SHARJAH: Pakistan chief Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik broke rankling half-hundreds of years as the previous World Twenty20 heroes facilitated past Scotland by 72 sudden spikes in demand for Sunday to seal best position in Group II and set up a semi-last gathering with Australia.
Babar picked to bat first subsequent to winning the throw and drove from the front with a 47-ball 66 that contained five limits and three sixes before Malik put the Scots to the blade with 54 not out off only 18 balls — Pakistan’s quickest fifty in a T20 game — dabbed by six hits over the ropes.
Mohammad Hafeez likewise got the party together with a 19-ball 31 to assist them with arriving at an instructing 189-4 in their 20 overs, with 114 falling off the last eight.
Scotland were never in chase as they oversaw 117-6 with Richie Berrington battling a solitary hand during his 37-ball 54 not out with four limits and a six.
The triumph gave the 2009 heroes five successes in as many games, finishing off the gathering with ten focuses. They currently face Australia in the second semi-last in Dubai on Thursday. Britain will confront New Zealand in the main semi-last in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
“Shoaib, the manner in which he completed, the manner in which he showed his experience, that is the thing that he’s known for,” said Babar of his kid partner.
“We’ll convey great certainty into the semi-finals and attempt to play similarly. Certainly Dubai is one of the most incredible arenas. As a player if you play before an entire group that cheers for you, your certainty increments.”
Scotland lost captain Kyle Coetzer (nine), Matthew Cross (five) and George Munsey (17) preceding they crossed fifty and it was passed on to Berrington and Micheal Leask (14) to add 46 for the fifth wicket.
Berrington raised his 50 years in the eighteenth over off Hasan Ali, crushing the paceman for an enormous six en route, however his gutsy innings went to no end as spinner Shadab Khan (2-14) maintained the tension. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali asserted a wicket each.
“I thought we bowled all around well today, particularly in the powerplay,” said Coetzer whose group lost each of the five Super 12 games however crushed Bangladesh in the passing round.
“At the point when you have the power in the batting line-up like Pakistan you realize that they will track down the limits at some stage, yet I thought our folks contended energetically today.”
Prior, Babar had set the stage with another fine thump.
Malik’s merciless assault saw the most experienced T20 player on the planet rebuff the Scottish assault, taking 26 off Chris Greaves’ last finished.
Babar proceeded with his preeminent batting structure, turning into the competition’s most noteworthy run-scorer, passing England’s Jos Buttler’s 240 of every five matches with 264 in as many games.
He holed out to spinner Greaves in the eighteenth over as Pakistan lifted the scoring rate, adding 129 in the last ten overs and an unbelievable 77 in the last five.
Babar and Mohammad Rizwan (15) had put on a sluggish 35 for the initial stand.
Rizwan, when on five, broke West Indian Chris Gayle’s record for most runs in Twenty20 cricket in a schedule year. Rizwan currently has 1,676 runs in 41 matches. Gayle had indented 1,665 of every 36 matches in 2015.
