Welcome to Sportstar‘s LIVE coverage of the T20 World Cup 2021 Semifinal 2 between Australia and Pakistan. This is Santadeep Dey, bringing you all the action as it unfolds at the Dubai International Stadium.

PAK vs AUS LIVE COMMENTARY

Stay tuned! The live coverage begins at 7-30PM IST.

PAK vs AUS PLAYING XI

Pakistan:  Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

WHAT THEY SAID

Babar Azam, Pakistan skipper: We will look to put runs on the board and then defend it. It is an honour to lead this bunch of players. The UAE is our backyard; we know these conditions well. No changes for us.

Aaron Finch, Australia captain: We will bowl. The wicket will not change a lot over the course of the game. The guys are relaxed. This pitch has played true right through the IPL and the World Cup. Same team.

PAK vs AUS TOSS

Australia wins toss and chooses to field

PAK vs AUS PITCH REPORT

“It is a little dry. Whichever team wins toss, will look to chase. The spinners will have purchase. In the second innings dew will become factor,” reckons VVS Laxman.

PAK vs AUS LIVE UPDATES

– 6-08 PM IST: Team Australia begins its warm-up.

– 5-44 PM IST: “The strip is the same as the one that was used for IND v PAK but Pakistan’s dressing room has changed for the semifinal,” texts Amol.

– 5-26 PM IST: Our correspondent tweets –

PAK vs AUS PREVIEW

Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, two of Australia’s strongest opening batsmen in Test cricket, will meet each other in different colours in the T20 World Cup semifinal in Dubai on Thursday.

Hayden, in his maiden assignment as the coaching staff in the Pakistan cricket team, will be hoping for a win against the Aussies, coached by Langer.

Being the only unbeaten side in the tournament, Hayden will be expecting his boys to maintain the form.

Besides, the semifinal could well be touted as a curtain-raiser to Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 2022 after 24 years.

Going by the line-ups, it has the making of a humdinger. Aaron Finch and David Warner are the closest competitors to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the race for the best opening combination of the tournament.

There is little to choose between Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali – all of them have left their footprints in the T20 World Cup.

The battle of spinners could end up being the decisive factor. Adam Zampa has been a revelation for Australia, being the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Super 12 stage with 11 scalps. On the contrary, despite their ability to stifle batters, neither Shadab Khan nor Imad Wasim has been among wickets consistently.

If Zampa spins his web to keep the Pakistan middle-order – comprising Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali and Mohammad Hafeez – quiet, Australia will have a chance to shine at the biggest stage of the shortest format.

– Amol Karhadkar

PAK vs AUS PREDICTED XI

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

PAK vs AUS DREAM11 PREDICTION

Wicketkeeper – Mohammad Rizwan (vc)

Batters – David Warner, Babar Azam (c), Steve Smith, Shoaib Malik

All-rounders – Glenn Maxwell, Shadab Khan

Bowlers – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

Team Composition: PAK 6-5 AUS Credits left: 0.0

PAK vs AUS HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS

Span: 2007-2021

Matches: 23

Won: Pakistan – 13, Australia – 9, NR – 1

In T20 WC: Won: Pakistan – 3, Australia – 3

HS (PAK) vs AUS: 201

LS (PAK) vs AUS 74

HS (AUS) vs PAK: 196

LS (AUS) vs PAK: 89

PAK vs AUS STARS

PAK vs AUS WIN PREDICTION

Pakistan (51%)

PAK vs AUS SQUADS

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sarfaraz Ahmed

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Kane Richardson, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson, Josh Inglis

WHERE TO WATCH T20 WORLD CUP 2021 SEMIFINAL 2 PAK vs AUS LIVE?

The Pakistan vs Australia match will be aired LIVE on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu and Star Sports 1 Kannada. The match will also be live streamed on Hotstar.