Matthew Hayden fires warning to teams ahead of semi-finals

Australia legend and Pakistan team mentor Matthew Hayden delivered a rousing speech in the dressing room following their qualification to the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The Men in Green were on the verge of an elimination as South Africa seemed favourites to make it to the last four of the event along with India.

However, in an interesting turn of events, the Proteas’ shocking loss to the Netherlands made the Bangladesh-Pakistan fixture a virtual knockout contest. Babar Azam’s Pakistan then comfortably took the scenario to their advantage and capitalized on it thereby qualifying to the last four.

Post-match, in the dressing room, legendary cricketer and mentor Hayden gave a pep talk to the side to uplift their spirits ahead of the semi-finals.

“There was that kind of thinking that potentially it was going to be a different result but the moment that Pakistan cricket fires off with intent and starts to reveal its teeth, they become a real threat,” said Hayden in the dressing room.

Pakistan to play New Zealand in semi-finals

The mentor further fired subtle warning to the teams in the semi-finals- India, England, and New Zealand and stated that the Netherlands played a major role in their success.

“There will be no one in this world, in this competition that would want to face us right now, Not One! They thought that they got rid of us. Now, they’re not going to get rid of us. If not for Dutch, perhaps, well not perhaps, we’re not here. Now we’re here and it’s powerful because no one wants to see us here and that’s the element of surprise that we have got advantage of,” he concluded.

As the Super 12 stage of the marquee event has concluded, the fixtures for the last four is on the horizon. Pakistan are set to lock horns with the Kiwis at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the final spot in the T20 World Cup 2022.