway looked solid but departed with an unfortunate run-out. Speedster Shaheen Afridi was on the money throughout this phase. Pakistan bowlers bowled 15 dot balls, conceding just 4 fours. NZ managed 38/2 in the PP overs.
A pivotal partnership between Williamson and Mitchell
Williamson and Mitchell brought New Zealand back in the hunt with a fifty-plus stand. While Mitchell was the aggressor, the NZ skipper played second-fiddle. The duo added 63 runs for the fourth wicket. While Williamson fell prey to Shaheen for 46, Mitchell remained unbeaten till the end. Notably, the latter scored a fifty in the semi-final of last year's T20 WC as well.
A powerful knock by Mitchell
As mentioned above, Mitchell was pivotal in taking the Blackcaps to a fighting total. He picked up momentary boundaries to maintain a healthy run-rate for the Kiwis. He also completed several doubles alongside Williamson. Mitchell raced to his third half-century in T20I cricket in the 18th over. He also completed 750 runs in the format during the innings.
Pakistan were off to a sensational start
Pakistan openers Babar and Rizwan, who struggled in the league stage, found their mojo back just at the right time. Both batters tackled the new ball with precision as Pakistan were 55/0 at the end of the powerplay. They overall added 105 runs for the first wicket. While Rizwan scored a 43-ball 57, the Pakistan skipper scored 53 off 42 balls.
Babar Azam was dropped on duck
Babar, who reached double digits just once in the league stage, was dropped on 0 in the semi-final. Trent Boult found his outside edge in the very first over of the innings but wicket-keeper Devon Conway could not hold on to the catch.
First pair to record three century stands
Notably, Rizwan and Babar became the first pair to record three century partnerships in T20 World Cups. They added 100-plus runs twice in last year's event in UAE. Also, both batters crossed the fifty-run mark for the first time in the tournament.
Another sensational cameo from Mohammad Haris
Haris, a veteran of just four T20Is, played another sensational cameo. He scored a 26-ball 30, making sure there is no twist in the tale. The youngster scored a 18-ball 31 and 28 off 11 balls in his previous two outings in the competition.
