Pakistan mentor Matthew Hayden said no one wanted to see Pakistan in the semifinals but they managed to advance to this stage of the T20 World Cup 2022 and will have the advantage of being unpredictable.
The Men in Green were on the verge of facing a group stage exit after losing to India in their first match of the tournament, followed by a shock defeat to Zimbabwe by one run. But luck favoured them as the Netherlands pulled of one of the biggest upsets in the history of T20 World Cup, beating South Africa by 13 runs. The side then defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in a virtual quarterfinal to book their ticket to the semifinals.
“It’s just a miracle that we are seeing unfold here but even before we got to this day, I sensed that we have this trust in the process.. we’ve got the energy, we’ve got the commitment and belief to each other, then the magic just unfolds,”
the former Australia great said dressing room speech after Sunday’s match.
“It hasn’t been smooth sailing. If it wasn’t for the Dutch, we would not be here. But we are here and it is powerful because no one wants to see us and that’s the element of surprise we have got the advantage,”
he said in a video footage uploaded by the ICC.
The ex-Australia opener Hayden was the batting coach for Pakistan in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup and was appointed as the mentor for the ongoing tournament in Australia.
He compared this edition to the previous one in the UAE, where they were unbeaten in the group stage and went into the semifinals with huge expectations. Hayden said the element of surprise this time can be an advantage for Pakistan.
Pakistan will take on the group 1 table-toppers New Zealand in the first semifinal at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
