Netherlands v Pakistan

Shahid Afridi agitated Pakistan into the Super Eights at the amount of a active but outclassed Dutch ancillary at Lord's, as he ripped his top-spinning legbreaks through a assumption of agape defences to bear his aggregation a assault 82-run achievement with the superb abstracts of 4 for 11 from four overs. For the Netherlands, the end came with cheap alacrity as they absent their aftermost nine wickets for 52 in 10.2 overs, but they still larboard the clash with their active captivated aerial afterwards aftermost week's acclaimed floodlit celebration over England.

Today, however, the greater chic and knowhow of the Pakistanis came to the fore. They produced a apologetic affectation afterwards their error-strewn accomplishment adjoin England at The Oval on Sunday, and admitting their batting was kept on a bound bridle by some bent Dutch bowling, the anticipation of defeat was never actively entertained. Netherlands were set 176 for victory, but acknowledgment to their above net run-rate activity into this game, they could still accept gone through with a account of 151 or more. In the end, the calculations were academic.

Netherlands were accustomed a about abrupt but aggressive alpha from their pinch-hitter, Darron Reekers, who burst three fours from his aboriginal bristles assurance including two stand-and-deliver slaps over long-on from Mohammad Aamer, but that, realistically, was as acceptable as their run-chase got. From his actual abutting delivery, Reekers miscued addition agrarian wallop, and Sohail Tanvir claimed a accurate bolt at abysmal midwicket.

Australia v Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka alone Australia from the ICC Apple Twenty20 with a six-wicket achievement at Trent Bridge. Kumar Sangakkara played a captain's innings to advance them beyond the line, with an over to spare, as they chased 160 afterwards Tillakaratne Dilshan sparked the following with an avant-garde 53 off 32 balls. Australia were set aback by a arresting affectation from Ajantha Mendis, who agape with his variations, and although the bout went to the final over Sri Lanka consistently captivated the bend to book their Super Eights berth.

Australia's break in this clash - the all-embracing appellation they don't authority - lasted three canicule and now they face two added weeks in Leicester to adapt for the Ashes series. Make no mistake, they badly capital to win this event, and added banal their bays cabinet, but were abbreviate on their abilities for the additional bold active adjoin a awful absorbing Sri Lanka outfit.

With Sangakkara at the bulge there was a faculty of calm about the run-chase, alike aback the allurement amount grew in balance of nine-per-over for a moment in the closing stages, and he was aided by a sparkling adornment from Jehan Mubarak. Aback Mubarak came to the bulge a charged-up Brett Lee had bounced out Chamara Silva and he followed it up with three dot balls. However, Lee beatific bottomward a advanced and the added brawl of the over was clouted over abysmal midwicket and you could see Australian amateur slump.

In the abutting over Sangakkara, one of the best absorbing cricketers in the apple on and off the field, completed a chic fifty off 40 assurance with a aerial dab-sweep off Nathan Backen. With 14 bare off two overs there was no way aback for Australia and Mubarak austere the ropes afresh afore a advanced closed their elimination.

When Australia angled to 94 for 6 in the 15th over the bout was abstraction to be actual one-sided, but they added 65 runs in the aftermost bristles overs to accord the bowlers article to defend. However, they bare aboriginal wickets and admitting a accomplished bolt by David Warner to abolish Sanath Jayasuriya the bold was agitated abroad from them through a accomplished innings from Dilshan.

Bangladesh v Ireland

Ireland exhausted Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and, alveolate adjoin the aforementioned ancillary in a must-win affray in added accustomed conditions, produced an acclamation to billow into the additional date of the World Twenty20. This will go bottomward as one of the better moments in Ireland's candid history - but addition disappointment for Bangladesh, who were agape out of the competition.

The hungrier ancillary was consistently activity to appear up acme and Ireland took a massive stride by befitting a adventuresome Bangladesh to 137. Bangladesh batted with the abandon of a aggregation that believed they were already in the abutting date and paid the price, barrier afterwards a all-a-quiver start. Mashrafe Mortaza's backward avowal ensured at atomic a angry total, which is area some abstemiousness could accept afflicted the aftereffect of this game. Ireland activated themselves to their hunt and got home by six wickets - the O'Brien brothers afresh proving their account - to yells and whoops from their dugout.

Twenty20 isn't a architecture area you can analysis in and book yourself for bed and breakfast but there still is a charge for stability. Instead Bangladesh started like a delinquent train, scoring 30 of their aboriginal 39 runs in boundaries, admitting accident a wicket early. Three boundaries in bristles assurance are plenty, but Junaid Siddique took a asinine ball bottomward the clue and started the rot.

Mohammad Ashraful briefly threatened to accomplish Ireland pay for a bead at aboriginal slip, affairs - a la Gordon Greenidge - over abysmal aboveboard leg and hitting Boyd Rankin over mid-on for sixes in one over, but afresh afresh steered to blooper area Kevin O'Brien atoned for his beforehand lapse. Predictably, William Porterfield angry to circuit as the fielding restrictions were aerial and anon Bangladesh approved to dominate, unsuccessfully. Johnston best up the third as Shakib Al Hasan best out long-on, afore tidy circuit from both ends and a abrupt bounce in Ireland's footfall added ashamed Bangladesh.

England v Pakistan

England absolutely like accomplishing things the adamantine way, but kept their ICC World Twenty20 hopes animate with an absorbing 48-run achievement adjoin Pakistan at The Oval which was so absolute that they are through to the Super Eights. With the hosts' hopes blind by a cilia Kevin Pietersen alternate and hit a sparkling 58 off 38 assurance to lift England to a aggressive 185 for 5, and Pakistan never got abutting adjoin a aggregation atrocious to abolish awkward memories

Pakistan, abundant like England the added night, were able-bodied abbreviate of their best abnormally in the acreage area they alone at atomic four catches and produced endless added awkward pieces of groundwork. They were awfully decayed during their countdown amateur and are still a connected way from settling, and maybe suffered from alive they accept a additional adventitious adjoin Netherlands on Wednesday, but this defeat was so abundant that alike a win in that bold ability not be enough.

England, as they had to, acutely came out with a point to prove accepting been accurately criticised for their achievement adjoin Netherlands on Friday. Whether Pietersen's acknowledgment was a case of atrocious times calling for atrocious measures, or a case of his abrasion absolutely improving, he produced what England dearly bare from him with one of his best Twenty20 innings.

The innings included six sixes, compared with none two canicule ago, and Pietersen produced three off his own bat including a aberrant draft into the additional bank of the pavilion and a glorious, inside-out, cover-drive off Mohammad Aamer. Pietersen was helped out by two absolute innings from Luke Wright, who crunched 34 off 16 balls, and Owais Shah, as he added 66 for the third wicket with Pietersen.

Pakistan had the batting fire-power to hunt bottomward the target, but never formed a solid abject as England produced a acclimatized affectation with the brawl and, best importantly, in the acreage area they were far superior. Paul Collingwood, a afraid captain with abundant burden on his shoulders, set the arrangement with a able-bodied advised active bolt to abolish Ahmed Shehzad off the recalled Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Mascarenhas had been handed the fresh brawl - the role he plays for Hampshire - and Collingwood rotated his clip options. Broad produced the cogent over back his short-pitched tactic formed with Kamran Akmal affairs to abysmal midwicket and the alarming Salman Butt top-edging to astern point.

From there the innings didn't accretion any drive as Shoaib Malik struggled to account at a run-a-ball and Shahid Afridi's poor anatomy continuing with a aching 12-ball 5 afore he holed out off Graeme Swann. Adil Rashid basin four overs of authentic legspin and captivated his assumption anniversary time the batsmen came afterwards him. Pakistan didn't administer a six until the 17th over and by again the bold was connected gone.

The atmosphere back comedy got underway was electric with huge abutment for both teams. If there had been a roof on the arena it would accept appear off back Malik pulled off a acceptable bolt at astern point to abolish Ravi Bopara, handing debutant Aamer his aboriginal wicket.

That brought Pietersen to the bulge aboriginal afterwards his acknowledgment to the ancillary afterward the Achilles abrasion that disqualified him out adjoin Netherlands and the actuality he started by ambidextrous in quick singles appropriate the botheration wasn't causing too abundant concern. Pietersen sparked into activity by slamming a waist-height no-ball bottomward the arena and the consistent added commitment (although not a free-hit) was launched monstrously beeline into the additional bank of the pavilion. It registered as 104 metres, aloof a atom beneath than Chris Gayle's huge draft bygone adjoin Australia.

It had been Wright who brought the aboriginal catalyst by demography 14 off three assurance adjoin Aamer, including England's aboriginal six of the clash as the brawl flew over abysmal midwicket. He connected in the abutting over from Yasir Arafat, but was able one abuttals back Umar Gul misread the circuit at third man and let the brawl abscond accomplished him.

Scotland v South Africa

South Africa produced an ominously analytic achievement to accelerate Scotland packing in the ICC World Twenty20, assault them by the additional accomplished allowance in this architecture of 130 runs. AB de Villiers absurd a chic and accurate 79 from aloof 34 in South Africa's 211 for 5, the accomplished absolute of the clash so far, afore Dale Steyn and Johan Botha tore through Scotland who were formed for 81, the seventh-lowest Twenty20 total.

This was a best achievement from one of the clash favourites. Clashing England, who were out-thought and out-played by Netherlands in the aperture match, South Africa asserted themselves from the alpha to lay bald Scotland's abstruse flaws, not to acknowledgment their abridgement of experience.

Chasing a alarming 212, Scotland were bargain to a hopeless 50 for 6 at the center point. Steyn agape over Ryan Watson and Colin Smith (his additional first-ball avoid in as abounding days) while Wayne Parnell removed Gavin Hamilton, who absitively to accessible the innings. Steyn not often accomplished his top pace, but he needn't have: he was quick and alarming abundant to complete a admonishing to the added teams in the tournament. Kyle Coetzer briefly stood in South Africa's way, the alone Scotland batsman to booty them on, smiting Albie Morkel over long-on for two abundant sixes to accord a affable and affectionate army article to cheer, but these were the aftermost atrocious runs of an innings already terminated.

Coetzer's 31-ball 42 crowned an absorbing claimed affectation from him, afterward his outstanding bolt in South Africa's innings to abolish Mark Boucher. Afore that, however, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis ensured South Africa got off to a aerial start. Kallis was aboriginal to accessible his shoulders, assault the aberrant Callum MacLeod through added awning afore flicking him accomplished for four more. He took to Jan Stander - who had a howler of a clash - with greed, flaying him over astern point; flicking a devious to fine-leg afore aboveboard acid alert added accomplished point. South Africa, clashing England who stuttered so aimlessly two canicule ago, were not activity to let an Associate ancillary get the more good of them.

Scotland were apprenticed to advance their fielding by the captain, Hamilton, yesterday, but he himself was alert at accountability with a brace of blurred indiscretions, and overall, his side's fielding occasionally verged on the comical. Scotland are annihilation if not fighters, however, and they fought aback impressively with three wickets. Majid Haq, a able and underrated offspinner, induced a blubbery central bend to a slog-sweep from Kallis to end his innings on 48. Smith, too, attempted a agnate attempt three assurance after but top-edged it to the wicketkeeper. Ryan Watson was again brought on and a admirable allotment of flight accounted for Herschelle Gibbs, who was aloof alpha to attending ominous.

And again de Villiers took over with relish. Initially favouring an accepted access with a alternative of elegant, chic drives, he again broiled Haq for a collapsed fix over long-on afore aperture himself up to Glenn Rogers' slow-left-arm spin, cover-driving him with admirable blaze and elegance. With bristles overs to go, the berserk final flurry was instigated and Watson was advised with authentic disdain, carted over midwicket for a crowd-pleasing six.

Bangladesh v India

It took Yuvraj Singh 18 assurance to disengage 10 overs' adamantine assignment by Bangladesh that had pulled India aback afterwards addition solid alpha from Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. It took Pragyan Ojha bristles assurance to disengage their eight overs of befitting clip with a annealed absolute and eventually India became the aboriginal ancillary in this clash to auspiciously defend.

The brittle complete from Yuvraj's bat resonated consistently at Trent Bridge, with sixes aerial actuality and there as India managed 59 runs in their aftermost four overs. Ojha came on and removed Junaid Siddique and Shakib Al Hasan in his aboriginal over, afterwards which a able hunt stumbled.

If the defining moments of this Group A bout were accessible to identify, it was adamantine to not recognise the adamantine assignment Bangladesh put in to break in the bout and force India to appear up with article special. The bout started with Gambhir and Rohit continuing to ensure that India didn't absence the afflicted Virender Sehwag.

Rohit batted like a acclimatized Twenty20 opener and took allegation afterwards Gambhir had got off to a quick alpha with a square-cut abuttals off the additional brawl of the match. The aboriginal brawl he faced today, he leant into a good-length and buttery Mashrafe Mortaza through added cover. Bangladesh were afraid about application their spinners in the Powerplays, and Rohit capitalised on the medium-pace advancing on to his bat. He collection able-bodied off either foot, abrupt off his pads, and played alone one advance shot.

Although Gambhir slowed down, India accomplished 54 in the aboriginal six overs, with Rohit scoring 32 off 18. Mohammad Ashraful anon alien spin, and Rohit got out aggravating to boss them.

MS Dhoni came out aboriginal drop, but at the aforementioned time Shakib slowed things down, giving the batsmen no clip to assignment with. Shakib was aberrant with his control, authoritative abiding India backward in that alliance access for a ample period.

Shakib's three-over spell went for 17 and included Rohit's wicket, and India managed alone 44 - with one seix and one four - amid the seventh and 13th over. Mortaza came aback to basin one added bound over, and the burden resulted in Dhoni's wicket in the abutting over. With Shakib finishing off strongly, India had got alone 62 runs in the average 10 overs. Gambhir managed a laboured 50 off 46 balls.

But Yuvraj agitated out an advance that bankrupt Bangladeshi hearts - and resistance. Aloof like lightning he addled afterwards seven quiet deliveries. He took an absorbing Naeem Islam for back-to-back sixes, and one added two assurance later. He accustomed Rubel Hossain aback with a six and after boundaries afore actuality absolved for 41 off 18.

Bangladesh afresh clawed their way back, befitting Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan quiet. Rubel had bowled a superb aboriginal bisected of the 20th over, giving abroad alone two and charwoman up Raina. But in absolved Irfan Pathan and smote a six and a four to column a arduous total.

That final advance wasn't abundant to collapse Bangladesh's confidence. Tamim Iqbal and Siddique came out swinging, tasting some success adjoin the left-arm aperture bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. Both the bowlers bowled length, and that's area best Bangladeshi batsmen adulation it. Especially amazing was Siddique's access - he pulled the aboriginal brawl he played for six.

In the aboriginal two overs Bangladesh got 20, and although Tamim fell to Yusuf in the third, Siddique didn't apathetic down. He hit Zaheer for back-to-back boundaries, and afresh Yusuf for a six afore Ashraful got out in an adverse address in the sixth over. He played a crunching cover-drive off Ishant Sharma, abetment away, but begin Gambhir at cover.

Out came Bangladesh's best player, Shakib, but it was Siddique who kept the clip up alike as Shakib looked to rebuild. He set the calendar by dispatch out and hitting Harbhajan Singh for a six in his aboriginal over. Once again, aloof back it seemed Bangladesh had done able-bodied to break with India, the arresting champions produced addition game-breaker: Ojha, authoritative his Twenty20 all-embracing debut.

Australia v West Indies

Don't alarm this an upset. Twenty20 is area it is at for West Indies, by their captain's admission, and they accept copped a fair bulk of abuse for that animadversion and their consecutive poor performances in added acceptable forms of cricket. So there was a faculty of apprehension over how they would book in their "preferred" format. Come bout day in the Group of Death, and West Indies, and Chris Gayle, angry up for the aboriginal time in two months. They fielded pathetically but that appropriate affection was sandwiched amid superb aperture bowling and atomic batting.

Australia concluded the bout as they entered it - yet to exhausted West Indies in this format. Their antecedent affair was a agnate absolute defeat, by seven wickets in Barbados. This, though, was a abounding 20-over challenge on a belter of a angle that was collapsed and fast. West Indies still had 4.1 overs to additional in the end.

The clip off the apparent formed for both the West Indies bowlers and batsmen. While Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards acclimated the activity and able variations to booty aboriginal wickets, the brawl catholic as fast off the bats of Gayle and Andre Fletcher as it came on to them.

West Indies took the advance appropriate from the aboriginal over of the match, bowled by Taylor. That over had everything: the outswinger, the slower ball, the slower bouncer, aciculate beeline delivery, and two wickets. But for three wides Australia would accept been 0 for 2.

But while the added batsmen had to argue with ablaze analysis from the bowlers, David Warner accomplished the fielders' generosity. In Taylor's additional over, two fumbles in the infield resulted in two boundaries and Warner was off. Australia were not out of agitation yet, though. When Michael Clarke toe-ended a fast abbreviate commitment from Edwards to third man, they had stumbled to 15 for 3.