Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2123dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Smith, Hazlewood book semi-final berth

Wahab Riaz delivered one of the most fearsome spells in World Cup history but Australia, helped by some shoddy Pakistan fielding, weathered the storm and set up a semi-final showdown with India

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

SPD Smith
SPD Smith
65(69) 7x4 - 0x6
Control %94%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 21 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 0 8 2 23 1 9 22
SR Watson
SR Watson
64(66) 7x4 - 1x6
Control %85%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 21 runs
  • 3x4 - 1x6
2 4 11 2 16 2 6 21

Best performances - Bowlers

JR Hazlewood
JR Hazlewood
O10
M1
R35
W4
Eco3.50
RHB
OFFLEG
3W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
MA Starc
MA Starc
O10
M1
R40
W2
Eco4.00
RHB
OFFLEG
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Scorer: S Raju | Commentator: Alan Gardner

9.30pm: Rahat Ali will dream about that catch tonight; Shane Watson will probably dream about Wahab Riaz, snarling and barking. Plenty of us will lie back and think of Wahab after one of the great World Cup spells, as Brydon Coverdale puts it in his report, but that will be the last we see of this Pakistan side. Many will miss Misbah, plenty will miss Afridi, there might even be a few who are sad to see the back of both... Anyway, this was another Australia day, so we'll let them enjoy the moment. They'll play India in Sydney next Thursday and we'll be all over like Wahab on Watto. Until then, from Sid and myself, it's tatty-bye.

9.20pm: Presentations time at Adelaide Oval... Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq: "Obviously disappointing, credit to Australia, they really deserved it, they bowled really well. [batting underperformed] I think so, at one stage 270-80 was on but we kept losing wickets and some of the batting shot selection really cost us. [Wahab] He bowled his heart out, he's been a totally different bowler throughout this tournament, I've never seen spells like that. [Pleased overall] With the bowling and the way the team came back and won four games in a row."

Australia captain Michael Clarke: "Extremely happy, a really close game in the end. The bowlers did a fantastic job, our fielding was excellent, but Wahab came out and really put us under pressure, one of the fastest spells I've seen in a long time. Watson toughed it out, Steven Smith looked fantastic. If they catch Watto at fine leg it could have been a lot tighter, credit to sticking in there. Wahab pushed us really hard. We look forward to another really tough contest [against India], we'll have to bat a lot better. No different to another game playing for Australia. Spoken about not putting the World Cup on a pedestal, so preparation as always, every time you want to do your best, play another great game for Australia."

9.10pm: Advance Australia, though fair play to Pakistan's bowlers, who at least kept it interesting. There'll be no repeat of the 2011 semi-final, with India waiting for the winner here. As with Mahela and Sanga the other day, Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq go out on a quiet note. The Pakistan batting will have to undergo a refit and they suffered again from not having put enough runs on the board - which in part was down to the opposition's excellence, including Man of the Match, Josh Hazlewood: "Great day, I've been bowling well all week so good to put in a performance. Happy to get a game today and happy with the result. Keeping them to 213 was perfect for us and the boys did a good job with the bat. We're firing on all aspects, it's been a good tournament and we're going well."

33.5
4
Sohail Khan to Watson, FOUR, fullish length outside off, driven into a gap, the field is up, Watson raises his arms in celebration... Australia have won by six wickets and will take their place in the last four. It was only briefly in doubt when Wahab Riaz was putting a hex on Watson but two dropped catches off his bowling snuffed out Pakistan's faint hopes
33.4
0
Sohail Khan to Watson, no run, pitched up in the channel, driven into the ground, over the bowler's head, Watson sends Maxwell back as mid-off fields
33.3
1
Sohail Khan to Maxwell, 1 run, slower ball on leg stump, spots it and deflects on behind square
33.2
6
Sohail Khan to Maxwell, SIX, outrageous. But since it's Maxwell, maybe just run of the mill... Full outside off, Maxwell crouches and scoop-slaps the ball into the stands at deep backward point

"I'm quite sure if there were infinite universes, PK would still be losing this one in everyone of those," honks Henrik Back

33.1
2
Sohail Khan to Maxwell, 2 runs, full and homing on middle and leg stump, glanced fine for a couple

Sohail Khan returns, Australia need 11 more from 102 balls

END OF OVER:
33 | 10 Runs | AUS: 203/4 (11 runs required from 17 overs, RR: 6.15, RRR: 0.64)

  • Shane Watson60 (64b)
  • Glenn Maxwell35 (26b)
  • Wahab Riaz9-0-54-2
  • Ehsan Adil5-0-31-1
32.6
0
Wahab Riaz to Watson, no run, rapid bumper to finish, Watson ducks the challenge and then gets mouthful of filth from Wahab, who came all the way down to congratulate Australia on their semi-final place pass on his thoughts. Watson chuckles like a baby with a rattle

Early Blows

11

Wickets lost by Pakistan in the first 10 overs during this World Cup. West Indies are the only Test nation to lose more (13).

Tied for now

4-4

Pakistan's win-loss record against Australia in World Cups. Pakistan is 1 of 2 teams who have not lost more than they've won.