Pakistan qualified for the semifinal of Twenty20 World Championship in grand style crushing world champions Australia inflicting a six-wicket defeat springing up a surprising performance. With five bowls to spare Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik and Misbahul Haq humiliated strong Australian bowling attack and ripped into pieces to clamp a six-wicket smashing victory. The mighty Australians were jolted psychologically too as a defeat against Pakistan has always hurt their pride.

Misbah silenced his critics by putting up another sparkling performance as the chief Selector Salahuddin can now breath easy for his choice. Misbah replaced Mohammad Yousaf in the squad for this shortest version of the game. Yousaf was observed to be a slow scorer in one day games losing his place for the 20 overs game. Misbah scored a match winning 66 in 42 deliveries and in the process hit the longest six measuring 111 meters during penultimate over. Malik followed with a well planned half century in 38 balls. Misbahul Haq was deservedly declared man of the match.

And when Australians batted, new find Tanveer Sohail bamboozled the top Australian batsmen removing Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Hussey all of them considered to be dangerous and match winning batsmen. Tanveer was sent to South Africa to replace Shoaib Akhtar and now has established his place permanently in Pakistan squad. The Australians were restricted to 164 in 20 overs and the target looked achievable once Malik and Misbah punished the bowlers at will. It was observed that Tanveer is particularly very dangerous against left handers with his in-dippers.

Rescued by the middle order Pakistan top order once again became a liability despite a slight change in batting order. This time Salman Butt shifting to number three. After exhibiting classic shots for a brief stay both Hafeez and Imran Nazeer continued with lean patch and Younis Khan riding on fantastic performances, failed to rescue and Pakistan were doomed at 35 for three. As usual Salman Butt’s inclusion in the team has now become a total liability as it was the fourth time he failed to contribute as expected against the plucky Australians as Pakistan tumbled to 46 for four and appeared to have lost the control. There is now definitely a big question mark on his selection and a shocking promotion to vice captain.

Having started their partnership in circumspect fashion, Misbah and Malik opened out with some magnificent strokes. Malik took the initiative early on, chipping Clark over midwicket for six, and then taking two fours and a six from a Michael Clarke over that went for 17. Misbah was tapping the singles at that stage, but once he opened out, the game was Pakistan’s for the taking.

With Ricky Ponting off the field nursing a left hamstring strain, Pakistan had started the pursuit brightly, with Imran Nazir punching Nathan Bracken over square leg for a six, and Mohammad Hafeez pulling Brett Lee for another maximum. But yet again, the momentum wasn’t maintained, and the arrival of Clark at the bowling crease changed the complexion of the match.

Bracken was the first to suffer, lofted over cover and then precisely late cut for four. And when the expensive Andrew Symonds was brought back, he reverse-swept for four before leaning back and cutting for four more. There were more punishing pulls and gorgeous shots down the ground, before the coup de grace, a massive 111m six off Bracken with 11 needed. And given Australia’s sloppy fielding display, it was somehow appropriate that the game ended with an attempted Symonds bouncer that was called wide.

Gilchrist had earlier cut, driven and flicked Australia to the customary rapid start after Hayden clipped Tanvir straight to midwicket, but when he miscued one to point after cracking 24 from just 12 balls, Pakistan scented their chance. Symonds though had other ideas, coming in and bludgeoning the ball on both sides of the wicket with awesome power. There was a delicate back cut off Shahid Afridi too, as he and Ponting threatened to take the match away.
It was the spinners though that started the slide. Afridi bowled a superb over where he had Ponting nearly stumped twice, but his disappointment was assuaged by the wicket of Symonds, bowled for 29 going for a huge swipe. With Hafeez also keeping it tight and Umar Gul coming on to bowl a superb over, Pakistan tightened the tourniquet with 2 for 22 in a five-over spell. The second of those wickets was a struggling Ponting, heaving against the line to give Hafeez a wicket.

Michael Hussey took his time to play himself in, but Brad Hodge was straight away into his stride with a pull and a clip through midwicket. They then spoilt Afridi’s figures somewhat as Hussey smacked a huge straight six before two fours from Hodge made it 15 from the over. The 50-run partnership took just 32 balls, but Pakistan’s bowlers ensured that there would be no final flourish, having both men caught in the deep going for big hits.

Hussey was deceived by a great slower ball from Tanvir, while Hodge didn’t get enough on a straight loft off Mohammad Asif. With Afridi running out Clarke with a fabulous throw from point, the last three overs fetched Australia just 14 runs. That was to prove critical as Pakistan once again made light of their top-order frailty to march into the final stages of the tournament. As for Australia, now humbled twice in this competition, they face a winner-take-all encounter against fellow World Cup finalists, Sri Lanka.