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Australia's Matthew Wade crashed Pakistan's hopes of making it to the Twenty20 World Cup final, smashing three successive sixes off Shaheen Afridi in the penultimate over and leading his team to a five-wicket victory in Dubai on Thursday.

While half-centuries by in-form Mohammad Rizwan (67) and Fakhar Zaman (55 not out) helped Pakistan reach a formidable 176-4 in the first innings, Wade's power-hitting cruised Australia to 177-5 with an over to spare.

Pakistan had their chance but Hasan Ali dropped a regulation catch of the left-hander Wade at mid-wicket just before Afridi was hit for three sixes.

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“Rizwan, you probably didn’t know was actually in hospital just a night ago suffering with some sort of lung condition. This is a warrior.

“He has been brilliant through it (the campaign) and he’s got great courage, as has Babar. Fantastic tonight from him.”

Babar Azam acknowledges that the dropped catch by Hasan Ali was the turning point of the game but says he is satisfied by the team's performance throughout the tournament.

"The turning point of the match was the dropped catch of Matthew Wade," he said. "A new batter coming in then and it would have been a different scenario and maybe a different result."

Pakistan's World Cup 2021 campaign came to an end on Thursday night as they lost to Australia in the semi-final in Dubai despite being in control at various points in the game, especially at the death.

The turning point of the game was a dropped catch by Hasan Ali in the penultimate over bowled by Shaheen Afridi. The reprieve earned by Matthew Wade was instantly punished with three straight sixes as the match ended prematurely, and so did Pakistan's bid to lift the World Cup trophy.

Set 177 for victory, David Warner made 49 before Australia rode unbeaten cameos from Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade to clinch the win with one over to spare.

Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman smashed breezy half-centuries to help Pakistan post 176-4 at the Dubai International Stadium.

Put in to bat, Pakistan got off to a strong start with Rizwan (67) and skipper Babar Azam (39) forging a 71-run partnership for the opening wicket.

Fakhar provided the late charge for the 2009 champions with an unbeaten 55 off 32 balls. New Zealand beat England nL1N2S11W7 in the first semi-final in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Hasan Ali drops Wade in the penultimate over then Wade responds with back-to-back-to-back sixes as Australia chase down the target with five wickets and six balls to spare.

177-5 after 19 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 6 RUNS

171-5 after 18.5 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 6 RUNS

165-5 after 18.4 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 6 RUNS

159-5 after 18.3 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 2 runs

157-5 after 18.3 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 1 run WIDE

156-5 after 18.2 overs: Shaheen to Stoinis, 1 run

155-5 after 18.1 overs: Shaheen to Stoinis, no run

Matthew Wade 21 (13), Marcus Stoinis 40 (29)

155-5 after 18 overs: Hasan to Wade, 4 RUNS

151-5 after 17.5 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 1 run

150-5 after 17.4 overs: Hasan to Wade, 1 run

149-5 after 17.3 overs: Hasan to Wade, 6 RUNS

143-5 after 17.2 overs: Hasan to Wade, 2 runs

141-5 after 17.1 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 1 run

Marcus Stoinis 38 (27), Matthew Wade 8 (9)

Haris Rauf starts the 17th over with a fast, accurate ball that produces a naught, but then Stoinis finds back-to-back boundaries and brings his team back in the game.

140-5 after 17 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, 1 run

139-5 after 16.5 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, no run

139-5 after 16.4 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, 4 RUNS

135-5 after 16.3 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, 6 RUNS

129-5 after 16.2 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, 2 runs

127-5 after 16.1 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, no run

Matthew Wade 8 (9), Marcus Stoinis 25 (21)

Australia need 50 runs off the final 24 balls. The match is Pakistan's to lose.

127-5 after 16 overs: Hasan to Wade, no run

127-5 after 15.5 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 1 run

126-5 after 15.4 overs: Hasan to Wade, 1 run

125-5 after 15.3 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 1 run

124-5 after 15.2 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 2 runs

122-5 after 15.2 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 3 runs NO BALL

119-5 after 15.1 overs: Hasan to Stoinis, 4 RUNS

Marcus Stoinis 15 (16), Matthew Wade 7 (7)

The match is in Pakistan's control unless a miracle the size of Mike Hussey happens.

115-5 after 15 overs: Shaheen to Stoinis, 1 run

114-5 after 14.5 overs: Shaheen to Stoinis, 2 runs

112-5 after 14.4 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 1 run

111-5 after 14.3 overs: Shaheen to Wade, no run

111-5 after 14.2 overs: Shaheen to Stoinis, 1 run

110-5 after 14.1 overs: Shaheen to Wade, 1 run

Marcus Stoinis 11 (13), Matthew Wade 5 (4)

109-5 after 14 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, no run

109-5 after 13.5 overs: Rauf to Wade, 1 run

108-5 after 13.4 overs: Rauf to Wade, 4 RUNS

104-5 after 13.3 overs: Rauf to Wade, no run

104-5 after 13.2 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, 1 run

103-5 after 13.1 overs: Rauf to Stoinis, no run

Matthew Wade 0 (1), Marcus Stoinis 11 (10)

103-5 after 13 overs: Shadab to Wade, no run

103-5 after 12.5 overs: Shadab to Stoinis, 1 run

102-5 after 12.4 overs: Shadab to Stoinis, no run

102-5 after 12.3 overs: Shadab to Stoinis, 6 RUNS

96-5 after 12.2 overs: Shadab to Maxwell (7), OUT CAUGHT

96-4 after 12.1 overs: Shadab to Stoinis, 1 run

Glenn Maxwell 7 (9), Marcus Stoinis 3 (6)

95-4 after 12 overs: Imad to Maxwell, 2 runs

93-4 after 11.5 overs: Imad to Maxwell, no run

93-4 after 11.4 overs: Imad to Stoinis, 1 run

92-4 after 11.3 overs: Imad to Stoinis, no run

92-4 after 11.2 overs: Imad to Stoinis, no run

92-4 after 11.1 overs: Imad to Stoinis, no run

Marcus Stoinis 2 (2), Glenn Maxwell 5 (7)