Pakistan vs Australia - 2nd T20 - The best T20 encounter to date - Part 2 - Opinion
Continued from Part 1...
History tells us that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MEK-Hussey-c1942 has always been the premier match winner for Australia, and continues to send down discomforting signs to the Pakistan team. His opposition would recall the vague flashbacks of his semi final heroics in the ICC World
T20 of 2010. Much to the disgust of Pakistan, Mr. Cricket was at it again, as he forged a magnificent partnership with skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/George-Bailey-c1480 to rescue his side after the dangerous Cameron White departed thanks to a moment of sheer brilliance in the field by
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Akmal-c94595. Pakistan however continued to stifle the run flow by employing Raza Hasan and Ajmal at crucial junctures. The brilliance from the spinners, prompted the Australian to resort to sweeping. These attempts proved to be futile in the end, as Australia
had to settle for smashing the faster men instead. It was an approach that eventually, lead to their downfall. Hussey was eventually caught by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shoaib-Malik-c90088 off the bowling of Umar Gul as his bizarre attempt to clear long off was short lived. Captain George
Bailey however, kept the foot on the gas pedal as he smashed crucial boundaries and a towering six off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Raza-Hasan-c84407.
For Pakistan however, most of their crunch moments in the match became, divinely ordained as Ajmal’s departure from the field, helped http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yasir-Arafat-c98241 come as a substitute fielder. Just when it seemed that the game was slipping away from the host’s grasp, Arafat’s
rocket arm from the deep lead to a bizarre run out off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 were still
in the game.
Thus it all boiled down to the last over. The game had experienced everything. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898, banked on him and his experience to come up with something special. Razzaq, who had previously not bowled
in the competition, was entrusted with the responsibility of taking Pakistan home. With 10 needed off six balls, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 seemed in with a chance after just three singles were scored in the first four balls. Then came another twister, as Patrick Cummins smoked
a huge six off the fifth delivery which brought the scores level. The crowd was stunned into silence, as the Australian dug out began to celebrate. For Pakistan, that six had a familiar ring to it as the possibility of losing loomed high. Then came yet another
moment of magic in this thrilling encounter, as Razzaq’s miscued full toss off the final delivery, was lobbed into the air by Cummins, and pouched by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-Nazir-c64248. The game ended in a tie, and for the very first time in an international T20 encounter, a super
over was to decide the victor.
The crowd was overjoyed, but they knew that their celebrations could be short lived. The stuffed animals, fancy dresses and crazy hair styles could well and truly become a thing of the past if Australia sneaked through the back door. For Pakistan, Umar Gul
carried the hearts of thousands of people upon his shoulders to bowl the super over. For the Aussies, it was the dynamic duo of Warner and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 who were once again in the spotlight.
The over began nicely for Pakistan as the first three deliveries just leaked 4 runs. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Gul-c94604 behind square on the leg side for a boundary. A wide, a wicket and just 2 runs for the following
deliveries ensured that Australia was restricted to 11 runs off the super over.
Pakistan could draw a lot of heart by ensuring that the score did not go beyond bounds. The fact that Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq were sent to chase down the target, signaled the intent from the Pakistan side. Patrick Cummins, who had been the hero for Australia
with the bat, shocked the Pakistan crowd by bowling a canny slower delivery. It was missed by Akmal and sent horrendous signs in the Pakistani camp. Then came a length ball that was drilled down the ground for four, rejuvenating spirits within the Pakistani
camp. The Green Shirts however, were far from their comfort zone and it all boiled down to Abdul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421, to once again steer Pakistan home.
He smashed a four over point and took a single to return the strike to Akmal, with them needing two runs off one delivery. However, with Cummins delivering a wide on the last ball, Pakistan were only one run away from one of the greatest T20 wins in their
history.
Akmal’s drive through the off side meant that Pakistan had won. The jubilant scenes, the fluttering of green and white flags and dancing in the isles was reminiscent of their World T20 triumph in 2009. Australia were heartbroken, but won a lot of hearts
for a playing a key part in this magnificent match.
With the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. For the thousands of Pakistani supporters however, it was a night that not many of them would ever
forget.
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