Pakistan has booked a spot in the World Cup final after a stellar performance over a disappointing New Zealand side.
The Blackcaps never found their footing in the game, struggling to get going with the bat leading to an uphill challenge in the field.
Pakistan’s opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan made New Zealand pay in the opening stages of the game, setting up a 100-run partnership.
The strong opening stance combined with some uncharacteristic fielding errors made the challenge even more difficult for the Blackcaps as they fought what seemed like an improbable battle to manage a result.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that looked at the time as the right one but would eventually come back to haunt them.
After sending the first delivery of the innings to the boundary, rookie opener Finn Allen was given his marching orders just two balls later, leaving New Zealand stunned in the first over of the game.
The Blackcaps began to control the flow of the game shortly after but were dealt a massive blow when Devon Conway lost his wicket after a perfect runout from Shadab Khan at mid-off just four overs later.
New Zealand’s disappointing start to continued to worsen when Glenn Phillips was caught and bowled by Mohammed Nawaz, leaving the Kiwis 3/49 with 12 overs remaining.
A spot in the semi-final looked to be solely dependent on captain Kane Williamson staying in and becoming the glue for what threatened to be a middle-order collapse.
Williamson stayed strong and formed a solid partnership with Daryl Mitchell as New Zealand found its way back into the game. However, the captain’s courageous innings came to an end after a mis-hit ramp shot bounced straight into his own wicket and left the Black Caps with a mountain of work to do in the last four overs.
Afridi cleans up!
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 9, 2022
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New Zealand’s chances of a win were significantly helped by the Williamson and Mitchell partnership which saw Mitchell remain not out with 55. The Black Caps finished off the innings with a respectable 152 runs and gave themselves a solid chance of defending the total.
Pakistan came out to bat with plenty of confidence but came within inches of losing their first wicket in the opening over as Conway dropped an edged shot from Babar Azam. The opening pair for Pakistan comfortably bounced back from the opening over scare and punished the Black Caps in the powerplay.
With 55 runs from the first five overs, Pakistan looked in steady form and unlikely to lose from that point onwards.
At the halfway stage of the second innings, it was Pakistan who held a firm grip on the game, smashing 87 off the first ten overs and needing just 66 more to punch their ticket to the final.
The opening pair of Azam and Mohammad Rizwan continued to punish the Black Caps’ bowling attack, notching up a formidable partnership of 100. The celebrations were short-lived however as Azam was caught on the boundary just balls after getting a solo half-century and contributing to the opening partnership of 100.
Mohammed Harris and Rizwan continued to build off the strong opening partnership and steadied the ship with a calm style of play.
Mohammad Rizwan's crucial fifty in the semi-final against New Zealand earns him the @aramco POTM award 👏#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/n6q7VALGks
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 9, 2022
Although it took 19 overs to get to 152, the result never looked in doubt for Pakistan as they walked away with a convincing win to advance to the Final on Sunday night at the MCG.
Pakistan will face the winner of England and India who will battle for the second spot in the Final on Thursday night at Adelaide Oval.
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