Following Australia’s stupendous win against Pakistan in the second semi-final of ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai, wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade said that he’s happy to repay the faith after spending 2-3 years out of the team.
An unbeaten 81-run partnership between Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis helped Australia snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and seal a place in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021.
Chasing the target of 177 runs, Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals and it almost seemed that their hopes of qualifying for the final of the tournament will shatter as they found themselves tumbling at 96/5.
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However, Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis took charge to the Pakistani bowlers and smashed 62 runs in the last 5 overs to help Australia chase the target. While the wicketkeeper batter remained unbeaten on 41 runs, the Stoinis smashed unbeaten 40 runs.
With 22 runs needed off the last two overs, Mathew Wade smashed Shaheen Afridi for three consecutive sixes in the penultimate over to win the game for his side.
Wade was adjudged the Player of the Match and said that he had chatted with Marcus Stoinis about what the opposition is doing. He talked about playing two ramp shots in the end and said that he was glad to connect them in the end.
He admitted that he was unsure but Marcus Stoinis showed him the way out.
"I was talking to Stoinis at the other end and tried to work out what they're doing. I got a little more pace on than expected, I probably could have used it a little bit earlier, but yeah.. glad to get a couple at the end.
“There wasn't a lot of chat before I went in as we lost quick wickets. But when I got out there, me and Marcus had batted together in the first game and got some momentum today as well. I was a bit unsure but Marcus showed me the way out," Matthew Wade said at the post-match presentation.
Wade said that with the required run rate being 12, he had to hit everything in his arc and he was confident of targeting the short side. He said that Marcus Stoinis hitting the boundary in the 18th over got them to the total, where he was confident of achieving. He added that he’s happy to repay the faith after being out of the team for 2-3 years.
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"There was one short side and I was confident that if I had to target that then I could pull it off, but it got down to two-a-ball and you had to hit everything in your arc. I got a boundary away early on and then stalled for 5-6 balls, but Marcus got the boundary away and got us to a total where I was confident in the last two overs.
“It hasn't sunk in but probably when I sit down tonight it might sink in. I was out of the two teams for 2-3 years, just came back 20 games ago and am happy to have repaid the faith," he said.
Australia will now take on New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday (14th November)
(ANI inputs)
