Watson, Hussey pulverise Pakistan by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet
Scorecard:	Australia v Pakistan
Player:	Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Aamer, DJ Hussey, SR Watson
Event:	ICC World Twenty20 2010

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DateLine: 2nd May 2010

 

Australia continued their domination over Pakistan as they pulverised Pakistan by 34 runs. Batting first Australia powered by brutal half-centuries from Shane Watson and David Warner tore apart a hapless Pakistani side that seemed dazed with what was happening around them.

 

Clarke had no hesitation in electing to bat first on a pitch that looked a batting beauty. The Australian openers, Warner and Watson, after a cautious start began to open up. Afridi surprisingly opted for Mohammad Hafeez to share the new ball with Mohammad Aamer and that proved to be a wrong decision. While Mohammad Aamer looked sharp Mohammad Hafeez offered freebies to the openers who went after the bowling without showing much mercy. Warner and Watson used brute power to clear the fence and also combined it with some smart running between the wicket. Finally a short delivery from Sami ended Warner's (26, 18b, 1x6, 4x4) stay in the middle. Clarke (2, 3b) did nothing of sort as he was cleaned up by a sharp off-spinner from Mohammad Hafeez.

 

David Hussey strode out into the middle and if the Pakistani side had thought that they could exert some control over the proceedings they were wrong. Runs came in a torrent as Watsonand Hussey made a complete mockery of the huge ground. Sixes rained galore leaving the Pakistani camp stunned. The most striking over of the innings came in http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10635/10635.html's third over as he bled 28 runs which included four monstrous hits from Hussey. Warner brought up his fifty in 30 balls but when compared to Hussey's fifty it was serene.

 

The pair added violent 90 runs in 8.2 overs and that put the Pakistani side off. David Hussey (53, 29b, 5x6, 2x4) and Watson (81, 49b, 4x6, 7x4) were dismissed in quick succession but the Australian surge did not recede. At the close of the 19th over the Australian score read 191 for 5 and 200 was well on the cards. The innings then witnessed one of the bizarre overs ever seen in cricketing circles. Mohammad Aamer bowling the final over had Haddin (1, 2b) caught at short third man and then cleaned up Mitchell Johnson (0, 1b) with an unplayable yorker. The next two balls saw the dismissals of Michael Hussey (17, 8b, 1x6, 1x4) and Smith (0, 1b) which were identical in nature. Th fifth ball was a dot ball and to cap of an impressive over Mohammad Aamer cleaned up Tait (0, 1b) as Australia lost five wickets in the final over failing to score even a single run. Australia at the end of their 20 overs scored 191.

 

The Pakistani openers failed to replicate the success of their Australian counterparts as Kamran Akmal (0, 1b) was dismissed for a duck in the very first over. The pace of Shaun Tait proved too much for the Pakistani batsmen and a shorter one from the South Australian snared the wicket of Butt (15, 10b, 3x4). Mohammad Hafeez (12, 14b, 3x4) can consider himself to be extremely as he timed his pull shot well but found Hussey placed perfectly at square-leg. Once Umar Akmal (18, 14b, 1x6) fell things began to look bleak for the defending champions.

Pakistan needed a Afridi special to bail them out of the hole that they found themselves in but the skipper could not do so. Afridi was strangely subdued as he failed to locate the middle of the bat. Only once he threatened to go berserk as he tore apart Steven Smith but then could not exert any sort of control over the Australian bowlers. Once Afridi (33, 24b, 1x6, 3x4) and Razzaq (1, 2b) fell the Pakistani hopes dissipated. Misbah (41, 31b, 2x6, 1x4) fought gamely but his knock was not enough to lead Pakistan to win.