Hasan Ali’s failure to pick the catch during the last over proved to be the game’s turning moment, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam supported the bowler to the point only after the team was disqualified from the ICC Men’s 2021 T20 World Cup semifinal. Here is Why Babar Azam Backs Hasan Ali.
Wade’s tried to knock against Shaheen Afridi delivery to a big hit which couldn’t cross the ropes, as Hasan rushed to his left from deep mid-wicket and dropped the catch with 21 runs needed from 10 balls. Wade smashed the next 3 balls for sixes, featuring 2 spectacular chip shots, to put the game out of reach.
I can’t even think about dropping Hasan Ali, he has won many matches for Pakistan: Babar Azam
“The turning point of the match was the dropped catch of Matthew Wade. A new batter coming in then, and it would have been a different scenario and maybe a different result,” Babar said after Australia chased down a target of 177 with an over to spare.
“I can’t even think about dropping Hasan Ali. He is my main bowler, and he has won many matches for Pakistan. Players drop catches, but he is a fighter, and I will back him. Everybody doesn’t perform every day. There is a day when one performs. It was just not his day. He is down, and we will lift his mood. People will talk, but we keep playing.”
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Following the setback, Australia was rescued by an outstanding pairing between Wade and Marcus Stoinis. The wicketkeeper, who batted for the 2nd time in this event, stated that he did not target Shaheen.
“We didn’t really target him, to be honest. Marcus Stoinis played terrific innings to be able to get it to a total we started to think could be chaseable toward the end there. I think the way he played freed me up to be able to do what I did at the end there. Obviously, I was hitting a little bit of a longer boundary to him. But we felt like the left-arm, the slow balls would spin into me,” he said.
“We certainly didn’t go into the game targeting. He’s a terrific bowler, and I just got lucky tonight, I suppose.”
Also read: Conway Ruled Out Of T20 WC Final & India Tour With A Broken Hand
