PAK thrash NZ by 7 wickets, reach first final since 2009
Pakistan have been utterly dominant throughout the match
ICC T20 World Cup 2022 Semi-Final Pak Vs NewZealand
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam set Pakistan in cruise mode with a 105-run opening partnership that came in under 13 overs. Both batters neutralised the threat of Trent Boult and Tim Southee as they hit the New Zealand bowlers everywhere in the powerplay. Babar scored his 30th T20I half century before finally falling to Boult. Rizwan eventually crossed the 50-run mark himself. Earlier, the Pakistan bowlers and fielders were on point throughout the innings as they restricted New Zealand to a score of 152/4. A resurgent Shaheen Afridi was the star of the show, picking two wickets for 24 runs.
PAKISTAN BEAT NEW ZEALAND BY 7 WICKETS, REACH 2022 T20 WORLD CUP FINAL
PAK vs NZ Live Score:
Pakistan: 153/3 in 19.1 overs
New Zealand 152/4 in 20 overs
New Zealand were pinned down by Pakistan’s pacers and fielders in the first six overs after Kane Williamson chose to bat first. Shaheen Afridi dismissed the dangerous Finn Allen off the third ball of the match and Shadab Khan then got Devon Conway out with a direct hit off the last ball of the powerplay. Glenn Phillips then fell in the eighth over after which Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell steadied the NZ innings with a 68-run partnership that came in just 50 balls. While Williamson fell to Afridi, Mitchell went on to score a half-century.
Toss: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson wins the toss and opts to bat first against Pakistan.
PAK vs NZ, Semifinal 1: Playing XI
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
After almost a month of high-intensity action, we are now at the business end of the T20 World Cup as Pakistan lock horns against New Zealand in the first semifinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday. Pakistan, who got to the semis after a nail-biting final day of the Super 12 stage, will have the Netherlands to thank. The Dutch defeated favourites South Africa and then Pakistan defeated Bangladesh to scrape through to the next stage. The Men in Green will, however, start afresh in the knockout stage and with their gritty, never say die attitude, will be the team to beat
New Zealand started their T20 campaign with a dominating victory over Australia and has just lost once in this tournament. Considered heavy favorites heading into the semi, the Kiwis will hope to end the jinx that Pakistan has over them. The Black Caps have never beaten Pakistan in a world-cup semi-final. In three past encounters, in 1992, 1999, and 2007, Pakistan would triumph. On Wednesday, New Zealand will hope to put all those doubts to bed.
