REVENGE IS SWEET – PAKISTAN BEATS AUSTRALIA
After the heart-breaking loss in the last over against the Australians, the Pakistan cricket team finally took some measure of revenge. It may not have come in a major tournament with the ultimate prize at stake but a win which completed a clean sweep of the two match T20 series has restored some of the confidence in the Pakistani camp. Their 11-run win over the men from Oz at Edgbaston, Birmingham is the perfect confidence boosting tonic that the men in Green require ahead of what promises to be a tough tour to England.
Played in front of an expectant crowd, Pakistan left off from their last win against the Australians as they elected to bat first after winning the toss. The win at the end of the match seemed a long way off when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahzaib-Hasan-c2488 fell in the first over to leave Pakistan struggling at zero runs on the board. However, Salman Butt was joined at the crease by hard hitting wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal and together, the two players brought some much needed stability to the innings. Playing in his cavalier fashion, Akmal smashed an impressive 33 off just 25 deliveries laced with 4 fours and 1 six. His partner Butt, provided the perfect foil making 31 runs off 21 balls with 6 fours. This promising partnership however came to a premature end in the 7th over when Steve O’Keefe had Salman Butt caught by Cameron White.
Thereafter, short sweet stints at the crease by various Pakistani batsmen ensured that the runs kept ticking along even as the wickets fell at regular intervals. Akmal, himself was the next to go falling to Mitchell Johnson. The innings was then left to Umar Akmal who spent some valuable time at the wicket while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Green-c60723 were given an exciting boost at the end of the innings with Mohammad Aamer providing fireworks at the death. He made a quick fire 21 off 11 deliveries including 1 four and 2 brilliantly executed sixes. The Pakistani team’s endeavours meant that the South Asian nation ended with 162 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
For the Aussies, Dirk Nannes and O’Keefe each ended with 3 wickets apiece.
The Australian innings seemed to have gotten off a great start as Michael Clarke was quick off the blocks. However, Aamer continued to provide his magic touch to the match by trapping David Warner leg before wicket in the 2nd over. Aamer continued his demolition job by returning in his next over to get rid of Captain Clarke, who had looked ominously dangerous. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 was bowled by Aamer after making 30 runs off only 17 deliveries. James Hopes and David Hussey then continued a rebuilding job from the men from Down Under after Tim Paine was dismissed for a duck by the Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar. The partnership between Hussey and Hopes seemed to be taking the match away from Pakistan. However, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal came to the balling crease in order to dismiss the two increasingly dangerous batsmen. Hopes made 30 off 28 balls while Hussey made 33 off 27 deliveries before he was caught and bowled by Ajmal.
After their dismissals, the Pakistani bowlers took over, rolling over the lower tail of the Aussie batting line-up. The danger however, remained in the shape of Pakistani arch-nemesis, Michael Hussey who stood ominously at the crease. Hussey was looking to provide another great escape for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 before he was caught LBW by Umar Gul in a crucial dismissal. Hussey made 25 runs off only 14 runs and his wicket could not have come a moment quicker. Michael Hussey’s dismissal may not have exorcised the demons of conceding 18 runs in the last over of the semi-final of the T20 World Cup semi-final but it did provide some relief.
Pakistan closed out the match dismissing the Australian line up for 151 in 19.4 overs to win the match by 11 runs. Mohammad Aamer was declared man of the match because of his brilliant all round performance as he ended up with 3 wickets as well in addition to his quick fire batting performance. With the win, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 set a winning tone to their English tour, in addition putting some unsavoury memories to rest as well.
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