Shaky and mediocre, Pakistan men’s cricket team completed their World Twenty20 campaign with third successive defeat on March 25 at Mohali cricket ground in Chandigarh. Now it was Aussies turn to hand Pakistan a humiliating defeat by 21 runs.
Australia, known as the most professional cricket nation in the world, eliminated Shahid Afridi's side from the tournament without much trouble.
Having already lost to the Group Two leaders New Zealand and India, Pakistan’s third defeat of the tournament means they go out.
Pakistan finished fourth in the points table ahead of Bangladesh, with one win and three defeats in four games.
It’s pertinent to mention here that Pakistan reached the semifinal stage of the first four World T20s, but have now been eliminated from the group stage at the last two editions.
Australia skipper Steven Smith struck an unbeaten 61 off 43 to steer Australia to 193-4. Pacer James Faulkner took five wickets including two off consecutive deliveries in the final over and helped his team seal the much-wanted win.
Man-of-the-match Faulkner gave away just 27 runs and was helped by another impressive performance by young leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who took two for 32.
Batting first, Australia lost three wickets in quick succession, with fit-again paceman Wahab Riaz doing the initial damage by bowling out in-form Usman Khawaja and David Warner with quick deliveries.
Aaron Finch went next, bowled by left-arm spinner Imad Wasim for 15 to leave Australia struggling on 57-3. Smith, however, steadied the ship aided first by Glenn Maxwell (30 off 24 deliveries) and then by the big-hitting Shane Watson.
Watson struck four fours and three sixes to race to an unbeaten 44 off 21 deliveries as Australia took 66 runs off the last five overs.
Pakistan got off to a poor start, losing Ahmed Shehzad for just one run. Then Faulkner picked up the key wicket of opener Sharjeel Khan who smashed six boundaries en route to a quick-fire 30.
Young spinner Adam Zampa got into the act by getting Pakistani skipper Afridi stumped for 14 and bowled Umar Akmal, who was looking dangerous after racking up 32 in 20 balls.
But Faulkner took the plaudits with a match-winning performance, bowling the settled Khalid Latif (46 off 64 balls) before striking again next ball to get Imad Wasim.
In his next over, Faulkner dismissed Sarfraz Ahmed and Wahab Riaz on successive deliveries. The right-armer became just the sixth man to take a five-wicket haul in T20 Internationals.
His figures of 5-27 are the fifth best at the World T20, the best by an Australian in any T20 game.
Veteran pacer Mohammad Sami was hit for 53 runs off his four overs without taking a wicket — the second most expensive Pakistan figures in T20. Incidentally, the most expensive figures (1-54) are also belonged to Sami, who did this “feat” against Australia in 2010.
Earlier, New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 22 runs and became the first team to book a spot in the World Twenty20 semi-finals. It was New Zealand's third straight win in Group Two after victories over hosts India and Australia.
In-form opener Martin Guptill smashed his 10th fifty in the game's shortest format. The right-handed Guptill hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 48-ball 80, sharing an opening stand of 62 with captain Kane Williamson. New Zealand, who won the toss, amassed a big target of 180-5 at Mohali.
Afridi remained quite expensive, giving away 40 runs from his allotted four overs. Mohammed Sami returned the best figures of 2 for 23, including the prized scalp of Martin Guptill.
In reply, opener Sharjeel Khan (47) gave his team a brisk start in their chase as Pakistan raced to 61-0 in five overs. However, the rest of Pakistan's batsmen found it hard to hit the boundaries after paceman Adam Milne dismissed the left-handed opener, who struck nine fours and a six in his 25-ball knock.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi promoted himself to number five in a bid to provide momentum but his vigil at the crease lasted for only nine balls in which he scored 19.
Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner finished with figures of 2-29 in his four overs. Milne also kept the batsmen on a tight leash with figures of 2-26 as Pakistan could only manage 158-5 in their 20 overs.
On the other hand, Pakistan women’s team, displaying fine skills and temperament, scored a thumping nine wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Thursday. It was their second successive win of the World T20 after their famous triumph over India.
This was the seventh time that the Bangladesh and Pakistan women met on the cricket pitch and interestingly Pakistan women emerged winners in all the matches.
Pakistan captain Sana Mir wanted to restrict Bangladesh to between 90 and 100 after losing the toss. At the end of their allotted 20 overs, Bangladesh had scored 113 for 9, setting a target that did not look impossible on a batting pitch.
The Pakistani batswomen backed their skipper in her assessment of the Kotla pitch and reached the target with 21 balls to spare and nine wickets in hand.
After losing opener Nahida Khan in the second over, Player of the Match Sidra Ameen (52 not out from 47 balls) and Bismah Maroof (43 not out from 40) quickly took control of the proceedings and chased down the target quite comfortably.
At the end of the first 10 overs, Pakistan were 67 for the loss of one wicket, with a comfortable run rate of 6.7 against a required rate of 5.34. Bismah then struck Bangladeshi seamer Rumana Ahmed for three successive boundaries in the 14th over which yielded 15 runs. Sidra reached her half century the next over from just 43 deliveries.
In their innings, Bangladesh lost two quick wickets with 22 on board in five overs. Middle-order batswoman Fargana Hoque was top-scorer with 36 runs off 53 balls.
Spinner Anam Amin opened the bowling and had the best figures taking two wickets for 12 runs off her four overs.
In another thrilling encounter, hosts India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a dramatic one-run win over Bangladesh on March 23.
Bangladesh, chasing 147 for victory in the Group Two match, needed 11 runs off the last over bowled by seamer Hardik Pandya and made the perfect start as Mushfiqur Rahim (11) smashed two early fours.
However, they then lost three wickets off the final three deliveries to hand their opponents an unexpected triumph. After the shocking defeat, Bangladesh cricket team remained at bottom following a third defeat.
India, under pressure after losing to New Zealand in their opening match, were put in to bat at the start of the day and lost both openers in quick succession.
A disciplined performance by Bangladesh's bowlers held India in check as they posted a modest total of 146 for seven.
The home spinners then took control with Bangladesh unable to get to grip on the proceedings. R Ashwin struck with his second ball, removing opener Mohammad Mithun for one.
Mahmudullah hit a quickfire 18 and Soumya Sarkar struck a run-a-ball 21 to haul Bangladesh within sight of victory. However, a thrilling final over saw Mushfiqur caught at deep mid-wicket by Shikhar Dhawan.
Mahmudullah was also snapped up by Jadeja in the deep off the next ball and, needing one run to take the game into a super over, Bangladesh number 11 Mustafizur Rahman was run out by keeper Dhoni after completely missing a wide delivery.
Australia, known as the most professional cricket nation in the world, eliminated Shahid Afridi's side from the tournament without much trouble.
Having already lost to the Group Two leaders New Zealand and India, Pakistan’s third defeat of the tournament means they go out.
Pakistan finished fourth in the points table ahead of Bangladesh, with one win and three defeats in four games.
It’s pertinent to mention here that Pakistan reached the semifinal stage of the first four World T20s, but have now been eliminated from the group stage at the last two editions.
Australia skipper Steven Smith struck an unbeaten 61 off 43 to steer Australia to 193-4. Pacer James Faulkner took five wickets including two off consecutive deliveries in the final over and helped his team seal the much-wanted win.
Man-of-the-match Faulkner gave away just 27 runs and was helped by another impressive performance by young leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who took two for 32.
Batting first, Australia lost three wickets in quick succession, with fit-again paceman Wahab Riaz doing the initial damage by bowling out in-form Usman Khawaja and David Warner with quick deliveries.
Aaron Finch went next, bowled by left-arm spinner Imad Wasim for 15 to leave Australia struggling on 57-3. Smith, however, steadied the ship aided first by Glenn Maxwell (30 off 24 deliveries) and then by the big-hitting Shane Watson.
Watson struck four fours and three sixes to race to an unbeaten 44 off 21 deliveries as Australia took 66 runs off the last five overs.
Pakistan got off to a poor start, losing Ahmed Shehzad for just one run. Then Faulkner picked up the key wicket of opener Sharjeel Khan who smashed six boundaries en route to a quick-fire 30.
Young spinner Adam Zampa got into the act by getting Pakistani skipper Afridi stumped for 14 and bowled Umar Akmal, who was looking dangerous after racking up 32 in 20 balls.
But Faulkner took the plaudits with a match-winning performance, bowling the settled Khalid Latif (46 off 64 balls) before striking again next ball to get Imad Wasim.
In his next over, Faulkner dismissed Sarfraz Ahmed and Wahab Riaz on successive deliveries. The right-armer became just the sixth man to take a five-wicket haul in T20 Internationals.
His figures of 5-27 are the fifth best at the World T20, the best by an Australian in any T20 game.
Veteran pacer Mohammad Sami was hit for 53 runs off his four overs without taking a wicket — the second most expensive Pakistan figures in T20. Incidentally, the most expensive figures (1-54) are also belonged to Sami, who did this “feat” against Australia in 2010.
Earlier, New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 22 runs and became the first team to book a spot in the World Twenty20 semi-finals. It was New Zealand's third straight win in Group Two after victories over hosts India and Australia.
In-form opener Martin Guptill smashed his 10th fifty in the game's shortest format. The right-handed Guptill hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 48-ball 80, sharing an opening stand of 62 with captain Kane Williamson. New Zealand, who won the toss, amassed a big target of 180-5 at Mohali.
Afridi remained quite expensive, giving away 40 runs from his allotted four overs. Mohammed Sami returned the best figures of 2 for 23, including the prized scalp of Martin Guptill.
In reply, opener Sharjeel Khan (47) gave his team a brisk start in their chase as Pakistan raced to 61-0 in five overs. However, the rest of Pakistan's batsmen found it hard to hit the boundaries after paceman Adam Milne dismissed the left-handed opener, who struck nine fours and a six in his 25-ball knock.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi promoted himself to number five in a bid to provide momentum but his vigil at the crease lasted for only nine balls in which he scored 19.
Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner finished with figures of 2-29 in his four overs. Milne also kept the batsmen on a tight leash with figures of 2-26 as Pakistan could only manage 158-5 in their 20 overs.
On the other hand, Pakistan women’s team, displaying fine skills and temperament, scored a thumping nine wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Thursday. It was their second successive win of the World T20 after their famous triumph over India.
This was the seventh time that the Bangladesh and Pakistan women met on the cricket pitch and interestingly Pakistan women emerged winners in all the matches.
Pakistan captain Sana Mir wanted to restrict Bangladesh to between 90 and 100 after losing the toss. At the end of their allotted 20 overs, Bangladesh had scored 113 for 9, setting a target that did not look impossible on a batting pitch.
The Pakistani batswomen backed their skipper in her assessment of the Kotla pitch and reached the target with 21 balls to spare and nine wickets in hand.
After losing opener Nahida Khan in the second over, Player of the Match Sidra Ameen (52 not out from 47 balls) and Bismah Maroof (43 not out from 40) quickly took control of the proceedings and chased down the target quite comfortably.
At the end of the first 10 overs, Pakistan were 67 for the loss of one wicket, with a comfortable run rate of 6.7 against a required rate of 5.34. Bismah then struck Bangladeshi seamer Rumana Ahmed for three successive boundaries in the 14th over which yielded 15 runs. Sidra reached her half century the next over from just 43 deliveries.
In their innings, Bangladesh lost two quick wickets with 22 on board in five overs. Middle-order batswoman Fargana Hoque was top-scorer with 36 runs off 53 balls.
Spinner Anam Amin opened the bowling and had the best figures taking two wickets for 12 runs off her four overs.
In another thrilling encounter, hosts India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a dramatic one-run win over Bangladesh on March 23.
Bangladesh, chasing 147 for victory in the Group Two match, needed 11 runs off the last over bowled by seamer Hardik Pandya and made the perfect start as Mushfiqur Rahim (11) smashed two early fours.
However, they then lost three wickets off the final three deliveries to hand their opponents an unexpected triumph. After the shocking defeat, Bangladesh cricket team remained at bottom following a third defeat.
India, under pressure after losing to New Zealand in their opening match, were put in to bat at the start of the day and lost both openers in quick succession.
A disciplined performance by Bangladesh's bowlers held India in check as they posted a modest total of 146 for seven.
The home spinners then took control with Bangladesh unable to get to grip on the proceedings. R Ashwin struck with his second ball, removing opener Mohammad Mithun for one.
Mahmudullah hit a quickfire 18 and Soumya Sarkar struck a run-a-ball 21 to haul Bangladesh within sight of victory. However, a thrilling final over saw Mushfiqur caught at deep mid-wicket by Shikhar Dhawan.
Mahmudullah was also snapped up by Jadeja in the deep off the next ball and, needing one run to take the game into a super over, Bangladesh number 11 Mustafizur Rahman was run out by keeper Dhoni after completely missing a wide delivery.
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