Pakistan grab unexpected lifeline to make the semis

A team under pressure. A captain refusing to give up. The odds piling up. And then one fine day, the stars align.

Pakistan cranked up the deja vu in Adelaide on Sunday as they sailed into the T20 World Cup semi-finals. If anyone is still working on time travel, please follow this cricket team. They’ve made it 1992 again.

This game wouldn’t even have played out this way if not for Netherlands shocking South Africa. Some people might even call it destiny.

The biggest casualty of this unreal series of events were Bangladesh and Shakib Al Hasan. His wicket turned this game, adjudged lbw on field, and upheld on DRS even though he was absolutely certain he’d nicked the ball.

Bangladesh were 71 for 1 at one stage. Then they lost their captain and could manage only 127. Advantage Pakistan.