Pakistan won the charged encounter – 2nd T20 vs. Australia

Pakistan 4-151(Mohammad Hafeez 45, Nasir Jamshed 45, Mitchell Starc 1-17) beat Australia 8-151 (George Bailey 42, Shane Watson 33, Saeed Ajmal 2-20) in the super over.

Pakistan won the one-over eliminator and humiliated Australia by winning the second T20 and clinching the series against the mighty opponents for the first time.

Pakistan smashed 151 runs with six wickets in hand at the end of the measured 20 overs and Australia scored the exact 151 runs after losing 8 wickets. The match was extended to the super over, in which Australia managed 11 runs after losing one wicket and Pakistan grasped 12 runs without any loss.

Saeed Ajmal - The magician off spinner 'Player of the match'
Saeed Ajmal – The magician off spinner ‘Player of the match’

Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his magical bowling spell in the game.

The second Twenty20 of the three match series was held on Friday, September 7, 2012, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. A historical Pakistani supportive crowd of 55,000, witnessed the cliff hanger at a neutral venue.

Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez, the skipper of Pakistan, won the toss and came in to bat with Imran Nazir. Hafeez made a flying start by dispatching three fours in the first over off Pat Cummins but Imran Nazir was clean bowled by Mitchell Starc without scoring, on the second ball of the next over. The batsman in form, Nasir Jamshed, came in next and hit two consecutive fours in the third over.

Nasir Jamshed got a life when he was dropped for 13 runs at deep extra cover by Michael Hussey off David Hussey on the third ball of the seventh over. Hafeez kept on cruising from the other end and the first fifty of the innings was scored in the 9th over. Nasir Jamshed added 12 runs in the 11th over with a six over long off and the second wicket contributed 76 runs in 11.2 overs.  Nasir Jamshed was gone for 45 off 36 balls with 1 six and 4 fours and Mohammad Hafeez became the next victim after eight runs for 45 off 42 deliveries with 6 fours.

Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal joined together at the crease and the flow of runs was enhanced by them. Kamran Akmal was the most aggressive of the two and the boundaries were flowing from his bat at regular intervals. The duo enhanced the score to 143 in 19.1 over when Umar Akmal lost his wicket for 13 runs. Kamran Akmal remained unbeaten for 43 off just 26 balls with 6 fours as the Green Shirts piled up 151 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs.

Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Shane Watson and Daniel Christian were the successful bowlers with one wicket each.

Australia opened the innings with David Warner and Shane Watson in an attacking mode. Warner punished Mohammad Hafeez for 14 runs in the second over with 1 six and 2 fours and hit another six in the following over. The score was taken to 40 in 4.4 overs when David Warner was cleaned bowled by the master off spinner, Saeed Aajmal, for 31 off 19 balls with 2 huge sixes and 3 fours.

The experienced, Michael Hussey, joined in next, hit a massive six in the seventh over and Watson lofted a couple of sixes in the 9th and 10th over. Saeed Ajmal was reintroduced in the attack in the 11th over and he grasped the important wicket of Shane Watson on the second ball when the batsman was declared leg before wicket for 33 off 28 deliveries with two lofty sixes and even fours. The Kangaroos were reeling at 5-117 in 16.2 overs when their captain, George Bailey and Matthew Wade got together in the centre.

Bailey took over as the wickets kept on falling from the other end and hit 12 runs in the 14th over with 1 six and 1 four. He hit a six to Saeed Ajmal on the last ball of the 18th over and hit two successive fours to Umar Gul in the following over. Australia required 10 runs from the last six balls as Mohammad Hafeez handed over the ball to Abdul Razzaq for the first time in two matches.

George Bailey was caught by the substitute fielder, Yasir Arafat at midwicket on the very first ball of the over for 42 off just 27 balls with 2 grand sixes and 4 fours. The Aussies needed 7 runs off the last two balls as Pat Cummins sent the ball flying over wide long on boundary for a six and was caught on the last ball. The scores were levelled and the match entered in the super over.

Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Razzaq were the highest wicket takers with two wickets each whereas Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul shared one wicket each.

Super over (Australia)

Bowler – Umar Gul (Pakistan)

First ball      – David Warner, 1 runs

Second ball – Shane Watson, 2 runs

Third ball   – Watson, 1 runs

Fourth ball  – Warner, 4 runs

Fifth ball    – Warner, 1 run (wide)

Fifth ball    – Warner, wicket

Sixth ball  – George Bailey, 2 runs

Total – 11 runs

Super over (Pakistan)

Bowler – Pat Cummins

First ball       – Umar Akmal, no run

Second ball – Umar Akmal, 4 runs

Third ball   – Umar Akmal, 1 runs

Fourth ball  – Abdul Razzaq, 4 runs

Fifth ball   – Razzaq, 1 runs

Sixth ball  – Umar Akmal, 1 wide

Sixth ball – Umar Akmal, 1 run

Total – 12 runs

Pakistan won the thriller and grabbed the three match series 2-0 against Australia and it was only the first time when they beat the heavy weight rivals in the shortest version of the game.


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