Pakistan’s rollercoaster route to the final: How Babar Azam’s side rescued their World Cup

Nov 10: The past three weeks have been a rollercoaster for Babar Azam and his Pakistan side.

Last-ball losses to India and Zimbabwe seemed to have ended Pakistan's hopes before their campaign had even really gotten going. And zero points from two games left them needing something approaching a miracle to make it through to the final four.

But miracles happen.

Here is a match-by-match account of Pakistan's dramatic and unlikely path to the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup.

vs India – Lost by four wickets

A loss in the opening game was always going to be disappointing, but for it to come against rivals India in front of a capacity crowd at the MCG off the final ball of the game was gut-wrenching.

The impact of losing in such a manner to a Virat Kohli-inspired India threw Pakistan off balance, in much the same way as they had done to their neighbours 12 months previously when the roles were reversed.

vs Zimbabwe – Lost by one run

In some ways, the final-ball defeat to Zimbabwe was even more devastating than the loss to India. Coming against an opponent that they would have expected to beat, Pakistan also should have gone on to win the game from the position they got themselves into in the chase. But a misfiring middle and lower order stuttered at precisely the wrong moment.

Two defeats are often enough to consign a team to a Group Stage exit. One defeat was enough to deny Australia a semi-final spot in Group 1. And the tone in the Pakistan squad was sombre in the aftermath - they knew it required a cricketing miracle for their tournament to be saved from such a position.

vs Netherlands – Won by six wickets

Back to winning ways, Pakistan got themselves on the board in style and massively improved their net run rate in the process.

It was the bowlers who set up the win, ripping through the Dutch top order in a terrific team effort. Bas de Leede was forced to retire hurt after being struck in the face, and only two batters made it to double figures as the Netherlands were restricted to just 91/9.

In response it was Mohammad Rizwan who set things up, hitting 49 in a composed chase that lasted just 13.5 overs.

vs South Africa – Won by 33 runs (DLS Method)

The game that ultimately proved the difference came against an in-form South Africa. Pakistan knew they had to win to be in with any chance on the final day, and win they did.

A sparkling cameo from late call-up Mohammad Haris gave the game an early boost, before classy half-centuries from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan helped Pakistan to 185/9.

Shadab was particularly eye-catching, scoring 52 from just 22 balls, before doing his part with the ball too, removing Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram.

Shaheen Afridi was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/14 as Pakistan tore the Proteas apart. Rain shortened the game, but the position in which the match was in before the delay meant it only succeeded in reducing the severity of South Africa’s defeat.

South Africa vs Netherlands – Dutch won by 13 runs

Watching on nervously in Adelaide as they waited for the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, Pakistan could scarcely have believed what they watched.

A good opening stand and some late power-hitting lifted the Dutch to a competitive but very chaseable target. Yet a South Africa batting line-up that had the power to beat anyone in the tournament crumbled when it mattered, stumbling their way to a 13-run defeat.

It was the shock result that Pakistan needed, and suddenly things were back in their own hands for the first time in weeks.

vs Bangladesh – Won by five wickets

Big players make big impacts in big games, and Pakistan's stars did just that.

Shaheen Shah Afridi did much of the damage with the ball, ripping through Bangladesh and denying the Tigers a chance to set a decent first-innings total.

And in the chase it was calm (maybe even slow) and exactly what the doctor ordered from Pakistan's opening pair. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam had been a misfiring combination for much of the Super 12 stage, but their opening stand set the platform for a successful chase and kept Bangladesh's most dangerous bowlers out of the game. It wasn't pretty, but it was extremely effective.

Semi-final vs New Zealand – Won by seven wickets

The mood around Pakistan’s squad is transformed and this team on a roll is a daunting prospect.

They overpowered New Zealand in Sydney, with Shaheen Afridi sparking the evening into life with his dismissal of Finn Allen in a brilliant first over.

A combined effort with the ball and in the field restricted New Zealand to a very gettable 152/4, and then the openers turned up for the first time as a partnership.

Babar and Rizwan’s century stand set up the win and was a welcome return to form for the pair at just the right moment.