Babar Azam & Co. will be riding on a wave of momentum after a near-perfect tournament so far. They have been brilliant, winning all the five games of the Super 12 stage.
On the other hand, Aaron Finch’s Australia have had a mixed competition so far. They edged past South Africa in a last-over thriller but got thrashed by England. Barring these two games, Australia won their other three contests comprehensively.
Pakistan have never beaten Australia in an ICC knockout game, but this time the result may be different as the Men in Green are in sublime form and have won their last 16 T20Is in the UAE.
Head-to-Head record:
Played: 22 | PAK won: 13 | AUS won: 09 | No result: 0
Pitch report:
The pitch on offer in Dubai has been equally good for both batters and the bowlers in recent games. Though dew will play a vital role in the upcoming match, spinners are expected to get some turn. The team winning the toss is most likely to field first.
Probable XIs:
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Match Prediction:
Case 1:
- PAK wins the toss and bowls first
- Powerplay score: 35-40
- AUS total: 130-140
Case 2:
- AUS wins the toss and bowls first
- Powerplay score: 40-45
- PAK total: 140-150
Team batting second to win the contest.
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