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Pakistan make it five wins in a row, will face Australia in T20 World Cup semis

The Men in Green beat Scotland by 72 runs and became the only side to remain unbeaten in T20 World Cup

Pakistan make it five wins in a row, will face Australia in T20 World Cup semis PHOTO COURTESY: ICC

Pakistan have registered yet another convincing win and became the only side to remain unbeaten in this year's T20 World Cup.

The Men in Green beat Scotland by 72 runs in Abu Dhabi. Babar Azam's Pakistan scored a mammoth 189/4 and restricted Scotland to 117/6. 

Pakistan will take on Australia in second semi-final on November 11 in Dubai while England face New Zealand in the first semi-final on November 10 in Abu Dhabi.

 

Pakistan will face Australia in the second semi-final on November 11 ✅#PAKvAUS #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/SngVbrXV40

— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) November 7, 2021

 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam once again won the toss and opted to bat first. As usual, Pakistan openers were cautious at the start.    

Rizwan fell to Hamza Tahir after the powerplay. He scored 15 off 19 balls. Fakhar joined Babar in the middle but the partnership was a brief one. Fakhar (8) was dismissed after going for a big shot off Chris Greaves. The Men in Green were 60/2 at the halfway mark.

Mohammad Hafeez gave some momentum to the innings and scored 19-ball 31. Meanwhile, Babar reached fourth half-century of the competition.

ALSO READ: New Zealand qualify for semis, knock India and Afghanistan out of T20 World Cup 

He became only the third batter after Former Australian legend Matthew Hayden (2007) and India's Virat Kohli (2014) to score four fifties in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.

Veteran Shoaib Malik powered Pakistan to 189/4 as he smacked quickest fifty by a Pakistani batter and joint-fastest fifty of the tournament. In his 18-ball innings, Malik hit half a dozen sixes and four.

WOW!

Fastest 50 in Pakistan men's T20I history, in just 18 balls, by Shoaib Malik! #PAKvSCO #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ec07z43lDH

— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) November 7, 2021

 

Greaves, who conceded 26 runs in his last over, bagged figures of 2/43.

In return, Pakistan bowlers didn't allow Scotland to score freely. Scottish captain Kyle Coetzer (9) was dismissed by Hasan Ali while Matthew Cross (5) was unlucky as he was run out at non-strikers end. 

Cross had wandered down the crease slightly and Musney's drive was clattered back at the bowler's end. Imad Wasim made sure to get a hand and hit the stumps.

Leg-spinner Shadab Khan caused further trouble by removing Munsey (17) and Dylan Budge (0) in the 11th over.

Scotland had a little joy in between when Richie Berrington and Michael Leask were batting. The duo scored 46 until Shaheen Shah shattered Leask's stumps, who scored 14 in as many balls. 

Berrington remained undefeated for his 37-ball 54 as Pakistan restricted Scotland to 117/6.

Shadab Khan starred for Pakistan with figures of 2/14.

Malik, 39, was named Player of the Match for his 18-ball 54.