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Pakistan kept their hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 stage alive with an seven-wicket win over Canada on the low scoring Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York. After Aaron Johnson’s half-century helped Canada post 106/7 on the board, Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten 53 helped Pakistan get over the line with 15 balls to spare.
Johnson's gutsy fifty help Canada get past 100
Earlier Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field first. Johnson started with two fours against Shaheen Afridi in the first over. Mohammad Amir got the breakthrough by knocking over Navneet Dhaliwal. Afridi came back to dismiss Pargat Singh in the sixth over. Canada were 30/2 after powerplay overs. Johnson hit Haris Rauf for a six as well. In the same over, Nicholas Kirton became victim to a mix-up as Imad Wasim ran him out with a direct hit. Johnson continued to hit big. Rauf came back into the attack to take two wickets in the 10th over. Shreyas Movva and Ravinderpal Singh became his victims. At the halfway stage, Canada lost half the side for 55 runs.
Johnson hit Wasim for a six as well. Rauf got the better of him but Fakhar Zaman dropped the catch in the 12th over. Johnson got to his fifty with a six. He took 39 balls to reach the milestone. Naseem Shah knocked over Johnson in the 14th over. He scored 52 runs from 44 balls. Skipper Saad Bin Zafar played too many dot balls before falling to Amir in the 17th over. He scored 10 runs from 21 balls. Kaleem Sana and Dillon Heyliger got Canada to post 106/7. Sana hit a six in the final over off Shah's bowling.
Ayub falls early
Saim Ayub opened the innings alongside Rizwan instead of Babar. After a slow start, he fell to Heyliger after scoring just six runs from 12 balls. Pakistan were 28/1 after six overs. Rizwan and Babar tried to soak the pressure in middle overs. Babar hit the first six of the innings in the 10th over off Junaid Siddiqui. Pakistan were 59/1 at halfway stage. Both batters did not take risks in middle overs.
Rizwan hits fifty
Heyliger broke the partnership as Babar poked at a delivery and got caught. He contributed with a run-a-ball 33. Rizwan hit a six to release pressure in the next over. In the 17th over, he reached his fifty from 52 balls. In the 18th over, Zaman lost his wicket to Jeremy Gordon. In the same over, Usman Khan hit the winning runs as Pakistan won with 15 balls to spare.
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