Pakistan crush Australia by 32 runs

COLOMBO: Pakistan defeated Australia by 32 runs in a key group two Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

However, Australia reached the semi-finals on the basis of a better net run rate.

Both Australia and Pakistan ended the Super Eights on four points each, which knocked winless South Africa out of the tournament.

Australia advanced to the semi-finals despite the defeat due to having the best net run-rate in the group. The result left India needing an emphatic win over South Africa later on Tuesday to stop Pakistan's progress.

Sri Lanka and the West Indies have already qualified from group one.

Chasing 150, Australian batsmen mesmerized by Pakistan’s five-man spin attack, could make 117 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Off spinner Saeed Ajmal claimed three for 17, but it was 20-year-old Raza Hasan who was declared man of the match for conceding just 14 runs and taking two wickets in four overs of steady left-arm spin.

Veteran Mike Hussey was Australia's saviour with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls as none of the other batsmen managed to cross 15 against the rampaging spinners.

Australia never looked comfortable after their in-form openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, were dismissed by the fifth over with only 19 runs on the board.

Australia, who needed to make 112 or more to qualify, achieved the target when Hussey cut seamer Umar Gul to the fence off the first ball of the final over.

Gul's two overs at the end were the only ones by a seamer as the spinners shared 18 overs between themselves.

Earlier, Nasir Jamshed hit 55 off 46 balls to steer Pakistan to 149 for six after being sent in to bat

The left-hander cracked 55 off 46 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

After the openers were removed 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.