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Saturday, May 15, 2010
Hussey stuns Pakistan
GROS ISLET: Michael Hussey’s latest rescue mission saw Australia beat defending champions Pakistan by three wickets with just a ball to spare to reach the World Twenty20 final here on Friday. Set a huge 192 to win, Australia collapsed to 62 for four. But, initially through Cameron White, who made 43, and Hussey’s unbeaten 60, they recovered and will now face old rivals England in Sunday’s final at Barbados’s Kensington Oval. Australia needed 18 to win off the last over, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Mitchell Johnson took a single off the first ball and then Hussey took over. The left-hander pulled Ajmal for six, struck him over long-on for six more, brought the scores level with a four and thumped another six for good measure as Australia finished on 197 for seven. The man-of-the-match faced just 24 balls, but hit six sixes and three fours. Brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal both scored fifties as Pakistan piled up 191 for six. Opener Kamran’s 50 and younger brother Umar’s even more rapid 56 not out came against an Australia side, yet to lose at this tournament, which had thrashed them by 34 runs in a first round group match. Australia, set a huge 192 to win, slumped to 23 for two. Left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, who led the attack with three wickets for 35 runs, struck twice to remove Australia openers David Warner (nought) and Shane Watson (16). And when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal completed two neat stumpings off left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman and leg-spinner captain Shahid Afridi to dismiss Brad Haddin and captain Michael Clarke respectively, Australia were 62 for four inside nine overs. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk