Aakash Chopra has called David Warner the soul of Australia’s T20I team. He added that the Aussies lose half their strength when the dashing opener is not at the top of his game. Australia beat Pakistan by five wickets in the 2nd semi-final in Dubai. Marcus Stoinis (40*) & Matthew Wade (41*) took the team over the line in a pulsating finish.
David Warner smashed a 30-ball 49 during Australia’s record 177-run chase in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2021 against Pakistan. His knock, along with the efforts of Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade, helped the Kangaroos book a berth in the final of the global event against New Zealand.
Aakash Chopra: If David Warner Doesn’t Play, Australia Becomes Half
While reflecting on Australia’s chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, former opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra put David Warner on a high pedestal.
He elaborated: “If the Australian T20 team is a body, David Warner is its soul. If he doesn’t play, the team becomes half. But when he plays, we say form is temporary, David Warner is permanent and he is class when we talk about this format.”
While lauding David Warner’s knock, the former India cricketer was slightly critical of the six the Aussie opener hit off Mohammad Hafeez’s bowling.
Aakash Chopra observed: “He has been very very good. He played an amazing counter-attacking knock. He was just keeping Australia in the game. There was one moment though which broke my heart. The ball slipped out of Hafeez’s hands, who hits like that, I have never seen anyone do that even in Ranji Trophy but he hit a six.”
David Warner smashed a six into the stands off a Mohammed Hafeez delivery that bounced twice after it slipped out of the Pakistan off-spinner hand.
Aakash Chopra: Hasan Ali Dropped ‘Trophy’ As His Dropped Catch Cost The Match Which Was In The Balance Till Then
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Shadab Khan had almost sealed the match in Pakistan’s favour with a four-wicket haul. Shadab Khan managed to dismiss the dangerous David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Marsh. From his four overs, the “electric leggie” managed to finish with figures of 4/26.
“After that Shadab took four wickets – it was game, set, match and all of that, in which Maxwell, Smith and Warner also got out. What else do you want? But after that Wade was there with Stoinis.”
The reputed commentator concluded by stating that a couple of indifferent overs by the Pakistan pacers Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf and Matthew Wade being let off by Hasan Ali cost the Babar Azam-led side a spot in the final.
Aakash Chopra explained: “The game was in the balance there as well because Wade was going at run-a-ball, Stoinis was hitting but Wade was keeping Pakistan in the game. And that is when the Hasan Ali over which also had a no-ball. After that, a Haris Rauf over and then there was a catch dropped by Hasan Ali, the heart was broken, it was not a white-colored ball but probably the trophy. Then three sixes, it was incredible hitting.”
Matthew Wade was dropped by Hasan Ali at deep midwicket on the third ball of the 19th over bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter hit the next three deliveries for sixes to knock Pakistan out of the tournament. Marcus Stoinis, along with Matthew Wade, put on 81 runs for the 6th wicket in just 6.3 overs to take their side over the line.
Marcus Stoinis smashed 40 not-out, while Matthew Wade hit 41* off 17 balls. 22 runs were needed in the last 12 balls, and Matthew Wade took Australia home with 6 balls to spare. Shaheen Shah Afridi got hammered for three sixes in a row in the penultimate over.