Just when it looked all but over for Australia, Michael Hussey pulled off a deed worthy of the title ‘Mr Cricket’, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the semifinal clash of the 2010 T20 World Cup against Pakistan at Gros Islet.
First published in October 2012.
Australia had strolled into the last four and started as firm favourites to meet England in the final, with a shaky Pakistan side, that had scraped through by the skin of their teeth, blocking their path.
The first innings didn’t go to script though as the Akmal brothers each notched half-centuries to propel the underdogs to 191 and when Mohammad Amir sent back both the Aussie openers inside three overs, an upset looked on the cards.
Wickets continued to fall as the Pakistani spinners turned the screw in the middle overs and when Dave Hussey fell to bring his older brother to the crease, Australia needed 92 from 45 balls with only five wickets in tact.
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
Hussey started cautiously and was only able to muster three singles from his first six balls as the required run-rate continued to climb with the match seemingly slipping away. With 70 needed from the final five overs, it was time to act.
Right on cue Hussey pulled successive deliveries from Shahid Afridi into the stands only for the wickets of Cameron White and Steve Smith to halt the momentum. If Australia were to progress, Hussey was going to have to play a lone hand.
#OnThisDay in 2010, Mike Hussey played one of the most remarkable #T20WorldCup innings of all time, smashing 60* off 24 balls to take Australia to the final! pic.twitter.com/OGXIphjW2R
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) May 14, 2019
He continued to motor, dispatching Saeed Ajmal over deep square leg for a maximum before taking 14 runs from Amir’s final over to leave 18 required from the final six balls. Pakistan remained favourites, but Hussey had given Australia a sniff.
After gaining the strike from Mitchell Johnson, Hussey went into overdrive, heaving Ajmal for two almighty sixes to bring up his fifty from 22 balls before carving a boundary over point to leave just one more run needed. Hussey finished it in style, launching a sixth maximum into the stands as the stunned Pakistanis sank to their knees and the jubilant Australians sprinted on to the pitch to embrace their match-winner.
