Whatever you hear from England fans they all wanted an England v Australia final there would have a small minority that would have cheered on Pakistan. But Collingwood's men should be happy with the final result as the unpredictable Pakistan would have been much harder to prepare for them where playing Australia is the challenge they all want and will be thinking they are primed to beat them. I don't want to sound tpo harsh on Pakistan but they have been to inconsistent to deserve to be in the final and it should be a cracking final between the two best teams.
I ended up watching the last 10 overs of the chase at Lords, being a member of Middlesex I went to Lords to watch the 40 over game between Middlesex v Gloucestershire on the assumption that Australia were going to have an easy win into the finals. The semi final started late due to the rain and with just over 3 /4 of the game with Pakistan in control, Australia may have wished it would have been rained off meaning they would have reached the final by default by winning more games.
With Pakistan being sent into bat the openers Akmal and Butt provided the perfect start after the first 2 overs going for 3 runs but the runs started flowing. The next 3 overs bought 29 runs and after the powerplay overs Pakistan were 40/0, the pressure was getting to Australia as Haddin dropped Akmal and he was punished as the next three ball went for 4,0 & 6. The 9th over went for 18 runs and Kamran Akmal reached his 50 in 32 balls and he playing a vital innings in the semi final.
Akmal fell for 50 and it had given Pakistan the platform to kick on and it was carried on by his younger brother who played the more care-free innings where Kamran played a mature innings. Australia came back into the game in the middle stages with 7 overs going to 38/3, the last 5 overs went for 76 which included 3 sixes by Umar Akmal of Mitchell Johnson in the 18th over which went for 29 and Pakistan posted a very competitive 191/6.
Pakistan were in a position which allowed them to apply pressure on to Australia, Mohammad Aamer got rid of Warner with the 2nd ball, Watson and Haddin scored 24 of the next 10 balls before Watson was sent back. Australia still continued to score at a good rate and reached 53/2 after the powerplay overs and the next 4 overs was where many would have thought Pakistan had won the semi as they restricted Australia to 67/4 at the half way stage.
With 125 needed in the last 10 overs, Australia had no option to go for it and it started with Cameron White who was dealing in sixes, hitting 3 in the space of 8 balls keeping the game nicely poised. David Hussey fell at the wrong time but that was not going to be detrimental affect as it allowed Michael Hussey to build his innings while White was striking the ball cleanly. 70 was required of 30, Hussey hit his first 2 sixes in the 16th over, 22 runs came in the next 2 overs leaving Hussey to chase down 34 of 12 balls. Pakistan were still favourites to reach there third final in a row, Hussey scored a boundary of the first and last ball in the 19th over with 18 needed in the last over. Saeed Ajmal was given the responsibility to bowl the last over who has done marvellous all tournament but with Hussey in prime form he hit 6, 6, 4, & 6 to finish of the match in style which was quite unbelievable as Australia reach there first T20 World Cup final.
Watching the last 10 overs in the bar at Lords was a mixture of atmospheres, with the final 10 overs in the innings it seemed Australia had too much to do. With many cricket fans keeping an eye on who England will be playing in the final and with the fall of White it seemed we were all resigned that it would be a England v Pakistan final. With it going into the last 2 overs it was remarkable how it was like virtual silence with everyone watching the game and cheering on Australia and Mr Cricket, every single and six was cheered and as they got even closer to the 192 required and there was a round of applause and disbelief of what Michael Hussey just did but it is the final we all wanted England v Australia.
With inaugural world cup being competed between India and Pakistan that was a stunning final which went into the last over we should expect even more between these two Ashes rivals. With England having reached the T20 World Cup final it seems none of the English public is too bothered about England reaching the final which is annoying for a country which has struggled in reaching final in major countries. If the government wanted to make the Ashes part of its "Crown Jewels" then why are they not going through hoops to ensure that the T20 World Cup final is shown on terrestrial TV. I would not be surprised if England were to win the World Cup it would not make the back pages as there will be football story which will be bigger but what gets bigger then your country winning the World Cup.
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