PAKISTAN WIN BY SEVEN WICKETS
BLACKCAPS 152/4 PAKISTAN 153/3
20th over - Southee to bowl the final over and he starts with a wide! Pakistan need just one from the final six balls.
Masood punches the next ball down the ground and completes a huge victory for Pakistan! NZ bow out in the semi-finals with a seven-wicket defeat.
Pakistan 153/3
19th over - Santner to bowl his final over. Haris looks to sweep but misses, before a reverse sweep falls JUST short of a diving Sodhi.
Masood makes room and cuts to sweeper cover for a single. Haris picks up another single, before Masood misses in his attempted sweep, and the ball beats everyone for three runs.
Haris looks to pull but can't beat Allen and has to depart for a well played 30 runs.
WICKET: Haris c Allen b Santner 30 Pakistan 151/3
18th over - Ferguson to bowl his final over. Haris misses but the pair show great awareness to run for the bye. Masood the new batter in, and he whips it towards legside for a single - with Williamson unable to field it cleanly.
Haris tries to slog but can't connect cleanly and that's a dot ball. Haris digs out a yorker through the cover for a classy shot - what a stroke.
Ferguson bowls short and Haris CRUNCHES it for a huge six over the legside! Is that the game for Pakistan? Haris ends a great over for Pakistan with a single.
Pakistan 145/2
17th over - Boult back to bowl his final over. Haris digs out the yorker, flicking it on the legside for a couple of runs. Boult bowls a slower bouncer and Haris swings and misses.
Haris goes for a big heave towards the legside, but can't connect - Boult appeals but NZ are out of reviews and the umpire shakes his head.
Rizwan crunches it down the ground, but Mitchell cuts it off to keep it to just two runs.
Rizan picks out Phillips at sweeper cover! But we're going to have a check if it was a no-ball - it did look above the waist, but the TV umpire says he's out!
WICKET: Rizwan c Phillips b Boult 57 Pakistan 132/2
16th over - Southee brought back into the attack. Haris cuts and cuts hard towards Santner and drops it! It travelled quickly but was hit right at him.
Harris shuffles across his stumps and flicks it over the top to pick up a couple, before dropping it on the legside for an easy single.
Rizan and Haris finding gaps with ease, making the NZ fielders run, trying to stop their easy singles, but to no avail.
Pakistan 127/1
15th over - Santner replaces Boult. Haris hoists it to wide long-off for a couple, before sweeping to long-on for a single. Rizwan helps a wide one on its way but Sodhi runs it down to keep it to three runs.
Haris picks up one towards cover, before Rizwan rocks onto his backfoot for an easy single on the legside. Harris picks up another single with a top edge to end the over.
Pakistan 122/1
14th over - Sodhi to bowl his last over, and Rizwan sweeps very hard to deep square for a single. Haris looks to sweep, misses, survives the LBW appeal, but Williamson reviews - and the impact is outside off. Not out.
Haris hits it through cover for a single, before Rizwan picks up one of his own through the legside to bring up his 23rd half-century in T20I cricket.
Haris looks to sweep but can't beat the fielder, before picking up a single on the last ball.
Pakistan 113/1
13th over - Boult is back into the attack. He bowls straight and Rizwan tucks it towards long leg for a single. Azam gets an inside edge for a single, before Rizan gets another easy run towards long-on.
Azam looks to smash Boult over his head but can't beat Mitchell in the deep and that's NZ's first wicket! Can this spark a Blackcaps comeback?
Haris the new batter in, and he plays it back to Boult his first delivery, before smashing him down the ground for four runs.
WICKET: Azam c Mitchell b Boult 53 Pakistan 109/1
12th over - Sodhi to bowl his third over. Rizwan sweeps hard towards deep midwicket for a single. Azam shows soft hands to drop it towards midwicket for another single.
Sodhi finds some turn and beats Rizwan's outside edge, before the Pakistani batter drops it on the legside for a single for bring up the opening pair's 100-run partnership.
Azam and Rizwan both notch another single to end the over.
Pakistan 102/0
11th over - Ferguson replaces Santner. Starts with a wide, before Rizan tips it towards covers for a single. Azam guides his first delivery towards deep third for another single.
Rizan now taps it towards deep third for a single, before Azam absolutely crunches it on the legside for four runs.
Ferguson manages a dot ball, before Azam brings up his half-century with two runs towards midwicket. Been a great knock.
Pakistan 97/0
10th over - Sodhi continues. Azam drops it towards point, but Boult can't connect with the throw - he would've been a goner! Rizwan plays a brilliant sweep fine and good running see them pick up three runs.
Azam and Rizwan exchange singles, before Azam plays a beautiful cut through point for four runs - great batting. Azam ends another good over with another two runs.
Pakistan 87/0
9th over - Santner to continue. Azam pulls through midwicket for one, before Rizan gets a couple of runs with a nicely timed sweep.
Rizwan and Azam continue to make the NZ fielders chase the ball, pickign up singles on both the offside and legside, before the former ends the over with a couple with a heave through deep midwicket after a misfield.
Pakistan 75/0
8th over - Sodhi replaces Ferguson to continue with spin. Azam defends the first before getting a single on the legside. Rizwan pulls for one run, before Azam adds to his tally with a single through the legside.
Both Pakistani batters finding gaps with ease, and are perfectly content to just pick up singles, as the pair add another to their name to end the over.
68/0
7th over - NZ need to slow things down, so they bring on Santner for some spin. Rizan picks up a single, before Azam defends it to cover for no run.
Azam punches it through covers for a single, before Rizwan returns the strike with one run on the legside.
Azam smokes a wide, short delivery on the legside for an easy boundary through backward square. Santner hits Azam on the pads the next ball and Williamson reviews! But it's going over! Looked quite close.
Pakistan 63/0
6th over - Ferguson continues. Azam picks up a single through square, before Rizwan mistimes it to mid-off for no run.
Rizwan can't connect, but Pakistan pick up a legbye, before Azam top edges it over everybody's head for four runs.
Azam and Rizan pick up a single each to end another good over for Pakistan. They finding the boundary rope a lot easier than NZ did.
55/0
5th over - Southee is back into the attack, and Rizan cracks him through midwicket for four runs, before picking up back-to-back boundaries - this time on the legside.
Rizwan clips the slower ball on the legside for a single, before Southee bowls a wide to Azam - NZ seem rattled at the moment.
Azam smashes Southee through square leg for four more runs, before picking up a single to end another good over for Pakistan.
Pakistan 47/0
4th over - Ferguson replaces Southee. Azam greets him with a beautiful drive down the ground for four runs. Azam drops it to deep third and a poor throw sees him pick up a couple.
Azam plays the same shot, but this time only picks up a single towards deep third. Rizwan defends to the offside, before picking up a single through covers.
Pakistan 32/0
3rd over - Boult continues and Azam bats it back towards the bowler, who does enough to keep it to a dot ball. But this time, Azam connects and clubbers it through cover for four runs.
Azam drops it short towards square for a single, before Rizwan flicks it off his pads for four runs down the legside - too straight from Boult.
Rizwan adds to his tally with another couple through cover with Phillips tracking it down. Rizwan crunches it through cover with another four runs on the offside!
Pakistan 24/0
2nd over - Southee into the attack. Rizwan hits it towards point for no run. Rizwan works it towards mid-on for a single, before Azam just defends it.
Azam misses a wide one down legside, and the umpire opts against calling it a wide, must have clipped his pad.
Azam happy to just block the ball back towards the pitch, before picking up a single off the final delivery towards mid-off. Good first over from Southee.
Pakistan 9/0
1st over - Boult to open the bowling for NZ and Rizwan hammers him through covers for a boundary. Boult bowls straighter and Rizan can't beat the fielder for no run.
Rizwan drops it short and sprints through for a quick single. Azam is dropped! His first ball is edged behind and Conway can't hang on to a tough chance wide of him.
Rizan clips it to covers for a single, before a dot ball to end the over. What could have been for NZ if Conway had held on!
Pakistan 7/0
INNINGS BREAK
20th over - Shah to bowl the last over! Neesham works it away to long-on for a couple, before another legbye for NZ after they snuck in a run with a play and miss.
Mitchell swings and swings big! But it won't carry to the boundary, or even the fielder and just picks up a single.
Neesham can't connect and NZ pick up another legbye on the offside. Mitchell swings hard again but again it evades the fielder and NZ add another couple runs.
Last ball now, and Shah bowls a brilliant yorker, and NZ are forced to run through for a legbye on the final delivery!
NZ 152/4
19th over - Rauf to bowl his last over. Neesham spots the slower ball and pulls for an easy single towards midwicket. Mitchell smashes it straight down the ground but Shadab does well to keep it to just two runs.
Mitchell can't connect with a straight one and NZ pick up the legbye. Neesham beats the short fine leg fielder to pick up his first boundary! Much needed.
Neesham blocks the next delivery and picks up a single towards cover. Mitchell ends the over with a couple more through midwicket to bring up his half-century!
NZ 144/4
18th over - Shah back into the attack and Mitchell beats extra cover for four runs! Just over the fielder's head. He picks up a single with a pull through the legside.
Neesham drags it towards deep square for a single, before Mitchell picks up another two towards long-on - good running.
Mitchell looks to heave the slower ball, but can only pick up a single, before Neesham ends the over with a run towards long-off.
NZ 133/4
17th over - Afridi continues with his pace. Mitchell can't connect with the flick and NZ pick up a legbye instead.
Williamson shuffles on the offside, looks to scoop Afridi over the top, but can't connect with the slower ball and he's bowled!
Neesham next batter in, gets a full toss first up and bats it back to Afridi for no run. Neesham drives nicely through cover to get off the mark with a couple.
Neesham gets another full toss and finds space right of deep square for another two, before picking up another couple through midwicket.
WICKET: Williamson b Afridi 46 NZ 123/4
16th over - Rauf is brought back. Williamson pulls him, Pakistan are quick to it and if Rauf had held on, Mitchell was a goner! NZ pick up two instead.
Williamson hits it through cover for a single, before Mitchell hits it very high and just manages to clear mid-off for two runs.
Rauf fires in a yorker on middle stump and Mitchell does well to keep it out and pick up another couple of runs.
Mitchell dealing in twos, as he slaps it away behind point for another couple, before ending the over with a single.
NZ 116/3
15th over - Afridi is back into the attack, and Williamson inside edges it along the ground to the keeper for no run. Afridi bowls a superb yorker and all Williamson can do is bat it back to him.
Williamson flicks a very straight delivery on the legside for four runs, before hitting it firmly through cover for an easy single.
Mitchell facing now and he whips it on the legside for an easy one, before Williamson steals a run off the last ball to keep the strike.
106/3
14th over - Shadab to bowl his last over, and Williamson picks up a quick single, before Mitchell hits it towards long-on for another run.
Williamson clips towards midwicket for a single, before Mitchell comes down the track and whacks a huge six over the bowler's head. He looks to cut but misses the final ball.
NZ 99/3
13th over - Wasim to bowl his second over, and Williamson welcomes him back with a six over midwicket - the first of the innings.
Williamson looks to have missed the next one, ball flicks his pad on its way to the keeper and Pakistan have asked for the review for LBW. Looks mighty high and it is! Williamson survives.
Williamson misses the next one again, but Pakistan this time opt not to review - looked like it was going down leg.
Pakistan finding a hint of reverse, as Williamson and Mitchell pick up a single each to end an eventful over.
NZ 89/3
12th over - Shah returns and Mitchell pulls a slower bouncer for a single towards short fine. Williamson guides it thhrough cover for a single, before NZ pickup a legbye, as Mitchell just misses with the flick.
Williamson pulls solidly through deep midwicket but the fielder does well to keep it to just two, before the NZ skipper adds to his tally with another single. Mitchell ends the over with another couple through midwicket.
NZ 81/3
11th over - Shadab to bowl his third over. Williamson hits it to long-on for a single, before Mitchell somehow evades the fielders for four runs on the offside. Shadab found the edge but the ball fell safe of Pakistan.
Mitchell smacks it to wide long-off for a couple, before another forceful pull is well fielded for another two runs.
But Mitchell does find the rope this time, coming down the ground and smacking it over the bowler's head for a one-bounce four. Ends a good over with a single.
NZ 73/3
10th over - Nawaz to continue his spin. Williamson clips it off his pads for a single, before Mitchell hits a low full toss to long-on for a single.
Williamson clips another through midwicket for a single, before Mitchell hits it on the legside for another run.
Williamson follows Mitchell's lead and taps it through midwicket for one run, before Mitchell uses his feet and flicks it on the legside for two runs.
NZ 59/3
9th over - Shadab continues. Williamson bats it back to the bowler, before dropping it on the legside for a single through midwicket.
Mitchell defends his first ball to backward point, before almost running himself out, but Masood can't hit the stumps.
Williamson hits it to covers for no run, before nudging it leg for a single to end the over.
NZ 52/3
8th over - Nawaz to bowl spin from the other end. Williamson flicks him down the ground through mid-on for a single. Phillips bats it back to Nawaz, the bowler turns and looks to through to catch Williamson out but decides against it...the skipper was struggling.
Phillips hits it to deep midwicket for a single, before Williamson finds space through midwicket with a flick for a couple. Williamson tucks it behind square for a single.
Nawaz slows his pace up, Phillips looks to work it through deep midwicket and a leading edge finds Nawaz for an easy caught and bowled!
WICKET: Phillips c&b Nawaz 6 NZ 49/3
7th over - Shadab, who ran Conway out, to bowl his first over of spin. Phillips shows good wrists to pick up a single first ball. Williamson whips it on the legside for an easy single, before Phillips cuts brilliantly through backward point for a boundary.
Shadab slows it up and Phillips defends it right back to him, before cutting to backward point for no run. He can't find space on the offside with the last ball, and that's a dot to end the over.
NZ 44/2
6th over - Rauf continues, and Conway greets him by slogging him over cover for four runs, a great shot. Conway defends the next ball towards cover for one, before Williamson picks up a single on the legside.
Conway rockets back and pulls hard behind square but can only pick up a couple. Rauf bowling 150kph! He bats it down for a dot.
Conway is early into the delivery and finds mid-off on the bounce, he sprints down the other end and there's a direct hit! We're going to the TV umpire and he's OUT! What a shame.
WICKET: Conway runout 21 NZ 38/2
5th over - Wasim replaces Afridi. Conway pulls around the corner for a single, before Rauf does brilliantly to cut off a Williamson whip. Conway taps through covers, and there's a direct hit but Williamson is safe!
Williamson flicks a length ball on the pads to deep square for a single, before Conway picks up one run off an inside edge on the offside.
30/1
4th over - Rauf replaces Shah. Williamson plays a lovely shot down the ground, but Shadab does well to get a hand on it to keep it to just a couple. Williamson blocks the next, before whipping it through the legside for a single.
Conway faces his first ball of the over and taps it back through mid-off for a single. Williamson can't get the final two balls away, with plenty of movement in front of the sidescreen proving very distracting for the skipper.
NZ 23/1
3rd over - Afridi continues, and Williamson hits it through cover for three runs. Conway to face now, and he misses as he looked to whip it through the legside. He clips the next one to mid-on for no run, before picking up a single through backward square leg.
Williamson guides the ball towards deep third for an easy single, before Conway misses another straight one for a dot ball to end the over.
NZ 19/1
2nd over - Shah to bowl from the other end. Conway plays and missed the first delivery. Conway steers the next ball to backward point, before defending to cover for a third dot in a row.
Conway finally frees the arms, rocks back and pulls in front of the square boundary fielder for four runs! Conway blocks the next one and the ball ALMOST rolls back onto his stumps!
Conway charges the final delivery and it runs away for another boundary!
NZ 14/1
1st over - Afridi to bowl the first over. Allen faces first, and he smashes it down the ground for a four straight away!
He misses a straight one next delivery, he's given LBW! He reviews...and there is a huge inside edge! Allen lives on.
AND AGAIN! He misses another and is trapped LBW! He reviews again...this one looks much closer, and he's dead, Allen must depart.
Williamson is next man in! He starts with a single through midwicket. Conway faces his first ball and fends it on the offside for a single. Williamson leaves the final ball.
WICKET: Allen lbw b Afridi 4 (3) NZ 6/1
8:58pm - Anthems are done, NZ players really look like they're enjoying the occasion. Allen and Conway begin their walk to the middle. Here we go!
8:52pm - NZ and Pakistan making their way out onto the field for the national anthems. The Blackcaps will back themselves on the same pitch they shocked Australia just two weeks ago.
8:40pm - South African fast bowling legend Shaun Pollock says anything above 160 would be a good total - also expects reverse swing on a pitch devoid of grass.
8:35pm - Both teams are unchanged! Seems like a bat-first pitch but Pakistan's captain Babar Azam seems content with bowling first. Should be a cracker!
8:33pm - Blackcaps have won the toss and Kane Williamson opts for a bat! A first up win for the skipper and his men.
8:30pm - Welcome! Thank you for joining us tonight, as NZ look to book their spot in the T20 World Cup final. We're not far away from the toss! I can tell you the weather is perfect.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the T20 World Cup semi-final clash between New Zealand and Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Blackcaps topped Group One, ahead of England and ousted hosts Australia, and will play familiar foes for a spot in another world cricket final.
Pakistan recently beat the Blackcaps in New Zealand to claim the tri-series title, but needed the help of the Netherlands to qualify for the final four in the T20 World Cup.
The Blackcaps carry all the momentum heading into the must-win fixture, with just one defeat to England in the Super 12 phase.
Captain Kane Williamson has found much-needed form with the bat, following his blistering 61-run knock in their win over Ireland, but Pakistan are always tricky opposition for any team in a knockout game and will fancy their chances of breaking NZ hearts at another World Cup.
Their volatility - losing to Zimbabwe, then beating South Africa in the same week - will present a tricky tie for the Blackcaps.
TAB Odds: New Zealand $1.73 Pakistan $2.03
New Zealand (possible): 1-Finn Allen, 2-Devon Conway (wk), 3-Kane Williamson (capt), 4-Glenn Phillips, 5-Daryl Mitchell, 6-James Neesham, 7-Mitchell Santner, 8-Tim Southee, 9-Trent Boult, 10-Ish Sodhi, 11-Lockie Ferguson
Pakistan (possible): 1-Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2-Babar Azam (capt), 3-Mohammad Haris, 4-Shan Masood, 5-Iftikhar Ahmed, 6-Mohammad Nawaz, 7-Shadab Khan, 8-Mohammad Wasim, 9-Naseem Shah, 10-Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11-Haris Rauf
Blackcaps relaxed before tricky T20 World Cup semi against Pakistan, by Emma Cropper
Never one to get too worked up, Blackcaps skipper Kane Williamson appears relaxed on the eve of his team's T20 World Cup semi-final.
New Zealand have lost crucial knockout games against Pakistan in the past, but Williamson's confident his side are up for the challenge.
It's an all too familiar feeling, focusing on a World Cup semi-final, and the Blackcaps captain is no stranger to it.
"It's a nice place to be," he said. "On any day, anything can happen - just focusing on one game at a time."
For now, that's beating Pakistan, a side known for their unpredictability in big games - they've been a thorn in New Zealand sides since the 1992 semi-final loss.
"I was two," Williamson laughed, but he will carry the legacy of New Zealand history with him tomorrow.
"When you turn up, you want to win, that's sort of part of the idea," he said.
On the boundary of the Sydney semi-final, attention has been on Sri Lankan Danushka Gunathilaka, behind bars until after Christmas, after being accused of rape.
"We're just here to focus on cricket," Williamson said, after he was asked if the incident had overshadowed the match.
Their rivals know how good the Blackcaps are at that.
"Like NZ sport in general, they really punch above their weight," said former Australian opener and Pakistan batting coach Matthew Hayden.
"They believe they can win this tournament and they've got the potential to do that, so lots of threats to our camp - no question."
