PAK vs NZ, T20 World Cup highlights: Pakistan cruise to 1st final since 2009

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 Live Score: Pakistan vs ?

England and India have to first get past one another and then worry about facing this Pakistan squad who have their tails up. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and a number of others were part of the squad that were trounced by another Pakistan side who had their tails up in the Champions Trophy final back in 2017 and so they will know that they are up against a truly formidable side. The same can be said for England, who were beaten by Pakistan in the semi-finals of that tournament by eight wickets while being outright favourites to win it. Pakistan were difficult to beat for India in the first match of the 2022 T20 World Cup but this is going to be a different prospect. That's it from here, see you tomorrow! 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: Kane Williamson speaks

“I thought Pakistan played nicely and then we managed to wrestle back some momentum. At the halfway mark we thought we had a competitive total but disappointing not to make Pakistan work harder [in the chase]. It's a tough pill to swallow. Fielding was okay...but I think if we want to be honest, we wanted to be more disciplined with our areas. Like I said, Pakistan deserved to win. Throughout the round-robin stages, we played nicely and today we weren't at our best. Having said that, we know the fickle nature of T20 cricket.”

PAK vs NZ Live Score: Babar Azam talks

“The way the team performed in the last three matches.... Thanks to the crowd, feels like we are playing at home. We had a good start in the first six overs and later on we had a good spin attack. The fast bowlers also finished very well. Our plan before going inside was to utilise the first six overs and later on everyone can come and chip in. I think he [Haris] is a young guy and showing his aggression. We will enjoy this moment, but at the same time we will focus on the final.”

PAK vs NZ T20 Live Score: Pakistan's ridiculous road to the final

They started off with a heart-breaking defeat to India in a truly extraordinary opening match for both the sides. Then they ended up being utterly stunned by Zimbabwe. They needed at least one upset on the last matchday of the Super 12 stage and guess what, they ended up getting probably the biggest upset of this World Cup with the Netherlands beating the previous in-form South Africa. From there, they have looked like the perfect team today and brushed New Zealand aside like they are nothing and are now in the final. Easy, right?

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 Live Score: India-Pakistan final?

The Star Sports pundits are already salivating at the prospect of a rematch between these two, this time for the trophy itself and why not? If India do beat England, which is not an easy task at all one has to remember, well it might set up a spectacle never seen before in cricket at the MCG. Pakistan's team mentor Matthew Hayden is pretty clear that he wants to be playing India in that final just for the sheer spectacle of it. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: Rizwan talks

“Luckily, the fifty was in the semifinal. Babar and I were struggling but we worked hard and believed. We kept fighting. When we crossed the boundary line, we decided to take the attack to the new ball bowlers. When we finished the powerplay, we knew one of us had to bat deep as it was a tricky pitch. Our start (to the tournament) wasn't good, but the guys kept believing.”

PAK vs NZ Live Score: PAKISTAN BEAT NEW ZEALAND BY 7 WICKETS, REACH 2022 T20 WORLD CUP FINAL

Their first final since 2009, their third T20 World Cup final overall and it has been achieved in the end by Shan Masood calmly pushing it down the ground and taking the single. A little fist pump from him is all the emotion we see, there may have been tension in the stands and even in the dugout, but he knew exactly what he needed to do. He knew probably knew that the bulk of the heavy lifting has already been done by three of Pakistan's biggest stars, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and their captain Babar Azam. He just needed to get them over the line. Pakistan were looking unbeatable today, and judging by what happens when they look dangerous after looking bereft earlier in the tournament, their opponents in the final have to be very, very afraid. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: SOUTHEE STARTS WITH A WIDE!

Scores are level, roars in the Pakistan dug out and among the Pakistan fans as the ball goes down the leg side. Almost there now…

PAK vs NZ T20 Live Score: OUT! Haris won't be there at the end. 

Pull shot from Haris and he is caught at short fine leg. So New Zealand do take it to the last over, Pakistan need just two runs to win here.  

Haris c Allen b Santner 30 (26), Pakistan 151/3 in 19 overs

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: FOUR AND SIX!

Two shots of pure class from Mohammad Haris off Lockie Ferguson to relieve the pressure on Pakistan. The fourth ball was almost the perfect yorker but Haris backs off to make some room and drills it past mid-off. Ferguson then sends in a chest-high short ball and Haris sends it over square leg with an over more audacious shot. A single off the last ball of the over and Pakistan need just 8 to win off 12 balls. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: OUT! Rizwan goes!

Well New Zealand seem to have rediscovered themselves in the field. A full toss from Boult, Rizwan is caught in the deep off side. Then the fielder sends the ball back in and Boult takes off the stumps at the non-striker's end just to be sure there is a wicket in case it's called a no ball. The decision is sent upstairs and the ball is deemed legitimate.  

Rizwan c Phillips b Boult 57 (43), Pakistan 132/2 in 17 overs, need 21 to win in 18 balls

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: Pakistan need 31 to win off 30 

Where has this team been all tournament. They have been almost flawless today. New Zealand, on the other hand, seem to have lost it. Mitchell Santner drops Haris off the first ball of the 16th. 

PAK vs NZ T20 Live Score: 50 for Rizwan!

A single off the fourth ball of the 14th bowled by Ish Sodhi to raise his own half century. That is Rizwan's 23rd T20I fifty and what a time to bring it. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 Live Score: GONE! Wicket at last for NZ

At last, at long last, New Zealand have an opening but is it too little too late? Babar tries to send it downtown for a maximum, ends up holing out at long on. In comes the explosive Mohammad Haris, it's a long way back from here for New Zealand. 

Babar Azam c Mitchell b Boult 53 (42), Pakistan 105/1 in 12.4 overs

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: 100-run partnership!

All that talk about separating this opening partnership can be put in the bin now. New Zealand are looking lost at the moment. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: 50 for Babar!

'Form is temporary, class is permanent' says a fan's placard in the stands and how true is that. Babar couldn't middle anything throughout this tournament but cometh the hour, cometh the champion. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: FOUR!

Bouncer from Ferguson, Babar smashes a pull to the midwicket fence. Pakistan inching closer to the 100-run mark already. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: 10 overs gone, Pakistan 88/0

This is ominous indeed from Pakistan. It has already come to a point where it might be safe to say that India or England have to be extremely weary about how they have found form today. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: Pakistan 68/0 in 8 overs

Ish Sodhi brought in for the eighth over and just five runs off it. But the Pakistan batters won't be worried about it. That required rate remains below their current run rate. 

PAK vs NZ T20 Live Score: FOUR!

Santner drags back his length, Babar swivels around and pulls it through backward square for four. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 Live Score: Pakistan 55/0 in 6 overs

That is some powerplay from Pakistan. Their run rate stands at 9.16, Rizwan is on 28 off 17, Babar is on 25 off 19. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: FOUR! 

Now it's Babar and even Southee has gone for runs here. Short from the NZ veteran and Babar pulls it to the backward square leg boundary. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: FOUR AGAIN!

Similar shot, just a tad bit tighter on the leg side from Rizwan. Consecutive boundaries to start the fifth over from Rizwan. What a start to the chase this is from Pakistan and these two openers, who have come under fire justifiably for their strike rates, have not really put a foot wrong thus far. New Zealand seem a bit bereft of ideas already. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: FOUR! Beauty from Rizwan!

Swung through the line emphatically and Rizwan sends Southee through midwicket for his fourth boundary. Pakistan are 36/0 in just 4.1 overs. 

PAK vs NZ T20 Live Score: FOUR! 15 runs off the third over!

This has not gone according to plan for Boult. Back of a length delivery angling away from Rizwan and crashes it through the offside for four. Boult has been given a hiding.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 Live Score: FOUR! Boult going for runs here

Boult with a full delivery to Rizwan's pads and the Pakistani wicketkeeper just tucks it away nicely to the boundary. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Semi-final: FOUR! That's better from Babar

Much needed for the struggling Pakistan captain. Boult with a length delivery accross the line of the stumps from around the wicket, Babar cuts it away to the boundary. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: Pakistan 7/0 in 1 over

Babar gets a lifeline off the first ball that he faced. Fourth ball of the over and the first that the Pakistan captain faced. Boult swings it away and Babar has a poke at it, no control at all. It goes towards Conway's right and the New Zealand wicketkeeper is unable to hold on. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: FOUR OFF THE FIRST BALL!

How about that from Rizwan. Back of a length from Boult outside off, Rizwan cuts it on the up to the boundary. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: Devon Conway speaks

“It's not a bad total for us. The way we went in the powerplay, we thought maybe we're going to be a little bit under par. But credit to Daryl the way he went and batted, got us to a competitive total. It sort of skidded on, not as much bounce as expected. They bowled well in the powerplay and restricted us. The guys were saying that the slower balls were gripping, so we are going to try and use it to our advantage in the second innings. We've got a good bowling attack, we just got to put them under pressure from ball one.”

PAK vs NZ Live Score: New Zealand 152/4 in 20 overs

So Pakistan need to score 153 to reach their third T20 World Cup final. That was a bit of a clinic from them out there. Right from the first ball of the innings to the last, their fielders were alert and their bowlers made New Zealand sweat for their runs. Still, this is a competitive total and Pakistan need something from their openers since the Kiwis will be unleashing Trent Boult and Tim Southee early on. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: 50 for Daryl Mitchell!

Second half century in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup. Big match player to say the least. He has got to that mark in 32 balls. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: New Zealand 133/4 in 18 overs

This has been a fantastic contest thus far and Pakistan might just end up being the happier lot of New Zealand don't make it to the 150-run mark. They will know that they still have a task in their hands considering the fact that it will be Trent Boult and Tim Southee they will be facing first up when chasing. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: FOUR!

The first ball of the 18th is a Slow one outside off from Naseem Shah and Mitchell sends it just past cover for a boundary. This has to be a big over for New Zealand. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: OUT! That's it for Williamson

Afridi gets the big wicket! Williamson shuffles accross for a scoop, Afridi sticks to the line of the stumps and sends in a slow yorker at 121kph. Williamson misses it entirely and the stumps are rattled. 

Williamson b Shaheen Shah Afridi 46 (42), New Zealand 117/4 in 16.2 overs

PAK vs NZ Live Score: Solid partnership between Williamson and Mitchell 

The pair of Williamson and Mitchell have stitched an exceptional partnership, adding 67 runs in 48balls.Williamson is batting on 46, while his partner Mitchell is playing on 38.

With four overs to go, New Zealand are batting at 116/3. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: FOUR! Williamson vs Afridi

Williamson had dabbed a yorker from Afridi previous ball late to third man. And so Afridi follows him to the leg side with another full one next ball and Williamson dabs it away to the boundary. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: SIX! 50 partnership between Mitchell and Williamson!

Mitchell charges down at Shadab and sends the ball soaring over the bowler's head. This is turning out to be a good platform for New Zealand. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: All happening at the SCG!

Somewhere between an LBW appeal and one for caught behind off the next ball for Pakistan and the umpire gives neither. Babar takes a review for the LBW and ball tracking shows that the cherry would have missed the stumps by half a foot. Another LBW shout off the next ball, this one is a yorker on the pads and the umpire doesn't move again. No DRS taken by Babar this time. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: SIX! First maximum of he innings from Williamson!

Mohammad Wasim bowling the 14th and his first ball is picked up from the hips and pulled over square leg for six by Kane Williamson. That is the first six of the New Zealand innings and it has come from the bat of their captain. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: New Zealand 81/3 in 12 overs 

Run rate just under 7. New Zealand might be looking to get going now, lest they end up putting too much pressure for themselves to deal with in the last five overs. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: FOUR! Great shot from Mitchell

Nothing streaky about this one. Fifth ball of the over from Shadab, Mitchell comes down the ground and sends it downtown for a one-bounce four. It just about eludes long-on. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: FOUR!

Oh a rather streaky one, Pakistan would have thought they were in for a chance again as Mitchell slices an outside edge off Shadab Khan just past backward point and third man. Much needed boundary though for New Zealand. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: OUT! Phillips falls now

Phillips hits it back at Nawaz and the bowler takes the catch gladly. Slow from Nawaz, Phillips miscues his shot and Nawaz is alert to the chance. New Zealand have lost two of their best players against spin.   

Phillips c & b Mohammad Nawaz 6 (8), New Zealand 49/3 in 8 overs

PAK vs NZ Live Score: Williamson gets a reprieve!

Mohammad Nawaz bowling the eighth over. Phillips hits the second ball of the over straight back to Nawaz and he motions as if he is going to make a throw at the stumps at the non-striker's end before holding his hand in his hands. That's because Williamson was well outside the crease and he would've been gone had Nawaz actually released the ball. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: DIRECT HIT AND GONE!

Oh what a powerplay this has been for Pakistan. They have been on point in almost every way. Conway pushes it to mid-off and goes for a single, Shadab Khan is there and he lasers a throw on to the stumps at the non-striker's end. Conway is well off the crease in the replay and the third umpire says that he is gone. 

Conway run out 21 (20), New Zealand 38/2 in 6 overs

PAK vs NZ Live Score: Williamson unhappy

Not everyday do you see a frown on Williamson's face but he gestures towards the sight screen as two individuals walk right across it. Come on, folks, he is facing one of the fastest most lethal bowlers in the world, l

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: New Zealand 19/1 in 3 overs

Five runs off the third.  A couple of big shouts for LBW that didn't come to anything. But the danger won't a go-go for New Zealand, Haris Rauf comes in next.  

PAK vs NZ Live Score: ‘AFRIDI! AFRIDI!’ ringing around the SCG

He returns for the second over and Shaheen has the whole stadium at his feet here. Williamson and Conway will be looking to just survive this one, even thought that might hurt them because it's a powerplay over. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: FOUR! New Zealand 14/1 in 2 overs

Conway gets a second boundary in the over but that was only after he got a major scare off the previous ball. He had defended a back of a length delivery from Naseem Shah down to the turf and started off for a run. Then he turned around and saw that the ball was dribbling to the stumps! He tried getting to the ball but it went out of reach and, fortunately for him, went centimetres wide of his off stump. He then charges out for the last ball of the over and sends it leg side for four. 

PAK vs NZ Live Score: FOUR!

Back of a length from Naseem for the fourth ball of the over, Conway swivels around and pulls it to the boundary. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand Live Score: Naseem Shah bowling the second

What a first over that was from Shaheen. Williamson comes in at No.3 and both him and Conway just about got a single each out of the rest of the over. Afridi had been injured for much of this tournament but he seems to be at his destructive best now. 

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup live score: OUT!

Now then, this is much closer and it seems Afridi has got his man with the third ball of the match. This is a vicious first over from Shaheen. Erasmus gives it out again, Allen goes for the review again but this time it is clearly in hope more than anything else. Late swing from Afridi, Allen plays all around it. No inside edge this time, he plays all around it and the ball would have hit the lower halves of middle and leg stumps. Erasmus gives a little fist bump to Richad Illingworth after raising his finger again. 

Allen lbw b Shaheen Shah Afridi 4 (3), New Zealand 4/1 in 0.3 overs

PAK vs NZ live score: Finn Allen survives an LBW call

Well a bit of a howler from Marais Erasmus but what a start we have had to this game. He raises his finger to an LBW shout from the Pakistan players and Allen takes a review straightaway. Replays show there was a big inside edge on that and even if there wasn't, it is hard to see how that would have hit the stumps. 

T20 World Cup semi-finals live score: FOUR FIRST BALL!

Afridi sends it in full and swinging and Allen pumps it down the ground for a four off the first ball of the match. What a start that is for New Zealand. 

T20 World Cup 2022 Live: The players are out!

Finn Allen and Devon Conway come out to open for New Zealand. Shaheen Afridi has the ball in his hands.

Pakistan vs New Zealand live score: The SCG is slowly filling up

There are a lot of empty patches in the stands but there is also a long que outside the stadium of fans trying to get in. The stadium is going to jam-packed eventually. Here come the players, meanwhile. 

PAK vs NZ live score: The National Anthems!

Right here are the two teams, the stage is set. It is the T20 World Cup semi-finals folks! First up is Pakistan's national anthem after which comes England's. 

T20 World Cup semi-finals live score: Williamson's shackle-break

Williamson had a woeful tournament, and indeed a woeful year, with the bat before New Zealand's last Super 12 match against Ireland. He played the kind of innings that one has come to expect from Kane Williamson in T20s, slow in the beginning and a major acceleration towards the end. He ended up scoring 61 off 35 balls, scoring five fours and three sixes as New Zealand won the match by 35 runs. 

T20 World Cup 2022 Live: Babar Azam's thoughts

“Even we would have batted first. Same team. We are confident as a team and we'll look to carry the momentum. They have quality players, we'll try to be calm. We are trying to focus on this game.”

Pakistan vs New Zealand live score: What Kane Williamson said

“We are gonna have a bat. Used surface, not much grass on it. We're going with the same team. Same pitch but different I reckon. It's important we adjust to those changing conditions and assess quickly. There are a few unknowns, important we stick to our plans. Our focus is on this game, what we want to do here and really try and express ourselves with the cricket that we've been playing.”

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup live score: Pakistan XI

Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

PAK vs NZ live score: New Zealand XI

Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

T20 World Cup semi-finals live score: TOSS ALERT!

Kane Williamson wins the toss and New Zealand will bat first. Both sides are unchanged. 

T20 World Cup 2022 Live: Pitch report

Shaun Pollock expects Pakistan to find some reverse swing but the pitch will be two-paced. Let's see what the captains make of that in the toss. Here they are. 

PAK vs NZ live score: Glenn Phillips 

He has emerged as a hero for New Zealand in this tournament. He smacked a quickfire 17 against Ireland in their previous match, before which he smashed 62 off 36 against England and 104 off 64 against Sri Lanka before that. That century of his was also scored in Sydney.

T20 World Cup semi-finals live score: Split Babar and Rizwan?

Robin Uthappa has suggested on ESPNCricinfo that it might be a good idea for Pakistan to demote either Babar or Rizwan down the order since their approach is just too slow for T20 cricket. The opening pair have truely struggled in this tournament and, in many ways, it is their extraordinarily slow opening partnership that provided Pakistan with a challenge during their chase against Bangladesh. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand live score: The miracle of '92

Some people like recalling this, some don't hoping that they don't jinx it in any way. But, back then, Imran Khan's side had their backs against the wall, they were almost eliminated and then somehow they snuck through to the semi-finals where they faced, you guessed it, New Zealand. The other semi-finals had England, like it does this time, only that they were facing South Africa and not India. So those worrying about this being too similar a situation and thus getting jinxed, don't worry, the team that choked to give Pakistan their chance, only choked in the semi-finals back then and their arch-rivals weren't even in the final four. It's all totally different. 

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup live score: Toss in an hour

The SCG has been good for the batters, despite the fact that bowlers have received significant help from the pitch. We will see what it looks like in a few minutes when the pitch report comes in. 

PAK vs NZ live score: Pakistan's great escape

Pakistan went into their final Super 12 match needing to beat Bangladesh and then basically hoping that India lose their next match against Zimbabwe. That was, of course, the most realistic thing to hope for since the in-form South Africa were playing minnows Netherlands earlier in the day. However, the Proteas collapsed like a heap of cards and all of a sudden, both Bangladesh and Pakistan had a chance to go through. Pakistan were clearly the better team on the day and won the match by five wickets to seal their semi-final spot. 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: All eyes on Shaheen Shah Afridi!

Shaheen, who has been criticised lately for his fitness, bagged a four-wicket haul vs Bangladesh. Fans have criticised PCB for bringing in a pacer, who hasn't totally recovered from his injury! But his performance on Sunday, shows that more is yet to come!

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: 'Look out rest of the world', says Matthew Hayden

Pakistan team mentor Hayden warned NZ of a possible big innings from Babar. He said, "As we know about the weather, when there's a lull there is also a storm that follows. So look out rest of the world."

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: 'They've been playing some good cricket', said Kane Williamson

Ahead of the match, NZ captain Williamson praised Pakistan and said, "They've got an outstanding pace attack. They've been playing some good cricket, they have experienced players and match winners".

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: Weather report

The probability of precipitation stands at 55 percent in the morning. There could be a light shower during the game but as the day progresses the rain probability reduces to only one percent in the evening. The temperature is expected to be around 23 degrees and as low as 13 degrees.

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: Head-to-head

Both sides have faced each other 28 times, with Pakistan winning 17 of them. Pakistan have also won four of their six clashes in previous editions of the tournament!

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: Squads

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Haider Ali, Asif Ali

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman

Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2022, Live: Hello and good morning everyone!

Hello and good morning everyone! Welcome to our live coverage of today's T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final clash between Pakistan and New Zealand, straight from the SCG in Sydney.