Pakistan in semi-finals after rain spoils India-Aussie game

Manoj Vatsyayana

Pakistan qualified for the Champions Trophy semi-finals after the India-Australia match was abandoned due to rain here on Monday. Pakistan have already secured four points after winning both of their matches in the four-team Group A, while Australia have three points and India one after two games. The West Indies have lost both of their games.

The top two sides advance to the semi-finals.

Defending champions Australia were on course for a big total before the play was called off due to heavy rain in the day-night match.

They posted 234-4 in 42.3 overs after winning the toss on a good batting track, with Michael Hussey (67), skipper Ricky Ponting (65) and Tim Paine (56) all making the most of a mediocre Indian attack. Cameron White was unbeaten on 35 and Callum Ferguson on two. India, needing a win to boost their hopes of making it to the last-four, bowled inconsistently, failing to keep pressure on Paine, Ponting and Hussey.

Australia lost an early wicket when Shane Watson pulled left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra to Harbhajan Singh at mid-wicket.

CENTURION, South Africa, Wednesday, AFP

		AUSTRALIA

S. Watson b Harbhajan b Nehra 		 00
T. Paine c Harbhajan b Mishra 		 56
R. Ponting run out 			 65
M. Hussey c Tendulkar b Sharma 		 67
C. White not out 			 35
C. Ferguson not out 			 02
Extras (b1, lb1, w7) 			 09
Total (for four wickets;42.3 overs) 	234

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-87, 3-175, 4-227.

Bowling: Nehra 8-1-38-1, Kumar 8-0-34-0 (w3), Sharma 7.3-0-53-1 (w1), 
		Mishra 9-0-45-1 (w1), Harbhajan 9-0-54-0 (w2), Raina 1-0-8-0.