Babar Azam defended Hassan Ali after a crucial catch in Semi Final

Dubai: Pakistani captain Babar Azam described Hassan Ali on Thursday as "a fighter" who would rebound from a catch on Matthew Wade's ball at a crucial moment in the T20 World Cup semi-finals, which Australia lost with five wickets on Thursday. Marcus Stevens (40) and Wade (41) made an unbeaten score of 81 and broke the hearts of thousands of Pakistanis with a duel of six in a crowded stadium.

Left-handed Wade hit three straight sixes ahead of Pakistani fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 19th round, before being overtaken by Ali shortly before. "I don't think so," Babar said when Hassan's drop catch was blamed for the defeat. “He's my main bowler and has won a lot of games for Pakistan. Players drop catches but he's a fighter and I'll support him. “Not everyone performs every day. There is a day someone performs, it wasn't their day. He's down and we're gonna lift his spirits. People will talk, but we'll keep playing. "

Ali was trolled on social media as fans accused him of missing the World Cup after unbeaten in the semi-finals and as a favorite. A Twitter user said: "Hassan Ali alone finished the best ever performance of the Pakistani cricket team at the World Cup." But Wade turned down the opportunity as a turning point, insisting that Australia had already gained momentum. “I think we needed 12 or so at this point, maybe at this point. I felt like the game was swinging in our direction at that point, ”said Wade of the dropped catch."I think when the catch was dropped I had a lot of confidence that we were in a really good position to score."

"If it had been three or four overs earlier, the game would have turned out a little better." Wade was at 21 when Ali, walking without a wicket and giving up 44 runs in his four overs, ran to the left and dropped a catch in the deep center of the wicket. But Babar admitted that catches shape the outcome of a game, saying, "The scenario would have been different if the catch had been made, but it's part of the game."

Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhr Zaman helped Pakistan get 176-4 but the total proved insufficient for an impressive Australian team that got off to a great start thanks to David Warner's 49 runs. "It was a disappointing day," said Babar, who topped the tournament's hit list with 303 runs for 39 runs. “We started well with a good overall result, but unfortunately it didn't end well. "The way we played the tournament and the way the guys started, we will definitely continue."

Catches win matches, it is said, and a rare drop by Hasan Ali on a day when Pakistan was brilliant on the field cost them the match when Australian batsman Matthew Wade used the lifeline he was given and went nuts to get his team into it Catapult final of the ICC T20 World Cup. Babar Azam took 22 of the last 2 overs and brought on his best bowler of the tournament, Shaheen Shah Afridi, to deliver the penultimate over. After a close start from Shaheen, Wade tried to get big by lifting one towards the deep mid-wicket region. Ali ran to the left, pocketed the ball, and spilled it. The drop also meant Wade added two more on the board. Of 9 deliveries, 18 were required. 6. 6. 6. Wade finished the match in style. Australia put on a stunning chase, beating Pakistan for 5 wickets and an over to save.