Pakistan made 149-6 after being
sent in to bat in the group two Super Eights match at the Premadasa stadium,
before a five-man spin attack restricted Australia to 117-7.
Prolific spinner Saeed Ajmal
claimed 3-17, but it was 20-year-old Raza Hasan who was declared man of the
match for conceding just 14 runs and taking two wickets in four overs of steady
left-arm spin.
Both teams ended the Super
Eights on four points each, which knocked winless South Africa out of the
tournament.
"I am grateful to
see the effort put up by the boys today," said Pakistan captain Mohammad
Hafeez. "It was a big game for us and we needed to be at our best against
a side like Australia.
"Once we got a good total,
we knew we will do well because there was going to be help for the bowlers.
Raza Hasan was brilliant, a great find for us."
Australia advanced to the
semi-finals despite the defeat due to having the best net run-rate in the
group. The result left India needing an emphatic win over South Africa later on
Tuesday to stop Pakistan's progress.
Sri Lanka and the West Indies
have already qualified from group one.
Australia, who have never
won the World Twenty20 despite taking four World Cup titles in the 50-over
game, had breezed through four consecutive matches in the tournament before
being halted by Pakistan.
"Pakistan outplayed
us," Australian captain George Bailey admitted. "The ball turned a
lot more than before and they used spin against us very well.
"The challenge for us now
will be to get the winning form back in the semis."
Veteran Mike Hussey was
Australia's mainstay with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls, as none of the other batsmen
managed to cross 15 against the rampaging spinners.
Australia never looked
comfortable after their in-form openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, were
dismissed by the fifth over with only 19 runs on the board.
Australia, who needed to make
112 or more to qualify, achieved the target when Hussey cut seamer Umar Gul to
the fence off the first ball of the final over.
Gul's two overs at the end were
the only ones by a seamer as the spinners shared 18 overs between themselves.
Pakistan's innings revolved
around left-hander Nasir Jamshed's 55 off 46 balls, which contained four
boundaries and two sixes.
After the openers were removed
by the sixth over, Jamshed put on 79 off 55 balls for the third wicket with
Kamran Akmal, who made 32 before both batsmen were dismissed in the space of
three deliveries.
Abdul Razzaq marked his return
to the side in place of Yasir Arafat to make 22 from 17 balls. Left-arm fast
bowler Mitchell Starc claimed 3-20 for Australia.
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