The match that should have been the final
In the second T20 semi-final Pakistan was beaten by the slightest margin by Australia. That was the match that should have been the final of the tournament because it was one of the most exciting, thrilling and tense matches that has ever been witnessed in cricket history for many years. Everyone watching the match was on the edge of their seats for the entire duration of the proceedings.
Pakistan started out by posting a huge total for a T20 match; 190 runs. The Akmal brother’s duo posted very strong scores each to help Pakistan get to that large total. The older brother Kamran scored 50 runs and the younger one Umar put up an impressive 56 not out towards the total. Salman Butt was very impressive as well by hitting some very big sixes all over the stadium. It seemed as if Pakistan was in a very comfortable position after posting such a big total in the match by batting first.
While watching the match something very strange started to happen that usually doesn’t happen in a match involving Australia; all the Australian players seemed to be losing heart. Their body language started to show as if they felt they were unable to do anything and were content to let Pakistan walk all over them. Slumped shoulders were the norm all around and Pakistan was the opposite with every player coming out to face the Aussie bowlers had their shoulders straight and their heads high and over all the Pakistani’s were in very high spirits.
Then with a sudden twist of fate something interesting started to happen, the Aussies started hitting some big hits all over the park but Pakistan kept their batters in line by taking wickets at regular intervals. Everyone watching the match probably thought Pakistan was doing fine and was in the driving seat but they still didn’t count Australia out of the equation because they are just such a strong team for anyone to contend with. That is the thing about the Australians, even when they are down and almost out no one can say that the match is over until it is actually over. Until the last ball has been bowled you can be sure that the Aussies will keep on fighting and trying their hardest to do everything they can to win the match. They are fighters and it seems as if their motto is never say die. They keep at it until they can actually give no more then they say ok that’s enough we lost, but until then they can never be underestimated.
Even though Pakistan put up a huge and impressive total on the board, Australia fought them till the last ball and eventually won the match. It was all due to Michael Hussey who was the player of the match and was described by his captain as being a freakish player. He obviously meant it as a compliment and it was very much deserved. He tore through the Pakistan bowling attack and after coming in pretty late down the order, hit the ball all over the field. He was an unstoppable force and nothing the Pakistani bowlers could do worked to stop his immense flow of runs.
The Australians took the match down to the wire with one run remaining and two balls to get it in. And Hussey showed what a good player he is by hitting a six on the second last ball of the innings. Pakistan put up an amazing fight though and it wasn’t as if they gave up at any stage of the match, they kept at it until the last over. The last over gave the win to the Australians but it seems as if no other team out there could have done what the Aussies did.
If it was any other team and they had such a huge total to surmount, they would have crumbled and folded under the pressure. Not the Australians, and they showed why they are the best in the world in one of the best matches of cricket in a long time and in my opinion one that should have been the final it was an excellent match.
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