Twenty20 World Championship 2007 Semi Final

New Zealand vs Pakistan

Rameez Raja: Pakistan possess the variation (Courtesy Cricinfo Talk)

WORLD TWENTY20 semi-final, Cape Town: New Zealand v Pakistan

The first semi-final, at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon, pits Pakistan against New Zealand.
The Pakistan side finished at the top of their group, having won all three of their second round matches against Sri Lanka, Australia and Bangladesh. The only loss in this tournament was agaist India in a bowl out. Pakistan are notoriously erratic and can either be brilliant or dire, but seem to be doing well under their new coach, Australian Geoff Lawson.

New Zealand who owe their place in the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals thanks to India's heavy defeat of South Africa on Thursday night, lost to South Africa, but went through to the semi-finals by virtue of a better run rate. New Zealand have been impressive throughout the tournament, and it needed a brilliant 89 not out from Justin Kemp for South Africa to beat them in the only second round match that they lost.
The first semi-final starts at 14:00

ICC World 20-20, PAK vs NZ, Semi Final: Pakistan beat New Zealand by 6 wickets

Pakistan cruised home to a six-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first semi-final of the Twenty20 World Cup at Cape Town on Saturday.
Mohammad Hafeez smashed Shane Bond through the covers on the first delivery to start the proceedings at Kingsmead. He, along with Imran Nazir, put up a sixty-run partnership for the first wicket to lead Pakistan's cracking reply before he was trapped lbw by Styris for 32. Nazir hammered three boundaries and five sixes en route his 59 and put Pakistan on course before Jeetan Patel trapped him in front.

An excellent spell from Umar Gul put New Zealand on the backfoot as they were restricted to 143 for eight after electing to bat.

ICC World Twenty20, PAK vs NZ, Semi Final: Pakistan 147-4 (18.5 overs) beat New Zealand 143-8 (20 overs) by 6 wickets

ICC World 20-20, PAK vs NZ, Semi Final: Mohammad Asif doubtful for Twenty20 semi-final

Pakistan were on Friday dealt a blow ahead of their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand with pace spearhead Mohammad Asif in doubt for the match with an elbow injury.
The Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf said Asif had sustained the injury during the net practice before the game against Australia and has been in pain since then. "That is why he has looked out of sorts and struggled with his line and length. He has played because of the importance of the game against Australia but I think the team management should have given him rest for the match against Bangladesh," Ashraf said.
Asif has been in tremendous form in the tournament, took four wickets against India, and Pakistan has relied heavily on his early strikes and economical bowling in the championship. Ashraf said Asif had played after taking injections but he was still not 100 per cent fit.
"The manner in which Asif bowled against Bangladesh he does not bowl like this even in the nets," he said. Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik also admitted that Asif was crucial to the team's chances in the event. He said the lethargic performance against Bangladesh was a result of the players being tired and jaded after travelling and continuous cricket. "But after one day's rest we will be back to our best for the semi-final against New Zealand. We have come so far and we don't intend to now go out without a fight," he said.
Malik said Shahid Afridi would continue as opener. "If he comes off it is good for the team so we have decided to try him as an opener," he said.

New Zealand team (from): Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum, Peter Fulton, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (capt.), Shane Bond, Mark Gillespie and Jeetan Patel.
Pakistan team (from): Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik (capt.), Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir.

Twenty20 World Championship 2007 Semi Final

New Zealand vs Pakistan

Scorecard

New Zealand Innings 143 for 8 (20.0 overs)

Pakistan Innings 147 for 4 (18.5 overs)

			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Vincent	c and b	Alam	28	28	1	1
McCullum	lbw	b Afridi	26	27	2	0
Styris	c Tanvir	b Gul	18	12	1	1
Fulton	c Malik	b Gul	10	15	0	0
Taylor	not out		37	23	2	2
McMillan	c Younis	b Alam	12	6	1	1
Oram	c Akmal	b Gul	1	4	0	0
Vettori	run out		0	0	0	0
Bond	run out		5	7	0	0
Patel	not out		0	0	0	0
Extras		2nb 3w 1lb	6
Total		for 8	143	(20.0 ovs)

Bowler O M R W Asif 4.0 0 34 0 Tanvir 4.0 0 30 0 Afridi 4.0 0 24 1 Alam 3.0 0 29 2 Gul 4.0 0 15 3 Hafeez 1.0 0 10 0

Fall of wicket   50 Vincent 74 McCullum 85 Styris 87 Fulton 104 McMillan 106 Oram 107 Vettori 126 Bond

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			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Hafeez	lbw	b Styris	32	21	3	2
Nazir	lbw	b Patel	59	41	3	5
Younis	c McCullum	b Vettori	4	15	0	0
Malik	not out		26	14	1	1
Afridi	c Fulton	b Bond	6	5	1	0
Misbah-ul-Haq	not out		16	17	0	1
Extras		2w 2lb	4
Total		for 4	147	(18.5 ovs)

Bowler O M R W Bond 4.0 0 33 1 Gillespie 3.0 0 30 0 Vettori 4.0 0 22 1 Styris 3.0 0 14 1 Patel 3.5 0 31 1 Oram 1.0 0 15 0

Fall of wicket   60 Hafeez 96 Nazir 104 Younis 111 Afridi

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Umpires: D J Harper, S J A Taufel
New Zealand: Vincent, McCullum, Fulton, Taylor, Styris, Oram, McMillan, Vettori, Bond, Gillespie, Patel
Pakistan: Nazir, Hafeez, Younis, Alam, Misbah-ul-Haq, Malik, Afridi, Akmal, Tanvir, Gul, Asif

Twenty20 Schedule, South Africa

World Twenty20 2007

Group A:

11 September: South Africa vs West Indies at Johannesburg
13 September: West Indies vs Bangladesh at Johannesburg
15 September: South Africa vs Bangladesh at Cape Town

Group B:

12 September: Australia vs Zimbabwe at Cape Town
13 September: Zimbabwe vs England at Cape Town
14 September: Australia vs England at Cape Town

Group C:

12 September: New Zealand vs Kenya at Durban
14 September: Sri Lanka vs Kenya at Johannesburg
15 September: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand at Johannesburg

Group D:

12 September: Pakistan vs Scotland at Durban
13 September: India vs Scotland at Durban
14 September: India vs Pakistan at Durban

Super Eight phase:

16 September: New Zealand vs India at Johannesburg
16 September: Australia vs Bangladesh at Cape Town
16 September: South Africa vs England at Cape Town
17 September: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka at Johannesburg
18 September: New Zealand vs England at Durban
18 September: Australia vs Pakistan at Johannesburg
18 September: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka at Johannesburg
19 September: South Africa vs New Zealand at Durban
19 September: England vs India at Durban
20 September: Australia vs Sri Lanka at Cape Town
20 September: Bangladesh vs Pakistan at Cape Town
20 September: South Africa vs India at Durban

Semi-finals:

22 September: New Zealand vs Pakistan at Cape Town
22 September: India vs Australia at Durban

Final:

24 September at Johannesburg