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In the semi-final match against New Zealand, a surprise Pakistan team won very easily. Babar Azam and Rizwan played very well in this. Shaheen Shah Afridi and others were stifled by the bowling. All of them were highly appreciated.
Among them, another is being tipped for Pakistan’s victory. He is Matthew Hayden. Consultant of Pakistan team.
“It’s no surprise that Pakistan have done so well under Matthew Hayden,” said former Australia fast bowler Fred Lee.
What did Matthew Hayden do?
After the match against New Zealand, the photos of Pakistani teammates including Babar Azam hugging Matthew Hayden went viral on social media. It was an emotional moment.
There is a reason for that excitement. Mathew Hayden had spoken encouragingly to Babar Azam, who had not played well throughout the series, before the New Zealand match.
“Great players like Babar don’t stay in bad form for long,” he had said then. He then said that Rizwan and Babar are the world’s No. 1 openers.
Comparing Babar Azam to Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden also expressed hope that Babar will perform as well as Gilchrist did in the 2007 50-over World Cup final.
That’s what happened in the match against New Zealand. Rizwan and Babar scored half-centuries to lay the foundation for the team’s victory. They scored 105 runs in 12.4 overs. It was only after that that they embraced Matthew Hayden, who had faith in them.
“Matthew Hayden has always been a leader. A person who can speak from the heart. “He can point out when something is wrong,” says former Australian fast bowler Fred Lee.
“His passion and dedication was palpable,” said Adam Gilchrist, another colleague of Matthew Haden’s, in an interview.
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Matthew Hayden is now 51 years old. He played international cricket for Australia from 1993 to 2007. Statistics show that he is one of Australia’s best openers.
The Babar-led Pakistan team stumbled in the opening matches of the World T20 series. Defeats against India and Zimbabwe cast doubts over whether the team would make it to the semi-finals.
But in the next three matches, they beat teams including South Africa and retained their chance for the semi-finals. South Africa lost to the Netherlands on the final day, giving Pakistan a place in the semi-finals.
However, when there were doubts about whether the team could overcome a strong New Zealand team that had struggled in the opening matches, they easily defeated them and entered the final. Pakistan fans are feeling proud that they have entered the finals once again, as if the team that had disappeared somewhere in 1992 had finally won the trophy.
“Love the fight”
Matthew Hayden has not been appointed as the direct coach of the Pakistan team. He is only a consultant to the team. But he can be seen on the field as the one who can lead the team.
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“I really love the struggle. Struggle is what gives us the opportunity to grow. It builds a team,” says Matthew Hayden.
He can be seen inside the stadium during breaks in Pakistan matches. At other moments he is also seen giving advice to the players. A lot of people have started demanding on social media that he should be made a coach who is a consultant.
How about the Pakistan-England match?
Pakistan and England are set to clash in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday. The match starts at 1.30 PM IST at the Melbourne Stadium.
Both the teams are ready for the final, buoyed by easy wins in the semi-finals. Pakistan team has won the last 4 matches in a row. England have won 3 matches in a row.
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Like Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Rizwan, England’s Buttler and Hales have started to give good starts. Shaheen Shah Afridi is to Pakistan what Sam Karan is to England. Both sides are now considered to be of equal strength.
It can be hoped that there will be no change in the Pakistan team. However, there is no announcement yet whether England’s Mark Wood and Malan will be included.
How about Melbourne Stadium?
The weather in Melbourne is expected to be bad tomorrow. However, there may be time to play the match to get results. Going by the previous matches played at this ground, it will be challenging for the second batting team to score more than 160 runs.
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