The Day Matthew Wade Stunned Pakistan to Seal Australia’s T20 World Cup Final Spot

Did you witness the epic 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final where Michael Hussey dismantled Pakistan with a blistering 60 off 24 balls? If not, let’s take you to another iconic clash between the same teams, the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final. This time, the heartbreak for Pakistan came courtesy of Matthew Wade. In a moment that will forever haunt Pakistan, Wade faced Shaheen Afridi and launched three consecutive sixes, sealing Australia’s spot in the final. Come, Let’s relive that thrilling night when Wade emerged as Australia’s unlikely hero and Pakistan’s dreams crumbled once again.

Australia vs Pakistan: 2021 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals 2

It was the electrifying night of November 11, 2021, when Pakistan faced Australia in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With a place in the final against New Zealand on the line, both teams were ready to put their best foot forward. Pakistan, unbeaten in the group stage with 5 out of 5 wins, were high on confidence. Australia, on the other hand, entered the semi-final with 4 wins from 5 games and were equally determined to make their mark.

Winning the toss, Australia opted to bowl, banking on the dew factor to aid their chase later in the evening. For Pakistan, the dependable duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan strode to the crease, aiming to set a daunting target. The pair started briskly, dismantling the Australian new-ball attack. With boundaries flowing, Pakistan raced to a fifty-run opening stand in just seven overs, signalling ominous signs for the Aussies.

However, the middle overs saw a dramatic shift in momentum as spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell tightened the screws with disciplined bowling. The flow of runs slowed significantly, putting pressure on the batters. In the 10th over, Babar Azam attempted to accelerate against Zampa. Looking to clear the boundary, he mistimed a lofted shot and was caught at wide long-on for 39 off 34 balls as Pakistan were 71/1, and Australia had their breakthrough.

With the fall of Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman walked in with a clear intent to accelerate, while Mohammad Rizwan held the innings steady. Rizwan soon reached his half-century off 41 balls, setting the stage for an explosive finish. The 17th over, bowled by Josh Hazlewood, became a turning point as Fakhar and Rizwan unleashed an onslaught, hammering 21 runs to propel Pakistan to 143/1.

However, Mitchell Starc struck back in the 18th over, dismissing Rizwan for a well-made 67 off 52 balls. With the partnership broken, Asif Ali joined Fakhar Zaman in the middle. While Fakhar kept the scoreboard ticking, Asif’s stay was short-lived. Pat Cummins dismissed him for a duck in the 19th over, leaving Pakistan’s hopes of a grand finish on Fakhar’s shoulders.

The final over saw Starc claim another big wicket, removing Shoaib Malik for just 1 run. Despite the setbacks, Fakhar Zaman was relentless. He took Starc to the cleaners in the last over, smashing 15 crucial runs and lifting Pakistan to a competitive total of 176/4. It was going to be a tough chase for the Australian team as Pakistan had an amazing bowling attack including the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan.

Chasing 177, Australia’s openers David Warner and Aaron Finch walked in with high expectations of a strong start. However, Shaheen Afridi struck in his first over, trapping Finch LBW for a duck on the third ball, leaving Australia reeling at 1/1. Mitchell Marsh joined Warner, and the duo counterattacked to steady the innings. Warner smashed 17 runs off Imad Wasim’s over, while Marsh took Haris Rauf for 14 runs, propelling Australia to 52/1 in the powerplay.

Just as things began to settle, Shadab Khan turned the tide in the 7th over, dismissing Marsh for 28 off 22 balls, caught in the deep, reducing Australia to 57/2. Steve Smith was the next man in, but his stay was short-lived. Attempting to take on Shadab, Smith top-edged a delivery to Fakhar Zaman for just 5 runs, leaving Australia struggling at 80/3 by the end of the 9th over.

The pressure was mounting, and the responsibility fell on Glenn Maxwell and Warner to rebuild. Warner, in fine form, continued to score briskly. But in the 11th over, Shadab struck again, getting Warner caught behind for 49 off 30 balls. Replays showed that Warner had missed the ball by a big margin and could have saved his wicket with a review. Australia was now 89/4, with Pakistan firmly in control and now in his final over, Shadab Khan dismissed Glenn Maxwell for 7 runs to bring down Australia at 103/5 at the end of the 13th over.

Stoinis-Wade Partnership

With the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s hopes of chasing down the target seemed bleak. At the crease were Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis, tasked with chasing 74 runs in the remaining 7 overs. Shadab Khan had already done the damage with an exceptional spell, finishing with figures of 4/26 and now it was up to Pakistan’s pacers to seal the game. Wade and Stoinis began cautiously, rotating the strike with singles and doubles while punishing the occasional loose deliveries. Gradually, they brought the required run rate within reach. However, with 4 overs remaining, Australia was still 127/5, needing 50 runs, an uphill task against a strong bowling attack.

The 17th over bowled by Haris Rauf provided Australia with some much-needed momentum as they managed to take 13 runs off it. Then, in the 18th over, Matthew Wade turned the pressure on Hasan Ali, smashing 15 runs and reducing the equation to 22 runs needed from the final 2 overs. With Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s spearhead, set to bowl the crucial 19th over, the game hung in the balance.

The 19th over of the semi-final began with Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s star pacer, bowling a dot ball to Marcus Stoinis, intensifying the pressure on Australia as they needed 22 runs off 11 deliveries. On the second ball, a leg bye allowed Matthew Wade to take the strike, followed by a wide from Afridi, bringing the equation to 20 needed from 10 balls. Shaheen’s next delivery, a slower ball, was slogged towards deep mid-wicket by Wade. Positioned there was Hasan Ali, who ran in for the catch but shockingly dropped it, leaving the Pakistan players and crowd in disbelief.

The dropped catch allowed Wade and Stoinis to sneak a couple of runs, reducing the target to 18 off 9 balls. With the momentum shifting, Wade anticipated Shaheen’s yorker on the next delivery and executed an audacious scoop over short fine leg for six, stunning Pakistan. The target now stood at 12 runs off 8 balls, and the pressure mounted on Afridi. Shaheen delivered a slower cutter for the fifth ball, but Wade, in sublime form, smashed it over mid-wicket for another six. The equation now was a mere six runs from seven deliveries, and the game had swung completely in Australia’s favour.

On the final ball of the over, Afridi bowled a full toss, and Wade once again used the scoop, sending it over short fine leg for his third consecutive six, sealing an incredible 5-wicket victory for Australia. Matthew Wade’s 41 not out off just 17 balls, with three sixes in the penultimate over, etched his name in T20 World Cup history. It was a moment Pakistan would never forget, as a dropped catch and Wade’s brilliance booked Australia’s spot in the final against New Zealand.