Hyderabad: The Aussies brushed aside Pakistan to set up their semi final clash against India, beating the green brigade by six wickets at Adelaide on Friday.
In reply to the 213 posted by Pakistan in the quarters, Australia began with Aaron Finch and David Warner. Even though the first couple of overs very clearly showed the Aussie intent, yet, in the 3rd, Sohail Khan had his man, Finch being dismissed for 2.
Weaner kept hitting the boundaries from the other end as Steven Smith joined him. Wahab Riaz was introduced into the attack and it paid off as Warner was trapped for 24, bringing Clarke into the action. At the end of 10 overs, the Australians were in some trouble, scoring 56/2.
Michael Clarke was the next Aussie casualty, as he was taken by Riaz for 8 in the 11th over. This got together Watson and Smith, who proceeded without taking unwanted risks. At the end of 20 overs, Watson (20) and Smith (48) took the score to 106/3.
Smith and Watson took charge and began to play anchor, ensuring that while the target is achieved, there are no casualties either.
Together they took the score to 139/3. But then, Adil came in to spoil their party, taking Smith for 65 in the 26th over, bringing Maxwell into the centre. Sohail Khan dropped a lolly giving Maxwell another chance. Watson and Maxwell soon shifted gears to the attack mode, bringing up Australia’s 200 in the 34th over.
The deed was done in the 34th over itself, thanks to Shane Watson (64) and Maxwell (44).
Earlier, the third quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup saw Australia lock horns with Pakistan, to determine who will edge past into the semi-finals. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad walked out to begin the affairs for Pakistan. Starc and Hazlewood took charge of the bowling.
The Pakistan side couldn’t have asked for a worse start, as the 5th over saw Sarfaraz take the long walk back for 10, thanks to some impressive bowling by Starc. The new man in was Haris Sohail.
There was no time for Pakistan to settle down, as the Australians scalped Shehzad for 5, dismissed by Hazlewood, bringing in skipper Misbah ul Haq, who survived a scare as soon as he walked in, but the bail refused to cooperate with the Australian side.
At the end of 10 overs, the Pakistani side made 37/2Â and the duo continued patiently, cautiously, to take the score to 83/2.
Sohail and Misbah steadied the Pakistani ship, but Misbah fell in the 24th over, removed by Maxwell for 34, bringing in Umar Akmal.
Little did Pakistan realise that Maxwell’s move would trigger an avalanche, as Harish Sohail perished in the 27th over, dismissed by Johnson, Akmal was taken by Maxwell for 20. At the end of 30 overs, the score was 134/5.
Afridi was the next man to depart, gotten rid of by Hazlewood for 23. The score at the end of 40 overs was 182/6.
The Pakistan batting never got to flourish as there were three more quick wickets — Sohaib Maqsood (29) taken by Hazlewood, Wahab Riaz (16) by Starc and Sohail Khan (4) taken by Hazlewood again.
Rahat Ali and Ehsan Adil stretched the batting display to quite some time, but Adil fell on 15 to Faulkner, ending the innings at 213.