World T20 discussion thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Blimey, Cross takes five fours off the sixth over. 48/1 after the PP, Scotland still in the game.

[alfie]

Very good from Zampa...just 22 runs and a wicket

Going to need a big last four overs , Pakistan.

[king_carlos]

Pakistan have to go here.

I feel the exact same way watching this as I did watching England yesterday.

Time to go fellas...

[eirebilly]

175 is the bare minimum for me. Australia have some very explosive batters who are coming into form at the right time.

Rizwan going now

[Duty281]

Australia are a bit looser with the bowling that New Zealand were, as Hazlewood offers up a beamer. Mammoth over for Pakistan with 21 runs off it.

3 overs to go. 12s from here gets them 179. With just one down that should be the minimum they're looking for.

[alfie]

Poor over from Hazlewood. Like Cummins , the full toss no ball - and properly punished this time from the free hit.

21 off the over has things looking up for Pakistan. Starc will want a tight finish...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Josh Hazlewood really making sure there we can keep comparing him and Chris Woakes as t20 bowlers. Have to admire the commitment

[king_carlos]

Having two overs from Starc here is gold dust for Australia.

[alfie]

Rizwan gone to the excellent Starc  fine innings ...here comes Asif.

Might find Starc harder than most to hit sixes...

Edit : sorry for the jinx , Mitch

That was a big hit from Zaman !

[alfie]

Big wicket for Cummins with Asif not getting hold of the slower ball...

At least he didn't waste any deliveries

[king_carlos]

Oh Smudge. That could be vital!

[eirebilly]

Match changing over from Cummins there.

[alfie]

Wow ...Steve Smith drops a pretty standard sort of catch ! Zaman , too. That may come back to bite...

A really good over this from Cummins. Just three runs ! Trimmed the final total quite significantly.

[king_carlos]

Exceptional from Cummins.

[alfie]

Wow ...Steve Smith drops a pretty standard sort of catch ! Zaman , too. That may come back to bite...

A really good over this from Cummins. Just three runs ! Trimmed the final total quite significantly.

[eirebilly]

I would say that Pakistan are about bang on par with this score. Could have been a lot better if not for an exceptional 19th over from Cummins.

[Duty281]

176. Two vital sixes from Zaman in the final over. A strong score, should be enough, but Pakistan will maybe feel they're 10-15 light with the platform they had established.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not attempting to run two off the last ball always annoys me - who cares if you're run out by half a pitch, make the fielder/keeper execute ffs

[alfie]

That Smith drop indeed proved costly ...those two big Zaman sixes spoiled Starc's otherwise good last over .

176 Is it enough ? Maybe : but if Finch and Warner get going I think Australia could run it down. Power play will be "interesting"

[alfie]

Not attempting to run two off the last ball always annoys me - who cares if you're run out by half a pitch, make the fielder/keeper execute ffs

Absolutely ! Even good fielders can fumble under pressure : and if you're really lucky , overthrows

Not as if it costs anything.

[king_carlos]

Enter Shaheen Shah Afridi...

[Duty281]

Enter Shaheen Shah Afridi...

Exit Aaron Finch.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

92mph inswinger - that's the good stuff Shaheen you superstar

[alfie]

Oh dear ...Aaron Finch won't want to watch that back !

The start Pakistan wanted...

Now : has he got Marsh too ?

[Duty281]

Wasim and Waqar would have been amazing in this format, but Shaheen will do for Pakistan.

Surely Marsh was gone? No umpire's call. Shaheen was off on his celebration lap.

[alfie]

Phew ! Marsh survives by the skin of his umpire's call teeth...

This is an amazing over.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Electric first over from Shaheen - absolutely sensational!

[Duty281]

Aussie lucky to only lose one in that over. Could have been three or four!

[alfie]

That seemed a harsh no ball call against Afridi ! Maybe the TV umpire has a better close up than us but I reckon he might have had a bit of heel behind the line...Didn't cost much.

Australia will be glad just to see off his opening spell...

[alfie]

Warner putting Pakistan on notice here ...took Imad Wasim apart that over.

If Warner bats half the innings I reckon Australia get these...

[alfie]

For all Afridi's brilliance , Australia have ended up bossing the power play. Marsh barely survived his first couple of balls but he's making the most of it.

Aussies favourite from here I think. Pakistan will need wickets.

[Duty281]

Turned into an excellent PP for Australia, that umpire's call decision proving costly for Pakistan. Four overs from Shadab Khan means I still think Pakistan have the advantage.

[Duty281]

Shadab does get the wicket of Marsh...Hafeez follows up with the ball of the tournament. Seven free runs effectively.

[alfie]

Afraid I just jinxed Marsh ! Mis hit and out...

Still plenty of batting to come. Smith now ; and I imagine he will just keep things ticking and leave the power hitting for Maxwell if needed.

Pakistan ringing the changes with their bowling. Hafeez now. And he starts with the sort of half track no ball you'd see in an under twelve game ! Bizarre...

Warner is the wicket they really need.

[alfie]

Total rubbish from Hafeez. Dreadful over hands the advantage to Australia. Chase well on track now - though a couple of wickets could change that.

[Duty281]

Wonder if they get Shaheen back for his third over in the 11th/12th if Warner's still there?

[Duty281]

Poor shot and a poor idea from Smith, he knows it. No need to take Shadab on with Warner at the other end having already got a six in the over. Hands Pakistan back the initiative - neither side wants it!

[alfie]

Wonder if they get Shaheen back for his third over in the 11th/12th if Warner's still there?

If Warner is still there in the 12th the game is as good as over , I think.

Though Smith is gone now . Maxwell time..and he needs to steady it a little , perhaps. Only loss of wickets is going to upset the chase from here.

[Duty281]

Warner was out by a good old country mile, but Pakistan miss the direct hit. Fine margins and that. Very well poised game - Australia have the run-rate sorted, but at already three down a couple of quick wickets puts them firmly on the back foot. Especially if they lose Warner.

[alfie]

Very nearly the break Pakistan needed . Maxwell set Warner up to be run out and it must have only missed by a whisker...

Aussies looking good at the halfway point.

[Duty281]

There it is for Pakistan and Shadab, who's done for Marsh, Smith and now Warner.

The game?

[alfie]

Game changer ! Warner gone first ball after the break...three for Shadab now and this is back in the melting pot...

[Duty281]

Oh my, he didn't hit it. Couldn't happen to a nicer fella.

[alfie]

There it is for Pakistan and Shadab, who's done for Marsh, Smith and now Warner.

The game?

Way to early to call. Maxwell gets going properly and Australia will be back on top ; lose one of these quickly and they might fall right away. Who knows ?

One more over for Shadab , two for Afridi. The other six might be Pakistan's problem...

[Duty281]

Maxwell falls into the dumb trap, like Smith. No need to attack Shadab, see him off and get your runs off the other bowlers. Maxwell doesn't and Aussies are in deep peril.

[alfie]

Maxwell tried to get too cute there...well caught by Rauf. Four for Shadab. Should have played him out and waited for the lesser bowlers...

Maxwell didn't look good tonight with the bat. Leaving a lot to Stoinis and Wade now.

Good game , this.

[alfie]

Oh my, he didn't hit it. Couldn't happen to a nicer fella.

Still can't understand this one. Surely he must have hit it or why would he just walk off ? Yes batsmen sometimes don't know when they've hit it ; but if they don't feel anything on the bat the inclination to review must be nearly automatic ? And when you have two reviews and you're the main man...mind boggling.

Chase still on , by the way. Only about eleven per over so if these two stay in it is well possible...After yesterday , you are never safe !

[alfie]

Need 62 off five now...though only one of them from Afridi.

Marginally easier than NZ's task yesterday. But think it has to be these two bats.

[alfie]

50 off four ? Could Hassan be Pakistan's Chris Jordan ?

Or Rauf ? Stoinis needs to land a couple of big ones...

[alfie]

Excellent from Stoinis...this is going to be close. Rauf needs to keep his head.

37 off three looks doable...

[Duty281]

Couple of good hits there from Stoinis, but 'only' 13 runs. Australia must have fancied that as a 16+ run over.

Three to go, 37 to get, when to bowl Shaheen's last one could be the deciding factor - 19 or 20?

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