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In a contest no short of any drama, Matthew Wade evoked memories of Michael Hussey from the Australia-Pakistan semi-final of the 2010 T20 World Cup. Slamming 22 off the penultimate over of the match, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Australia completed the chase with six balls to spare.
Back then, Hussey had slammed another left-arm pacer, Mohammad Amir, for 16 in the penultimate over.
A loud and bustling arena draped in green. For years, the oasis of Dubai has been Pakistan's home. That made the Pakistan heartbreak seemed even bitter, with fans left in tears and disarray.
Needing 22 off two overs, Babar Azam relied on his strike bowler Afridi to deliver. A dot, leg bye and a wide later, Wade was dropped at deep mid wicket by Hasan Ali. Pakistan's fielding, a strong point in the tournament, let them down in the end. Wade followed it with three sixes to seal the match.
Wade (41 off 17*) and Marcus Stoinis (40 off 31*) added 81 in 40 balls to see Australia through from the spot of bother that Shadab Khan left them with. Shadab's figures, 4-0-26-4, are the best in a T20 World Cup semi-final.
A chase of 176 meant Australia would have to post the highest score in Dubai in this tournament. The start was far from auspicious, with Afridi (4-0-35-1) maintaining his habit of striking in the first over.
He exposed Aaron Finch's dubious record against left-arm pace, trapping him plumb. Mitchell Marsh's stay in the crease could have lasted one ball had the on-field decision for the toe-crusher gone the bowler's way.
Despite Afridi's stupendous first spell, Australia blasted 52/1 in the Powerplay. Warner was severe on Imad Wasim, who gave away 17 from his second over. Haris Rauf leaked 14 off the next, with Marsh smashing a six and four.
Shadab's twin blows after the Powerplay got Pakistan back in the game. Though Warner continued his rampage, the wickets of Marsh and Steven Smith were a relief.
Australia were 89/3 at the halfway mark, needing another 88 from 60 balls. Shadab inflicted the big blow right after the drinks as Warner found a faint edge (did he?) into Mohammad Rizwan's gloves. Replays revealed a gulf between the edge and the ball, but what mattered was Warner did not review it.
Shadab pushed Australia back significantly in his final over by sending back Glenn Maxwell (7 off 10) before Wade-Stonis united at the crease.
Pakistan's strong batting show
Batting first in Dubai, Pakistan were forced to go against the odds. Out of the 11 matches in this tournament in Dubai before the semi-final, 10 were won by the chasing sides. Only New Zealand defended successfully here, that too against Scotland in a day game where dew was not a factor.
Riding on Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman's fifties, Pakistan posted the highest tournament score in Dubai.
They were off to their Powerplay score of the tournament – 47/0. While Babar Azam (39 off 34) was at his fluent best, Rizwan (67 off 51) was tentative at the start and was dropped twice in the Powerplay – both difficult chances.
Babar and Rizwan added 79 for the first wicket in 60 balls before Adam Zampa removed the former. Their partnership average is now 62 in T20Is, including five century stands and four fifty stands.
Battling fever and a lung issue on the eve of the match, Rizwan was hospitalised and was not a sure starter. Despite that, he showed no sign of unease once out there. He slammed his third fifty of the tournament and became the first in history to score 1,000 runs in T20Is in a calendar year.
Pakistan stuck to their template of saving wickets and maximising the death overs. With nine wickets in hand, they plundered 21 off the 17th over, bowled by Josh Hazlewood. One of their best bowlers in the tournament, Hazlewood bowled the most expensive over by an Australian in the tournament, ending with 4-0-49-0.
Mitchell Starc (4-0-38-2) dismissed Rizwan in the following over, but Fakhar Zaman ensured the run flow continued, taking 15 off the over.
Asif Ali's stay lasted just one ball. He found Smith at the deep off Pat Cummins (4-0-30-1). It could have been two in two, but Smith dropped Zaman at long-off the next ball. Cummins pulled the break on scoring with a three-run over.
Pakistan's innings received an excellent finish from Zaman, with a 15-run final over from Starc, off whom he hit three of his four sixes.
Another unsung hero of the day for Australia was Zampa (4-0-22-1). Had it not been for his guile after the Powerplay, Pakistan could have neared the 200-mark.
Australia have set a date with their Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, for the T20 World Cup final. Two Oceanian sides have made it to the final in the UAE. One of them will win the T20 World Cup for the first time.
Brief scores: Pakistan 176/4 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 67; Mitchell Starc 2-38) lost to Australia 177/5 in 19 overs (David Warner 49; Shadab Khan 4-26) by 5 wickets and 6 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Matthew Wade.