Add Category
Pakistan has beaten New Zealand by seven wickets to reach a third T20 World Cup final.
Three days ago, Pakistan were as good as out of the tournament, needing a miracle from The Netherlands to beat South Africa and then to beat Bangladesh themselves.
The Netherlands won. So did Pakistan. And now they're in a World Cup final.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, New Zealand struggled on a slow, dry pitch, making 4-152 thanks in no small part to an inspired rearguard innings from Daryl Mitchell (53 not out off 35) and Kane Williamson (46 off 42).
However, a century stand for the first wicket from Babar Azam (53) and Muhammad Rizwan (57) gave Pakistan a perfect platform from which to reach their target, doing so with ease with six balls to spare.
Pakistan will now take on England or India at the MCG, the same venue where they won the ODI World Cup in 1992.
New Zealand would have felt confident coming into the game — on the same strip just a couple of weeks earlier, they thrashed Australia to get their tournament off to a superb start.
Even by winning the toss the omens were in their favour — five of the six teams who batted first at the SCG in T20 matches had won.
However, up against an inspired Pakistan team, they were never really in the game.
Finn Allen (4) endured an eventful opening three balls, smashing a four down the ground, getting given out LBW — which he managed to overturn on review thanks to a thick inside edge — before Shaheen Shah Afridi completed the job with a gorgeous inswinger next ball anyway.
Devon Conway (21) and Williamson rebuilt slightly before Conway was run out by Shadab Khan — just one example of some brilliant fielding from the Pakistan team, backed by the vast majority of the 36,443 in attendance at the SCG.
Glenn Phillips (6) came and went, caught off his own bowling by Mohammad Nawaz.
Williamson and Mitchell put on 68 for the fourth wicket before the New Zealand skipper was bowled by a brilliant Afridi slower ball.
Jimmy Neesham (16 not out) came in to help New Zealand limp to 4-152.
Rizwan and Babar came into the World Cup as Pakistan's top trumps, the most successful opening partnership in T20I cricket with eight century partnerships.
They made that nine with a sublime display of hitting to all parts of the ground to bury any chance of New Zealand getting into the game.
It could have been so different: Where Pakistan were sharp and purposeful in the field New Zealand were simply sloppy.
Babar was dropped by Conway behind the stumps for 0 off the bowling of Trent Boult in the very first over — the first of two genuine dropped chances — Mitch Santner the other guilty party by shelling Mohammad Haris for 11.
Boult struck twice for the Kiwis, dismissing both Rizwan and Azam.
But the damage had been done and, even with some nerves being displayed in the crowd as the required rate hovered at or around a run a ball, some Haris fireworks put paid to any hopes of a New Zealand revival.
Pakistan will now face the winner of Thursday's semifinal between England — they team they beat to win the 1992 ODI title in Melbourne — or India — the team that so brilliantly beat them in front of over 90,000 at the MCG earlier in the tournament.
It is Pakistan's first World Cup final since 2009, when they beat Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's.
It is more World Cup semifinal heartache for New Zealand though. In 12 appearances in a World Cup semifinal across 50- and 20-over competitions, New Zealand have won only three.
Look back on how all the action unfolded at the SCG in our live blog.
By Simon Smale
To be England or India?
Of course, Pakistan will find out their opponents in the final tomorrow night, 6:00pm AEST, when England takes on India?
We'll be back for the live blog tomorrow same time, same place to find out.
What an occasion it will be whoever gets there, but another Pakistan vs India match at the MCG after their group stage heroics?
That wouldn't be too bad for the neutral, would it?
We'll see you there tomorrow.
By Simon Smale
Babar Azam credits his bowlers
Babar Azam is overjoyed.
"To be honest, the team performed very well the last three matches and then today," he says.
He says it feels like they were playing at home.
The vast majority of the 36,443 were supporting Pakistan.
He says the bowling was key today.
He says Mohammad Haris is showing his "aggression" as a young player.
"We have to enjoy this moment," he says.
But adds the hard work will begin after they know their opponent.
By Simon Smale
A bad semifinal record
New Zealand have been in 14 ICC tournament (World Cup, T20 World Cup or Champions Trophy) semifinals.
They've won just four of them.
By Simon Smale
'It is very disappointing not to make Pakistan work a little bit more for that': Williamson
Kane Williamson is speaking.
It looks like he can barely hear what's happening out there, such is the fervor of the crowd.
"We were put under pressure early, Paksitan bowled really nicely," he says.
"We managed to wrestle back a little bit of momentum, an unbelievable knock from Daryl Mitchell, and at the half way stage we were all feeling like that was a competitive total.
"We knew the wicket was a little bit tough, a used surface.
"It is very disappointing not to make Pakistan work a little bit more for that. They were outstanding, we were outplayed today."
By Simon Smale
Muhammad Rizwan wins player of the match
He scored his first half century of the tournament when it mattered most, putting on 105 with Babar Azam.
"Luckily the fifty was in the semi final, I'm lucky," he says.
"Me and Babar were struggling, the pitches, the conditions were different for us, but we still work hard and we believe in this."
He says the plan was always to attack the new ball bowlers in the powerplay.
By Simon Smale
Key Event
Pakistan wins by 7 wickets
By Simon Smale
20th over - Tim Southee to bowl it
Iftakar Ahmed comes in, he's at the non-strikers end.
I have seen Southee take a four-wicket maiden for Essex in a T20. Just saying...
A leg-side wide.
Scores level
Down the ground for a single!
By Simon Smale
OUT! Haris sweeps straight to short fine leg
Inevitable delayed somewhat, but only takes things to the final over.
Haris goes for 30 off 26.
PAK 3-151
By Simon Smale
19th over - Santner to bowl it
The Pakistan fans are in full voice, loving the tunes the DJ is spinning at the SCG. And why wouldn't they?
That turned a long way, Haris missed with the sweep.
DROPPED! Sodhi came flying in and the ball might have actually just dropped short off the Haris sweep, but a decent effort and they run a single to short third man.
Santner is tossing the ball up.
Masood punches to cover, takes a single.
Pakistan need 6 off 9
Another single.
That's turned from outside off, past the batter, past leg stump, and past the leg side of the wicketkeeper. Byes. Three of them.
Pakistan need 2 off 7
By Simon Smale
18th over - Lockie Ferguson
Two relatively new batters...
Pakistan need 21 off 18
There might still be a chance...
BEATEN OUTSIDE OFF! They run a bye anyway! Wow. Haris on strike. That's important.
The crowd are quieter.
Haris pushes to cover, runs a quick single and Williamson fumbles running in.
Shan Masood is on strike, and he swings and misses! They don't run.
Pakistan needs a boundary, really. Incredibly.
FOUR! THERE IT IS! A leg-side yorker that followed Shan Masood to leg, and he's somehow punched it though cover for a boundary.
SIX! MASSIVE SIX OVER MIDWICKET! WOW WHAT A SHOT!
PRESSURE WELL AND TRULY RELEASED!
He cuts square for a single to backward point.
PAK 2-145, need 8 from 12
By Simon Smale
OUT! RIZWAN IS OUT, CAUGHT AT DEEP POINT!
It was a full toss, and high-ish at that. Was it a no ball?
There was then a runout at the other end - no such thing as a double play in cricket, so they can't have both of them.
Lots of confusion out there, nobody is sure what's happening now.
It is about waist height..
RIZWAN IS OUT!
The runout was insurance if the ball was called a no ball (as it would have been a delayed call would it have been dead ball? - the mind spins...)
Anyway Rizwan is out, 57 off 43.
PAK 2-132, NZ were 4-123
By Simon Smale
17th over - Trent Boult to bowl it
Yorker, dug out to mid wicket for a couple by Haris.
Wide short, slower ball, Haris reaches for it, misses with his uppish cut. No run.
BIG APPEAL! TRENT BOULT LOVES IT! Marias Erasmus, not so much. NZ have no reviews left either.
Might have been high anyway? It hit the thigh pad as he crouched down. Or drifted past off with the arm? Doesn't matter either way, really.
SHOT! Rizwan, down the ground, stopped on the boundary at long on, they run two though.
A dot.
By Simon Smale
16th over - Tim Southee comes back
Pakistan needs 31 off 30.
DROPPED! Santner at gully, he never got his hands right, hits him on the wrist with the cut shot. Another mistake though, Haris was 11 from 11.
Haris hooks hard now to deep backward square, he gets a couple, Trent Boult sliding on his knees just short of the boundary.
A single from Haris.
Rizwan can't get the ball away, no run.
A single off the next keeps the scoreboard ticking over.
Slower ball, full, on the pads, clipped away for a single from Haris.
PAK 1-127, NZ were 3-116
By Simon Smale
15th over - Mitch Santner comes in
Hit aerially, into the vacant area wide of mid off, they'll take two.
A slapped sweep down the ground from Haris, didn't hit that nearly as well as he wanted to, a toe-end shot for a single to mid on.
Sweep from Rizwan backward of square to a leg side ball, they'll run three.
Haris gets a single.
Now Rizwan reciprocates with a little dap to midwicket.
Haris top edges a sweep , it falls safe at a slip region and they run a single.
PAK 1-122, NZ were 3-106
By Simon Smale
14th over - Sodhi to bowl out
A single for Rizwan.
Haris swings, the ball hits him on the pads outside the line, Conway stops appealing just long enough to pick the ball up and whips the stumps off.
New Zealand review. Another desperation one? Looked like it hit him outside the line perhaps?
Yes, hit him outside the line. We're not going to check the stumping it seems. For good reason. A long way in.
Haris gets a single.
Rizwan levers that ball into the leg side and that's a half century to Muhammad Rizwan, off 36 balls. Excellent innings.
The ball hits Haris' pads, squirts to square leg, no run.
Haris hits down to wide mid off for a single to end the over.
PAK 1-113, NZ were 3-99
By Simon Smale
13th over - Two to come from Boult
He defends the first.
FOUR! CRASH BANG WALLOP! Over the top to deep midwicket for another boundary.
PAK 1-109, NZ were 3-89
By Simon Smale
OUT! BABAR AZAM HOLES OUT TO LONG ON!
Mitchell takes the catch, is that the moment that sparks this lacklustre performance from New Zealand into life?
Babar goes for a superb 53 off 42.
Does that open the door just a little.
Mohammad Haris comes in at number three.
PAK 1-105
By Simon Smale
13th over - Trent Boult is back
A single for Rizwan as Williamson brings back his ace.
Wide yorker, Babar reached for it, gets a heavy inside edge and they run a single to short fine leg.
Clipped to midwicket for another single from Rizwan.
By Simon Smale
12th over - Sodhi continues
Pakistan needs 56 off 54.
Rizwan gets a single to midwicket to open the scoring this over - New Zealand have no answer at the moment.
Babar strides down, flicks his wrists and takes another to midwicket.
That's the century partnership.
Drift and turn, what a ball, It had Rizwan reaching for it and was almost deserving of a wicket.
Rizwan leans back and punches into the on side for another easy single, they're milking that area so comfortably.
More drift in and turn away, this time a single to mid on.
Rizwan reached out for a big sweep, gets a single to the midwicket boundary.
PAK 0-102, NZ were 3-81
By Simon Smale
11th over - Lockie Ferguson comes back
Wide. Oh my. New Zealand would have wanted a change in momentum after the drinks break. That was not it.
A single to Rizwan - this pair have run superbly.
Short, pushed away by Babar to third man for another single.
Extra bounce, Rizwan wore that on his gloves and helps it down to third man again.
Pakistan need 62 from 57 balls.
FOUR! Magnificent, Babar picks up the length and hammers that wide, short ball from outside off to wide mid on for another boundary.
Great fielding at square leg denies Babar the runs that would take him past 50, he's 48 off 37 at the moment.
A couple of runs off the misfield at mid wicket and that's a magnificent half century! It's come off 38 balls. What a performance from the skipper.
