Pakistan sailed into the T20 World Cup final with a comfortable seven-wicket win over New Zealand at the SCG on Wednesday.
Batting first, New Zealand managed 152 for 4, riding on Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 34-ball 53 and skipper Kane Williamson's 46 off 42 balls.
Pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi snapped two wickets, while Mohammad Nawaz took one.
Pakistan achieved the target with five balls to spare with Babar Azam (53 off 42) and Mohammad Rizwan (57) sharing a 105-run stand for the opening wicket.
Trent Boult (2/33) managed to grab two wickets, while Mitchell Santner (1/26) too accounted for one batter.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 152 for 4 in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 46, Daryl Mitchell 53 not out; Shaheen Afridi 2/24).
Pakistan: 153 for 3 in 19.1 overs (Babar Azam 53, Mohammad Rizwan 57; Trent Boult 2/33).
New Zealand innings report
Daryl Mitchell hit a timely unbeaten fifty to help New Zealand post a decent 152 for four against Pakistan in the first semifinal on a slow SCG pitch.
Opting to bat, New Zealand batters found the going tough on a used SCG track as they struggled to connect the ball because of the slow nature of the surface.
Mitchell (53 not out off 35) and skipper Kane Williamson (46 off 42) resurrected New Zealand's innings after early jolts to take the last edition's runner-up past the 150-run mark.
Finn Allen got his innings off to a confident start, hitting Shaheen Afridi's (2/24) full delivery down the ground past mid-on for a boundary.
Afridi, however, rapped Allen on the pads in the next delivery and onfield umpire Marius Erasmus took time before raising his finger. But the batter got a reprieve as TV replays showed it was an inside edge on to the pads.
But Afridi got his man in the very next ball with another LBW shout and this time it was dead straight, even though Allen went for an unsuccessful review.
Other opener Devon Conway (21) tried to force the innings with three boundaries but was run out by a direct throw from Shadab Khan at mid-off.
But new man Glenn Phillips lasted just eight balls, top-edging left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz straight back to him as New Zealand slumped to 49 for three in eight overs.
New Zealand vs Pakistan Playing XI
Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand Playing XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
Pakistan: 153-3 after 19.1 Overs; Shan Masood 3(4)
Santner bowls the penultimate over.
Ball 1: Shan Masood drives down the ground for a single. Pakistan are in the finals.
Ball 1:Southee starts with a WIDE down the leg side.
Pakistan: 151-3 after 19 Overs; Mohd Haris 30 (26); Shan Masood 2(3)
Santner bowls the penultimate over.
Ball 6: Haris sweeps the ball on off stump straight to short fine leg. GONE. Pakistan need 2 runs in last over.
Ball 5: Shan Masood misses the turning in delivery and so does Conway. Three BYES TAKEN.
Ball 4: Haris hits towards sweeper cover for a single.
Ball 3: Shan Masood collects a single towards sweeper cover.
Ball 2: Haris reverse-sweeps straight to short third man but Sodhi drops a tough chance. A single taken.
Ball 1: Haris tries to reverse paddle sweep but misses the turning away delivery.
Pakistan: 145-2 after 18 Overs; Mohd Haris 28 (22); Shan Masood 1(1)
Lockie Ferguson [3.0-0-25-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: Haris collects a single towards deep point. Ferguson leaks 13 runs in the over.
Ball 5: A short delivery and Haris hoicks it towards backward square leg boundary for a SIX.
Ball 4: Haris drills out the yorker through diving mid-off fielder for FOUR.
Ball 3: DOT
Ball 2: Masood collects a single.
Ball 1: One byes for Pakistan
Pakistan: 132-2 after 17 Overs; Mohd Haris 17 (17); Mohammad Rizwan 57 (43)
Trent Boult [3.0-0-29-1] is back into the attack
Ball 6: A high full toss, Rizwan goes for a big hit but holed out to sweeper cover. GONE, there was a NO ball check over the waist height but Rizwan has moved way outside crease. Rizwan DEPARTS. Rizwan c Ferguson b Boult 57(43) [4s-5]
Ball 5: A big swing and miss from Rizwan, DOT.
Ball 4: Rizwan hits down the ground for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: One leg byes
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Haris hits towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Pakistan: 127-1 after 16 Overs; Mohd Haris 15 (14); Mohammad Rizwan 55 (40)
Tim Southee is back into the attack and Santner drops a SITTER at backward point. Haris gets a lifeline.
Southee concedes five runs in the over.
Pakistan: 122-1 after 15 Overs; Mohd Haris 11 (10); Mohammad Rizwan 54 (38)
Santner is introduced into the attack and concedes nine runs.
Pakistan: 113-1 after 14 Overs; Mohd Haris 6 (6); Mohammad Rizwan 50 (36)
Ish Sodhi continues...
Ball 6: Haris hits towards long-off and collects a single.
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Rizwan collects a single and brings up his fifty.
Ball 3: Haris collects a single towards the point region.
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Rizwan sweeps towards a deep backward point for a single.
Pakistan: 109-1 after 13 Overs; Mohd Haris 4 (2); Mohammad Rizwan 48 (34)
Trent Boult [2.0-0-22-0] is back in the attack
Ball 6: Haris chips the ball outside off over mid-off for FOUR.
Ball 5: Mohd Haris arrives at the crease and defends the first delivery.
Ball 4: Babar Azam goes for a biggie but fails to clear Daryl Mitchell at long-on, GONE. Babar Azam c Mitchell b Boult 53(42) [4s-7]
Ball 3: Rizwan collects a single towards mid-wicket.
Ball 2: Babar Azam collects a single.
Ball 1: Rizwan collects a single.
Pakistan: 102-0 after 12 Overs; Babar Azam 52 (40); Mohammad Rizwan 46 (32)
Ish Sodhi continues and concedes five singles.
Babar & Rizwan: first pair o have 3-century stands in T20 World Cups
Pakistan: 97-0 after 11 Overs; Babar Azam 50 (38); Mohammad Rizwan 43 (28)
Lockie Ferguson [2.0-0-15-0] is back into the attack and leaks 10 runs, including a boundary to Babar Azam.
Pakistan: 87-0 after 10 Overs; Babar Azam 43 (34); Mohammad Rizwan 41 (26)
Ish Sodhi continues...
Ball 6: Babar Azam collects a couple of runs towards deep backward point.
Ball 5: Babar Azam rocks back and hits through backward point for FOUR.
Ball 4: Rizwan collects a single.
Ball 3: A single for Babar Azam.
Ball 2: Rizwan paddle sweeps towards deep fine leg for three runs.
Ball 1: Babar Azam collects a single.
Pakistan: 75-0 after 9 Overs; Babar Azam 35 (30); Mohammad Rizwan 37 (24)
Santner continues and concedes seven runs, including two doubles to Rizwan.
Pakistan: 68-0 after 8 Overs; Babar Azam 33 (27); Mohammad Rizwan 32 (21)
Ish Sodhi, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack and the leggie concedes five singles.
Pakistan: 63-0 after 7 Overs; Babar Azam 30 (23); Mohammad Rizwan 30 (19)
Mitchell Santner is introduced into the attack and the left-arm spinner concedes eight runs. New Zealand also lost a review in the over as LBW call against Babar went in the batter's way.
Pakistan: 55-0 after 6 Overs; Babar Azam 25 (19); Mohammad Rizwan 28 (17)
Ferguson continues...
Ball 6: A single for Rizwan. New Zealand leaked 55 runs in powerplay.
Ball 5: Babar nudges towards short thirdm and collects a single.
Ball 4: Babar Azam gets a top-edge over keeper for FOUR.
Ball 3: One leg byes.
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Babar collects a single.
Pakistan: 47-0 after 5 Overs; Babar Azam 19 (16); Mohammad Rizwan 27 (14)
Tim Southee [1.0-0-2-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: Babar Azam collects a single and keeps the strike.
Ball 5: Babar plays a pick-up shot towards backward square leg for FOUR.
Ball 4: DOT
Ball 4: WIDE down the leg side.
Ball 3: A single for Rizwan.
Ball 2: Back-to-back boundaries for Rizwan.
Ball 1: Rizwan plays a short-arm jab towards mid-wikcet for FOUR.
Pakistan: 32-0 after 4 Overs; Babar Azam 14 (13); Mohammad Rizwan 18 (11)
Lockie Ferguson, right-arm fast, comes into the attack and concedes eight runs.
Pakistan: 24-0 after 3 Overs; Babar Azam 7 (9); Mohammad Rizwan 17 (9)
Boult continues...
Ball 6: Rizwan smashes FOUR
Ball 5: Rizwan collects a couple of runs.
Ball 4: Rizwan smashes FOUR towards cover-point.
Ball 3: A single for Babar Azam.
Ball 2: Babar Azam smashes FOUR.
Ball 1: DOT
Pakistan: 9-0 after 2 Overs; Babar Azam 2 (6); Mohammad Rizwan 7 (6)
Tim Southee, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack and concedes two runs.
Pakistan: 7-0 after 1 Over; Babar Azam 1 (2); Mohammad Rizwan 6 (4)
Rizwan and Babar Azam open the innings for Pakistan. Rizwan open the innings. Boult takes the new ball and concedes 7 runs in first over.
New Zealand: 152-4 after 20 Overs; James Neesham 16 (12); Daryl Mitchell 53 (35)
Neesham bowls the last over.
Ball 6: One bye taken as Mitchell misses a scoop.
Ball 5: Mitchell hits the slow bumper,uppishly, towards mid-wicket pocket for a couple of runs.
Ball 4: One leg byes for New Zealand.
Ball 3: Mitchell hits the slow delivery towards deep mid-wicket for a single.
Ball 2: One BYES for New Zealand.
Ball 1: Neesham hits towards long-on for a couple of runs.
New Zealand: 144-4 after 19 Overs; James Neesham 14 (9); Daryl Mitchell 50 (32)
Haris Rauf [3.0-0-22-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: A high full toss, Mitchell hits towards square leg for a couple of runs.
Ball 5: Neesham collects a single towards off-side.
Ball 4: Neesham hits towards backward square leg for FOUR, a much-needed one.
Ball 3: Mitchell collects one leg byes for New Zealand.
Ball 2: Mitchell smashes down the ground for a couple of runs.
Ball 1: Neesham collects a single.
New Zealand: 133-4 after 18 Overs; James Neesham 8 (6); Daryl Mitchell 46 (29)
Naseem Shah [2.0-0-15-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: Neesham collects a single.
Ball 5: Mitchell collects a single.
Ball 4: Mitchell hits down the ground for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: Neesham collects a single behind of square.
Ball 2: Mitchell collects a single.
Ball 1: Mitchell goes inside out and hits over extra cover for FOUR.
Shaheen comes into the attack and gets the wicket of Kane Williamson.
Neesham joins Mitchell in the middle.
Shaheen concedes seven runs in the over.
New Zealand: 116-3 after 16 Overs; Kane Williamson 46 (41); Daryl Mitchell 38 (24)
Haris Rauf [2.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: A single for Mitchell.
Ball 5: Mitchell collects another couple of runs.
Ball 4: Mitchell collects a couple of runs.
Ball 3: Mitchell goes for a big hit but manages only top edge but Babar at mid-off fails to take the catch.
Ball 2: Williamson collects a single towards cover.
Ball 1: Williamson collects a couple of runs.
New Zealand: 106-3 after 15 Overs; Kane Williamson 43 (39); Daryl Mitchell 31 (20)
Shaheen Afridi is back into the attack...
Ball 6: Williamson mistimes a big hit in front of long-on fielder for a single. Shaheen concedes seven runs in the over.
Ball 5: Mitchell clips towards short fine leg for a single.
Ball 4: Williamson punches towards deep point for a single.
Ball 3: Williamson works the yorker length delivery on the pads through short fine leg for FOUR.
Shaheen comes around the wicket..
Ball 2: Williamson digs out the yorker back to bowler for no run.
Ball 1: Williamson gets a bottom edge to keeper for no RUN.
New Zealand: 99-3 after 14 Overs; Kane Williamson 37 (34); Daryl Mitchell 30 (19)
Shadab Khan is back into the attack...
Ball 6: Mitchell tries to cut the short and wide delivery outside off but misses it completely, DOT.
Ball 5: Mitchell advances down the wicket and wallops down the ground for a SIX.
Ball 4: A single for Williamson
Ball 3: Mitchell collects a single.
Ball 2: Williamson collects a single.
Ball 1: Mitchell collects a single.
New Zealand: 89-3 after 13 Overs; Kane Williamson 35 (32); Daryl Mitchell 22 (15)
Mohammad Wasim Jr [1.0-0-7-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: A single for Mitchell.
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: A single for Williamson
Ball 3: DOT
Ball 2: There is a loud appeal against Williamson for LBW but umpire remains unmoved. Babar takes review and the ball hits Williamson on the thigh pads. REVIEW WASTED.
Ball 1: A length delivery, Williamson smashes it into the square leg stands for a SIX.
New Zealand: 81-3 after 12 Overs; Kane Williamson 28 (28); Daryl Mitchell 21 (13)
Naseem Shah introduced into the attack...
Ball 6: Mitchell nudges towards mid-wicket pocket with soft hands for a couple of runs.
Ball 5: Williamson works towards mid-wicket with soft hands and picks a single.
Ball 4: Williamson hits towards a tad wide of long-on fielder for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: Mitchell collects a leg bye for New Zealand.
Ball 2: Williamson drives towards sweeper cover for a single.
Ball 1: Mitchell collects a single towards short fine leg.
New Zealand: 73-3 after 11 Overs; Kane Williamson 24 (25); Daryl Mitchell 18 (10)
Shadab Khan continues...
Ball 6: Mitchell drives towards sweeper cover for a single. Shadab concedes 14 runs in the over.
Ball 5: Mitchell advaces down the wicket and hits down the ground, powerfully, for FOUR
Ball 4: Mitchell hits towards cow corner for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: Mitchell rocks back and hits towards mid-wicket pocket for a couple of runs.
Ball 2: Mitchell cuts through backward point for FOUR.
Ball 1: Williamson collects a single towards long-on.
New Zealand: 59-3 after 10 Overs; Kane Williamson 23 (24); Daryl Mitchell 5 (5)
Shadab Khan continues...
Ball 6: Mitchell works towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Ball 5: Williamson taps towards mid-wicket for a single.
Ball 4: Mitchell clips towards mid-wicket for a single.
Ball 3: Williamson drives along the ground towards long-on for a single.
Ball 2: A single for Mitchell down the ground.
Ball 1: Williamson collects a single.
New Zealand: 52-3 after 9 Overs; Kane Williamson 20 (21); Daryl Mitchell 1 (2)
Shadab Khan continues...
Ball 6: A single for Williamson.
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Mitchell collects a single.
Ball 3: DOT
Ball 2: A single for Williamson towards mid-wicket.
Ball 1: DOT
New Zealand: 49-3 after 8 Overs; Kane Williamson 18 (17); Glenn Phillips 6 (8)
Mohammad Nawaz, Left arm orthodox, comes into the attack.
Ball 6: Ball stops on the wicket and Phillips pushes back to bowler, GONE. Glenn Phillips c and b Mohammad Nawaz 6(8) [4s-1]
Ball 5: A single for Williamson.
Ball 4: Williamson tucks towards mid-wicket pocket for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: A single for Phillips.
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Williamson collects a single.
New Zealand: 44-2 after 7 Overs; Kane Williamson 14 (14); Glenn Phillips 5 (5)
Shaheen continues...
Ball 6: DOT
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: DOT
Ball 3: A half-tracker outside off, Phillips smashes it towards covers boundary for FOUR.
Ball 2: Williamson collects a single.
Ball 1: Glenn Phillips collects a single towards covers.
New Zealand: 38-2 after 6 Overs; Kane Williamson 13 (13); Devon Conway 21 (20)
Shaheen continues...
Ball 6: Conway pushes uppishly towards mid-off and goes for a risky single and there is direct hit from Shadab, Conway GONE. Conway run out (Shadab Khan) 21(20) [4s-3]
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Conway pulls towards deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.
Ball 3: Williamson picks a single.
Ball 2: Conway taps towards cover for a quick single.
Ball 1: Conway smashes the first ball for FOUR.
New Zealand: 30-1 after 5 Overs; Kane Williamson 12 (12); Devon Conway 14 (15)
Mohammad Wasim Jr, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack and concedes seven runs in the over.
New Zealand: 23-1 after 4 Overs; Kane Williamson 8 (9); Devon Conway 11(12)
Shaheen continues...
Ball 6: DOT
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Conway collects a single towards left of mid-off fielder for a single.
Ball 3: Williamson works towards in front of square leg for a single.
Ball 2: Williamson taps towards mid-wicket pocket for NO RUN.
Ball 1: An overpitch delivery, Williamson drives down the ground, Shadab Khan makes a diving effort to save a certain boundary, two runs taken.
New Zealand: 19-1 after 3 Overs; Kane Williamson 5 (4); Devon Conway 10(11)
Shaheen continues...
Ball 6: An inswinger, Conway pushes without much timing towards mid-on for no run.
Ball 5: Williamson dabs towards third man for a single.
Ball 4: Conway pulls the short delivery towards deep square leg for a single.
Ball 3: Conway drives straight to mid-on for no run.
Ball 2: A loud appeal for LBW against Conway, Marais Erasmus declines. DOT
Ball 1: Williamson drives the full delivery, uppishly, over extra cover for three runs.
New Zealand: 14-1 after 2 Overs; Kane Williamson 1 (2); Devon Conway 9(7)
Naseem Shah, right-arm fast, comes into the attack
Ball 6: Conway dances down the wicket and smashes down the ground for FOUR.
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Conway pulls the short delivery towards deep square leg for FOUR.
Ball 3: DOT
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: DOT
New Zealand: 6-1 after 1 Over; Kane Williamson 1 (2); Devon Conway1(1)
Shaheen bowls the first over....
Ball 6: DOT
Ball 5: Conway collects a single towards extra cover.
Ball 4: Kane Williamson arrives at the crease and tucks towards square leg for a single.
Ball 3: Shaheen traps Finn Allen in front of wicket, GONE. Pakistan draw the first blood.
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Finn Allen drives the over-pitch delivery down the ground for FOUR.
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson wins the toss and elects to bat first at SCG.
The live toss between Pakistan and New Zealand is moments away, stay tuned for the live updates.
Team batting first has won five out of the six played at Sydney Cricket Ground. It is expected that the team who wins the toss today will lock to bat first.
Key stats ahead of Pakistan vs New Zealand clash
Pakistan and the Kiwis have been unbeaten in T20 World Cup at Sydney Cricket Ground. New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka and Australia in Sydney while Pakistan came victorious against South Africa.
The Black Caps have won three and lost eight semis they have reached in either World Cup. Pakistan have won 10 and lost 10.
The Men In Green have won two and lost two while New Zealand have lost all three of their World Cup finals.
Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (Captain), Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Shan Masood, Mohammad Haris, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (Captain), Martin Guptill, Finn Allen (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Trent Boult.
Key stats ahead of Pakistan vs New Zealand clash
Key stats at Sydney
Four of the top 10 totals in T20 World Cup have been achieved at the Sydney Cricket Ground. High-scoring match is expected today.
Pakistan have history backing them as New Zealand lost all their previous World Cup semifinals to them in ODI (1992, 1999) and T20 (2007) formats.
New Zealand's propensity to falter at the big stage of a white-ball tournament is also a no secret. They have consistently reached the semis in the last four World Cups but never managed to last the distance.
The Black Caps have lost three World Cup finals in seven years (2015, 2019 in ODI and 2021 in T20).
Formidable New Zealand appear strong on paper, but they have to defy history when they clash with an unpredictable and upbeat Pakistan today.
Unlike Pakistan's roller-coaster and miraculous journey into the last-four, the Kiwis had a straightforward passage into the knockout stage as they finished on top of Group 1 following wins over reigning champions Australia, Sri Lanka and Ireland in a group of 'death'.
Babar Azam and his team mates, who had lost two key Super 12 clashes against India and Zimbabwe up front, were probably thinking of their departure plans when the Netherlands favoured them by eliminating South Africa on a dramatic Sunday.
All Pakistan had to do was to beat Bangladesh in the second match of the day to make a dream semi-final.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of New Zealand vs Pakistan in the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
Both the teams are just one win away from the final clash. With many people expecting India vs Pakistan final on Sunday, stay tuned with us for all the live updates of NZ vs PAK 1st semifinal.