Pakistan vs Australia LIVE: T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final result and reaction

Demolished into the stands! A crunching hook from Marcus Stoinis as a Haris Rauf short ball sits up invitingly and that is an enormous blow!

And he follows it up with a four! Close to a yorker from Rauf but Stoinis has just enough room to bring his bat through, slithering at great pace between the non-striker and the stumps for another crucial boundary. Like a long-hitting golfer’s drive, with a hint of left to right movement.

Top fielding! 39 years of age and Shoaib Malik is still throwing himself around like a teenager with little regard for their safety, tumbling awkwardly but keeping Australia to two.

Decent fight back from Hasan Ali, closing with a cutter and drawing a dot as Matthew Wade fails to adjust to the change of pace.

That is a concern for Pakistan, however - Ali falls to the floor after the exertions of that off-cutter and will need a drink, and a chat with the team doctor. He doesn’t look particularly well but he’ll in all likelihood have six more balls to bowl - unless Babar Azam gambles with six balls of Imad Wasim. 50 needed from 24 balls.

A firm pull and two more to Stoinis.

Twelve of the last 30 will presumably be bowled by Hasan Ali, probably the most hittable of Pakistan’s seamers. And here comes Marcus Stoinis, all sharp edges and muscular power as he drives cleanly wide of long-off. Four runs!

Two more to the leg-side and a no-ball, too! Hasan Ali oversteps.

Just wide of the fielder! A leading edge from Marcus Stoinis, Shaheen producing a ripping off-cutter, and very nearly into the hands of backward point. Mohammad Hafeez puts in a despairing dive, and Australia take two to third man.

Six from the over. 62 required from 30 balls.

Stoinis is nearly on his way! Matthew Wade curiously calls through his partner for a single as Stoinis is struck in the midriff pulling and had a pivoting Shaheen in his follow-through been on target with his hurl for the bowler’s end, Australia would have been in proper strife.

A nifty finish from Haris Rauf, snaking a slower ball by Marcus Stoinis’ indecisive push outside off.

Six overs left, 68 to get, and Shaheen Shah Afridi is taking off his cap.

Edged, but falls short! Haris Rauf’s overs have been back-loaded after taking some tap earlier and he draws an error from Matthew Wade, cutting a ball neither wide nor short enough for the shot and fortunate that it falls short of Mohammad Rizwan.

That’s a decent riposte! Full and on off-stump and a crisp drive back over the bowler’s head to give Wade his first runs.

Matthew Wade is the new batter, by the way, and defends a googly from Shadab to extra cover to close an outstanding night for an outstanding talent. To think that Shadab came into this tournament under a little pressure after a dip in his recent bowling returns: 4-0-26-4, a wicket in every over, and the best ever figures in a men’s T20 World Cup semi-final. A potentially match-winning spell.