Pakistan crushed Australia

Pakistan 5-191 (Umar Akmal 94, Kamran Akmal 31, Nathan  Coulter-Nile 2-36) beat Australia 175 (Glenn Maxwell 74, Aaron Finch 65, Zulfiqar Babar 2-26, Umar Gul 2-29) by 16 runs.

Umar Akmal played a sizzling knock of 94 and shared a match winning partnership of 96 with Kamran Akmal as Pakistan triumphed against Australia.

The Green Shirts hammered 191 runs for the loss of just five wickets in 20 overs and the kangaroos were bowled out for 175.

Umar Akmal (Pakistan) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his attacking knock of 94 from 54 deliveries.

The ICC World T20 – 16^th Match, Group 2, was played on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.

Earlier, George Bailey, the skipper of Australia, won the toss and opted to field. The decision paid off instantly as they got two important wickets at 25 in 4.2 overs when Umar Akmal associated with his elder brother, Kamran Akmal. The first was dropped at 23 and he hit the first six of the innings in the 10^th one. The run rate was speeded up while Umar Akmal rushed to his sixth T20 fifty on the 28^th delivery and the 96 runs association off 51 was dislodged at 121. Kamran Akmal was gone at 121 for 31 whereas Sohaib Maqsood departed for just five and was replaced by Shahid Afridi. Umar Akmal continued with his onslaught but was dismissed for 94 off 54 mere balls with 4 giant sixes and 9 fours. Shahid Afridi was at the wicket for 20 as the Green Shirts piled up 5-191 after 20 overs.

Nathan Coulter-Nile was the top wicket taker with two whereas Mitchell Starc, Doug Bollinger and Shane Watson shared one wicket each.

The Kangaroos went down by two wickets at eight when Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell decided to go after the rival bowlers. The first was the most aggressive of the two and dispatched his maiden T20 half century on the 18^th ball. Aaron Finch was cracking the ball at ease and the hundred of the partnership was posted on board on the 51^st delivery. Both batsmen were dropped in the process and Maxwell finally went back to the dressing room at 126 for 74 off just 33 comprising 6 towering sixes and 7 fours. The incoming batsmen were unable to maintain the flow of runs and the wickets kept on crumbling at regular intervals. Aaron Finch was clean bowled by Saeed Ajmal for 65 off 54 balls with 2 lofty sixes and 7 fours and the innings of the entire Australian side was folded back for 175 in 20 overs.

Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Gul, Shahid Afridi and Bilawal Bhatti were the highest wicket takers with two each whereas Saeed Ajmal chipped in with one wicket.

The Green Shirts clinched the important encounter with a margin of 16 runs and got two points.