COLOMBO, Oct 1: Pakistan beat Australia by 32 runs in a key group two Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 in Colombo on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal took three wickets, while Mohammad Hafeez and Raza Hassan took two each.
Australia’s Michael Hussey, who remained not-out, scored the highest with 54 runs off 47 balls.
Australia have still qualified for the semi-finals.
In the first innings, Nasir Jamshed hit 55 off 46 balls to steer Pakistan to 149-6 against Australia.
The left-hander smashed four boundaries and two sixes after Pakistan, who were sent in to bat on a slow pitch at the Premadasa stadium, had lost the openers by the sixth over.
Jamshed put on 79 off 55 balls for the third wicket with Kamran Akmal, who made 32 before both batsmen were dismissed in the space of three deliveries.
Abdul Razzaq marked his return to the side in place of Yasir Arafat to make 22 from 17 balls.
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc claimed 3-20 for Australia, who will advance to the semi-finals with their third successive win.
The second semi-finalist from the group will be decided only after the India-South Africa game later on Tuesday.
Both Pakistan and India have one win each from two games, while South Africa lost both their matches.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez was leg-before to Starc in the second over, before Imran Nazir was snapped up at mid-off when he mis-hit a drive off Shane Watson.
Jamshed reached his half-century with a boundary off Brad Hogg and celebrated the landmark by lofting the next ball for a six to bring up 100 of the innings.
He was caught in the deep trying to hit spinner Xavier Doherty out of the ground in the 15th over. Two balls later, Kamran Akmal was dismissed in Starc’s next over.
Earlier, Australia’s captain George Bailey won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat.
The Pakistan team line-up has one change, Abdul Razzaq replaces Yasir Arafat.
Pakistan captain Mohammed Hafeez said the team was hoping to achieve a higher score than the last match. He said, “We believe 150 plus should be a good target.”
Australia, who won their first two games, will advance to the semi-finals if they win.
But the second semi-finalist from the group will be decided only after the India-South Africa game later on Tuesday.
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