Liveblogging T20 Semifinal: Pakistan Vs. Australia

2:14 p.m. I'm shocked beyond words. Pakistan were in front for 39 out of 40 overs in that game. Like I said, I'm out. Bye.

2:12 p.m. Well that's it from me. I don't really have anything to say.

2:11 p.m. Hussey made 60 off 24 balls. And honestly, Pakistan didn't bowl badly. We fielded a little bit crappily, but nothing outrageous given our standards.

2:10 p.m. Australia have beaten Pakistan. Again.

2:09 p.m. Hussey's taken our heart out, chewed it up, and spat it out. Six more, and Australia are through. Pakistan's second last-over defeat in this tournament. It was too good to be true. Australia will face England in the final.

2:08 p.m. Haha. Hussey slices one for four to backward point. Really terrible fielding, that was a catch.

2:08 p.m. Six more! Hussey smacks it down the ground. Unbelievable. Australia are going to get there. 5 from 3.

2:07 p.m. Oh dear. Ajmal drops it short. Hussey safely hits it for six. 11 from 4. That was bad bowling.

2:06 p.m. Ajmal darts in on leg stump, and Johnson gets a single. 17 from 5.

2:05 p.m. Johnson on strike.

2:04 p.m. And that's four, it should've been two. A mistake on the boundary. 18 needed off the last over. It's all you, Ajmal. It's all you.

2:03 p.m. Yet again, it's two. Wide long off. Hussey's done well here, really giving Australia a shot. 22 off 7.

2:03 p.m. Two more, this time to wide mid on. 24 off 8.

2:02 p.m. Hussey tries another paddle, but this one's outside off. Still get two, somehow, to third man. 26 off 9. My fingers are shaking.

2:01 p.m. And now two to long off. Good running there. Appeal for runout, but he's safe. Pakistan need to be sharp here. There WILL be a runout chance or two. 28 off 10.

2:00 p.m. Four! Aamer bowls a fullish delivery, and Hussey plays the paddle for four. 30 off 11.

1:59 p.m. A quicker one, and it's just a single. Keeps Hussey on strike though. 34 needed off 12 balls. Anyone's game really.

1:58 p.m. Two more to square leg. 35 off 13.

1:57 p.m. And other team, and this game would've been over an hour ago. But Australia never, ever die. They're the cockroaches of the cricketing world.

1:56 p.m. Oh dear. Hussey lifts a quicker one from Ajmal over fine leg for six. 37 off 14.

1:55 p.m. Bang! Mitchell Johnson absolutely smashes Ajmal for four to midwicket. That was the hardest hit shot all day. Australia still in this. 43 off 15.

1:54 p.m. Gone! Ajmal with another doosra! Smith is beaten charging down the wicket, and Akmal has another stumping. "He's got ice running through his veins, this man," says Chappelli about Ajmal. Indeed.

1:53 p.m. A couple of singles to end the over. 48 off 18. Ajmal to continue.

1:52 p.m. Four to Smith, first up to fine leg. Australia WILL NOT give up.

1:50 p.m. Gone! Aamer gets the big wicket of White, holing out to long off! What a moment! 139/6, and Australia staring down the barrel here.

1:48 p.m. Aamer back into the attack. Him and Ajmal will bowl out probably.

1:47 p.m. Well, evidently Afridi was hit for two sixes. Great. 56 from 24 required. Going to go down to the wire, this.

1:46 p.m. This is seriously painful. Why don't my streams last more than 4 overs at a stretch?

1:43 p.m. Aaaannnd my feed has given way again. Lovely.

1:42 p.m. Haha. Well so much for that. White gets that slog sweep working this time, six over midwicket. He's the only guy standing between Pakistan and the final right now.

1:41 p.m. This is beautiful bowling from Rehman and Ajmal. They're actually beating the batsmen, not just restricting them.

1:40 p.m. Rehman continuing. Just one off his first two balls.

1:37 p.m. Ooooh. Akmal is this far from his third stumping. White lifted his back foot, and Akmal whipped off the bails, but a nanosecond after White brought his foot back on. Great bowling though, beat him all ends up. Anyway, just the five off it, 112/5 in 14. 80 needed in 36 balls.

1:36 p.m. If we lose from here, it'll be because of our fielding. Aamer lets one go through, giving an additional run, and bringing White back on strike. Two more.

1:36 p.m. Ajmal's got White majorly confused here. What a bowler.

1:35 p.m. Ajmal into the attack. Here's the battle.

1:34 p.m. White's the key here. He really, really is.

1:33 p.m. Nine runs and a wicket off the over. 107/5 in 13. 85 needed off 42 balls. Very much achievable.

1:32 p.m. Hussey replaces Hussey.

1:30 p.m. Gone! Rehman the secret weapon! That one just stood up in the pitch, didn't come on, Hussey was through his shot, and gave Rehman an easy catch. Good bowling, just holding that one back. Huge wicket -- Hussey and White really looked like they were going to do this easy. 105/5 in 12.3.

1:30 p.m. Even their edges are going for six. Rehman actually outfoxed him there, White's sweep went straight up, but went too far. Six more.

1:28 p.m. And now Hussey. We've conceded four sixes in the last two overs. A little too easy right now. 98/4 in 12. Target is under 100 now; they need 92 in eight overs.

1:27 p.m. Six more! White could be the key here. He smashes Hafeez over cover, again without really trying. Suddenly Australia are right back in this thing.

1:25 p.m. Good over for Australia there. 15 off it. 82/4 in 11. Also, Ramiz, Duckworth-Lewis can't be "installed". It's not friggin Windows.

1:25 p.m. One more! Exact same shot.

1:24 p.m. Shot. White slog sweeps Afridi to midwicket for six. It really is amazing how effortless some of these sixes are.

1:23 p.m. Great bowling. You can see the Aussies trying all sorts of things right now, instead of batting normally. It's costing them too. Just the four off the over. 67/4 in ten. 125 needed in 10 overs.

1:22 p.m. Only singles in this over so far.

1:21 p.m. Hafeez into the attack.

1:19 p.m. White the new man in. He takes three dot balls to settle, and then gets a single into the leg side to get off the mark. What an over from Afridi. A wicket and a single, and Australia will need something special from here. 63/4 in nine.

1:17 p.m. But it doesn't matter! Would you believe that Akmal got another stumping? Clarke charges Afridi, tries an ungainly slog, misses, and Akmal does the rest. Wow, this really must be Pakistan's day: Kamran Akmal is actually behaving like a normal, international keeper.

1:17 p.m. Oh, Billy. That was plumb LBW. Afridi skids on into Clarke's pads, and that was out to everyone, except Billy Doctrove.

1:15 p.m. Afridi with a slip in to the new batsman. Good, attacking captaincy. Even if he doesn't edge it, at least it gives him something to think about. Anyway, that's the over. 62/3 in eight.

1:14 p.m. Gone! What a moment! Rehman beats Haddin in the flight, it grips and turns past an advancing Haddin, who is stumped. Well done Kamran for not screwing that up. 58/3 in 7.2. Huge wicket, Haddin was looking dangerous. D Hussey in.

1:13 p.m. After an agonizing ten minutes, my stream is back. Rehman to Haddin.

1:11 p.m. This is so incredibly pissing off.

1:10 p.m. Okay, not only did my stream disappear, but my browser crashed. Brilliant.

1:06 p.m. Rehman's first over goes for ten. Australia on to 45/2 in 5. They're not going anywhere, Australia. I promise you that.

1:04 p.m. Six! Haddin's really looking up for it today, I have to say. Without really trying, he deposits Rehman over backward square. Australia are staying within the run rate here, not falling behind as so many teams do chasing big totals.

1:02 p.m. Well, so much for that. Clarke is away with a very nice shot to wide long off, ruining Razzaq's over. Seven off it, Australia are 35/2 in 4. Rehman into the attack, replacing Aamer. Interesting move.

1:01 p.m. Credit to Razzaq, he's come back well in this over. Mixing it up, and not allowing them to get away by premeditating. Needs to close this over strong now.

12:58 p.m. Haddin's really looking to go after him. Two to wide mid on, looking to be really aggressive.

12:58 p.m. Oh dear, Razzaq continuing. This isn't going to go well.

12:57 p.m. Quiet enough end to an eventful over. Six and a wicket off it, 28/2 in three. Australia need 164 in 102 balls.

12:54 p.m. Gone! What a truly asinine shot from Watson. There was a long off back, and Watson hit it straight to him. A monumentally idiotic shot, that was. Aamer gets his second wicket, and Australia lose another danger-man. 26/2 in 2.3. Captain Clarke in.

12:53 p.m. Shot! A short art jab from Watson, back down the ground off Aamer. That was a strange shot, and it goes for four, almost killing the umpire and his partner.

12:51 p.m. Four more! Gives himself room by moving legside, and hits Razzaq to long off for four. A better mid off fielder would have stopped that, but we're Pakistan, so forget it. 15 off that over. 22/1 in 2.

12:50 p.m. And now Haddin into the act. Shimmies down the track, and works Razzaq through the covers of a back of a length for four. He's too easy to hit around at the best of times, but on this wicket? If Afridi gives him more than a single over, he's stupid.

12:50 p.m. Australia's running is really going to test Pakistan here. We better be on our toes. I know, I know.

12:48 p.m. Haha. What did I tell you? Watson politely pulls Razzaq for six over midwicket. He didn't even try there.

12:47 p.m. Razzaq in from the other end. He's going to get killed on this wicket. Watch.

12:46 p.m. Smash! Watson smacks Aamer to midwicket, a front foot pull. They exchange pleasantries too. This is great cricket. 7/1 after one over. Watson and Haddin at the crease.

12:44 p.m. Gone! Aamer gets Warner! What a start! Australia are 1-1 and lose one of their stars early on. Warner poked at one outside off, and it went straight to Umar at backward point.

12:43 p.m. And we're back, and straight away my feed's giving me issues. Sigh. Hold on.

12:26 p.m. And a run out off the last ball, as Tait yorks Umar, who hits it straight back to Tait, who easily runs out Misbah. It's always funny when somebody gets out without playing a ball, and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. Misbah is really the bane of my existence. Anyway, Pakistan end at 191/6, courtesy some brilliant batting from the Akmal brothers (Kamran 50 from 34, Umar 56 from 35) and Butt 32 off 30. Mini-cameos from Who? (13 off 6) and Razzaq (12 off 7). And by the way, Umar was a doubt for this game with a back injury (a real one, not a "my brother's been justifiably dropped, so I'm going to throw a hissy fit" type of back injury). Anyway, Australia will require 192 in 20 overs. If any team can do it, it's them. Be back in ten minutes.

12:26 p.m. Umar slices a Tait full toss behind point for two.

12:24 p.m. Haha. What a bizarre dismissal. Razzaq is run out...off a wide. Well, it's a run, and Umar's back on strike, so it's okay. But this has been a fantastic last over from Tait.

12:24 p.m. Tait bowling well here. The only runs Pakistan are getting is byes, when they run even despite missing. And Umar keeps playing that idiotic paddle.

12:22 p.m. Anyway, it's 184/4, and Tait to bowl the last over.

12:21 p.m. I can't say who's performing worse, Australia or my feed. It's given out right at the business end of this innings.

12:20 p.m. Wow, Australia are really falling apart here. Byes, wides, overthrows.

12:19 p.m. Okay, I have no idea how, but we've raced to 177/4 in 18.3.

12:17 p.m. What a time for my feed to go out. Shit.

12:16 p.m. Six more! Umar, you beauty! A front foot, swivel/hook over long leg for six! I can't believe this is actually happening.

12:15 p.m. Australia are definitely rattled here. Haddin lets four byes go through -- nothing remotely challenging about that take. Just went straight through him.

12:14 p.m. Umar's dealing in sixes here. He just clears his leg and smashes Johnson over midwicket for six.

12:12 p.m. Haha. Who? is gone, well out of his element against the pace of Nannes. Just a soft catch to mid off, after trying to slog it. Well, 13 off 6, he's basically done his job, as Harsha says. 145/4 in 17. We need 180 for sure here. Australia will come at us hard.

12:10 p.m. Holy crap. Umar smashes Nannes over long on for six, effortlessly. Next ball, he plays that annoying paddle for four. This has been an unbelievable batting performance, it really is.

12:09 p.m. Four more! Down the ground. Who? is on fire here. 132/3 in 16.

12:08 p.m. Bang! Who? just laces Clarke over midwicket for six! Huge shot! It's gone out of the ground! Bloody hell.

12:07 p.m. Michael Clarke brings himself on. Clearly he's realized this is a spinner's wicket.

12:05 p.m. Afridi's wicket and five off the over. 118/3. Hussey might be Australia's best bowler today. And that last wicket could really change this game. Pakistan have no real boundary hitters left, other than Razzaq. Who?, Hafeez and Misbah aren't really going to smack it around.

12:03 p.m. Khalid Latif, also known as "Who?", replaces Afridi.

12:02 p.m. Gone! Oh, Afridi, you idiot. I'm not even going to bother describing that. Sigh. 114/3 in 14.2

12:01 p.m. Well, by hook or by crook, Pakistan score eight off that over too. 113/2 in 14. Other than the first two overs, and David Hussey's first over, Australia have really struggled to bowl overs for fewer than six or seven runs. And speaking of which, Hussey is back into the attack.

12:00 p.m. Ooooh. Tait sees Afridi backing away, bowls a slower one, and it just misses the off stump, as Afridi was completely fooled. Something's about to give here. Afridi is looking like he's had enough of this single stuff.

11:58 a.m. Unlucky for Tait. He bowled a quick yorker, Umar tried to flick it, it missed everything, went between his legs, and eludes a diving Haddin. Four byes.

11:58 a.m. Tait replaces Smith, who got a wicket in the last over.

11:57 a.m. Nice batting from Afridi here, just looking for ones against Nannes. Pakistan got eight in that over without much risk. 105/2 in thirteen.

11:55 a.m. I really don't like it when Umar plays that paddle shot. He can play so well in front of the wicket, why does he try that crap? It comes off for two here, but really, that's needless right now.

11:54 a.m. An Umar tap into the leg side brings up the Pakistan 100. 100/2 in 12.2.

11:53 a.m. Nannes replaces Hussey into the attack, since Afridi's in. Can't play pace, our captain.

11:52 a.m. So a wicket, a boundary, and four singles off that Smith over. 97/2 in twelve.

11:51 a.m. Afridi's off the mark with a single, a late cut to short third.

11:50 a.m. Smack! Umar takes his front leg out of the way, and slog sweeps Smith for four to deep midwicket.

11:49 a.m. Afridi in.

11:48 a.m. Gone! Smith's back into the attack, and Butt holes out in the deep. That's disappointing from Butt -- he really should've been more sensible than that. That's frustrating. 89/2. I sense a collapse. I do, I really do. Australia are going to skittle us out for 107. You watch.

11:47 a.m. Tidy over from Hussey, just the four singles off it. The batsmen were trying to get after him, but he was bowling too flat. 89-1 after 11.

11:46 a.m. David Hussey into the attack.

11:45 a.m. Anyway, it's 85/1 after ten overs. Game's set up here.

11:43 a.m. Gone! What a catch! Akmal smashed it to Johnson to the covers again, but this time Warner ran in and took a great, tumbling catch. Big wicket there, and my apologies to Akmal for jinxing him. 82/1. Did his job, Akmal. 50 off 34. And little bro replaces big bro. Good move by the camp.

11:41 a.m. Michael Clarke has a serious problem here. This is not a pitch for quick, bang-it-in-the-pitch bolwers like Nannes, Johnson and Tait. His spin options are inadequate, other than Smith. If Pakistan keep their head -- I know, funny -- they can get a huge score here.

11:40 a.m. Oh my. Akmal ends a huge over with two fours to the point boundary, one driven, and one slashed. Akmal's fifty is up. Pakistan move on to a scarcely believable 81-0 after nine. 78 runs have come off the last seven overs.

11:37 a.m. Tries it again, but this time it's mistimed to wide long off for two. Getting a real move on here.

11:36 a.m. Bang! Length delivery from Watson, who replaces Smith after one over, and Akmal just launches it over Watson's head for six. Huge hit.

11:34 a.m. Finally, a tap-and-run, something we don't do nearly enough. Eight off the over, and we've moved on to 63-0 after eight. Australia will be asking themselves a couple of questions now. It's been easy, almost too easy, for them in this entire tournament. They haven't been challenged at all. I wonder if that might come back to haunt them.

11:33 a.m. Akmal looking a little ungainly here. Another swing, another mistimed shot, and it just gets over mid on for two.

11:32 a.m. Swing and a miss from Akmal. That was a gully cricket show.

11:31 a.m. Well, Butt hit Johnson for four, but I can't tell you how, because I was being encouraged to purchase Just For Men dye for hair and beards.

11:29 a.m. Bang! Akmal is beaten in the flight by Smith, but goes through with the shot, slices it, and it carries over long off for six. This has been some start by Pakistan. 15 from the over, and it's 55-0 after seven.

11:28 a.m. Ok, we're back. 47-0 after 6.4 overs. Smith has come into the attack.

11:27 a.m. Yaaaar. What the hell?

11:26 a.m. Crap, my feed's gone. Argh. Hold on.

11:23 p.m. Twice in this over Butt has eluded fielders with lofted shots that weren't timed. Once over midwicket, once over extra cover. Two each.

11:21 a.m. You know how people are always talking about the power of the internet? How it's empowering to the common citizenry and all that? Well, let's put it to the test: let's organize boycotts of every single company that advertises on Geo Super. By the way, Watson has replaced Tait.

11:20 a.m. So Johnson's first over goes for five runs, including a boundary, and a wicket, except no one appealed. 32-0 after five. Both Butt and Akmal on 15.

11:18 a.m. And now Butt gets four more to -- where else? -- the covers, by backing away and lifting it over the infield. By the way, the commies are still awestruck at the lack of an Aussie appeal against Butt. Even I heard that nick.

11:18 a.m. Did he nick that? I could've sworn I heard something. Butt definitely edged that one straight to Haddin, but the Aussies didn't appeal. Bizarre.

11:17 a.m. Johnson replaces Nannes.

11:16 a.m. Some nice batting here from Pakistan. After getting a measure of the pitch, they've upped the ante in the last couple of overs. Now watch them throw it away.

11:15 a.m. And now Akmal into the attack. I think he saw that short one from Tait coming, moved inside the line, and pulled it very fine for four. 13 off the over, and the last two have been good ones. 27-0 after four.

11:14 a.m. Four more! Butt spanks Tait through the covers, more of a cross-bat shot this time.

11:14 a.m. After being deprived of a wide by the ever-inept Billy Doctrove, Butt flicks Tait behind point with his wrists. Four.

11:12 a.m. Ah, that should've been four. Tait bowled it up to Butt, who drove powerfully but straight to the man in the covers.

11:11 a.m. Akmal goes down the ground again, but this time doesn't time it. Two. A very strange pitch this. Not coming on at all. Anyway, that's the over. 11 off it, it's 14-0 after three.

11:10 a.m. And now Nannes loses his line, bowling one well wide down the leg side.

11:10 a.m. Four more! Length delivery on off stump, and Akmal simply drives through the line. Butt has to duck, and it races to the long off fence.

11:09 a.m. First boundary! Akmal backs away, gives himself room, and slices Nannes over the covers for four.

11:09 a.m. Chappelli is having a go at our lack of aggression. Bhai, chorr do yar.

11:08 a.m. I think the Geo guy is having a bet with himself, to see how many ads he can fit in between overs.

11:07 a.m. Very tight from Australia here. 3-0 after two overs.

11:06 a.m. Tait keeps bowling bouncers. Like Chappelli says, it's about sending the message.

11:06 a.m. Akmal's first runs, with an upper cut to third man. Could've gotten two, but we're Pakistan.

11:05 a.m. Haha. They just showed a graphic of Pakistan's "form" against Australia in recent times. Less said the better and all that.

11:04 a.m. Ooh. A bouncer to Akmal first up.

11:04 a.m. Salman squeezes a full length delivery wide of slip for Pakistan's first runs.

11:02 a.m. So it's a maiden to start. Akmal looked very circumspect there, like he had no idea how the pitch was going to play. Tait to Butt from the other end.

11:01 a.m. First four balls have been on target, no runs. Meanwhile, Ravi is being his charitable best by calling our tournament "mixed".

11:01 a.m. Ooh. Some nibble there, as Nannes brings it in to Akmal. Shout for LBW, but it pitched outside leg. Akmal hops away in pain.

11:00 a.m. And straight away Nannes is on target, just outside off. Akmal taps it to the covers. Two slips in place.

10:59 a.m. Alright, here we go. Akmal and Butt are the first lambs to slaughter. Nannes will start the slaughter. And Ian Chappell and Ravi Shastri will announce the slaughter.

10:54 a.m. Give Fawad Alam credit: he's the only one to do the "hand on heart" thing during then anthem. Kudos.

10:51 a.m. Anyway, team news. Pakistan: Butt, Akmal, Hafeez, Afridi, U Akmal, Latif, Misbah, Razzaq, Rehman, Aamer, Ajmal. Australia: Warner, Watson, Clarke, D Hussey, White, M Hussey, Haddin, Smith, Johnson, Tait, Nannes. This is the equivalent of Barcelona-Stuttgart.

10:50 a.m. Moin Khan: "Larkey form mein hain." Wow. I love our standards. We got creamed against Australia and England, lost narrowly to New Zealand, and scraped through against a substandard South Africa, and suddenly we're in form. Excellent.

10:46 a.m. Given the conditions (wet), their attack (taken 47 out of a possible 50 wickets in this tournament), and our batting (shambolic), I'm expecting a total of 50-60. All out.

10:44 a.m. Anyway, the match is due to begin in 15 minutes.

10:44 a.m. People on twitter are convinced that Shoaib Akhtar is drunk in the studio. My question would be: how can you tell? Isn't he always like this?

10:41 a.m. WHAT is up with Ramiz Raja's hair?

10:40 a.m. Looks like we might get some action here. Australia have won the toss and are bowling first.

10:40 a.m. Oh my God, Shoaib. Please shut up.

10:29 a.m. Well, this is stupid. I'm taking a break until we have more news. Maybe I'll watch an episode of Parks and Recreation or something.

10:26 a.m. By the way, you know how Pakistanis are always conspiracy theorizing and asking idiotic questions like "No, no, no...you have to ask, who gains the most from this?" Well, with that logic in mind, isn't it obvious that the generator manufacturers are behind our electricity crisis?

10:23 a.m. Goddamn, HBL. Why you gotta scare us like that? Jeez. I'll sign up for an account, okay?

10:18 a.m. The rain is still coming down. If it's canceled, it'll be the first time in 11 games that the Australians haven't killed us.

10:17 a.m. Actually, rain is pretty good for us. The shorter the game, the better chance we have. If it's a T2 match, six balls each, I'm firmly behind us.

10:15 a.m. Well, it's raining. Crap. In the meantime, you can enjoy the fact that Shoaib Akhtar is now an "expert" in-studio analyst. This is what the world has come to.

Hello and welcome to Rs.5's coverage of the T20 semifinal between Pakistan and Australia. As always, all times are local (i.e. Chicago).