ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be facing off Australia in the high-voltage Twenty20 World Cup semifinal at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. 

The Aussies made their first semifinal of the tournament since 2012 with four wins and a better run-rate than South Africa. 

They are up against an unbeaten Pakistan who stormed into the final four with five wins in the Super 12 stage including their first ever in the tournament against archrivals India. 

Australia have won five 50-over World Cup crowns, including three in a row, but still await a T20 world title in six attempts. 

“We will try to continue with the kind of consistency that we have shown in the tournament so far and hope to play good cricket in the semifinals,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said in comments carried by AFP on Wednesday. 

On facing Australia, Babar, who has four half-centuries in five innings, said: “You can’t take any team lightly in T20 cricket. You have to play good cricket on that day.” 

Inside the Pakistan camp is Matthew Hayden, the former Australia opener who is the team’s batting coach. 

Hayden sees the partnership between skipper Babar Azam, the leading run maker at the World Cup ahead of the semifinals with 264, and Mohammad Rizwan as key. 

“They are very independent players with their own styles but that blend and mix make for the perfect combination. They are unique,” Hayden explained. 

Pakistan have got a finisher in Asif Ali who hit four sixes off Afghanistan bowler Karim Janat to get his team the required 25 runs in the penultimate over of their Super 12 clash. 

Veteran batsmen Shoaib Malik, who hit an 18-ball 54 in his side’s last pool win over Scotland, and Mohammad Hafeez add experience to the batting order. 

And with Shaheen Shah Afridi in threatening form with the new ball, the 2009 champions seem to have their bases covered. 

For the Aussies, David Warner has led the charge with 89 not out in Australia’s win over West Indies and a quickfire 65 against Sri Lanka, an innings that silenced his critics. He now has 187 runs for the tournament. 

“I was never worried one bit about Dave’s form. He’s one of the all-time great batsmen of our era,” Australian skipper Aaron Finch said of his opening partner. 

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell said the Australian batsmen will not hold back and go for the runs to unsettle the Pakistan attack led by left-arm quick Afridi. 

“I’ve seen teams go the other way and try and hold wickets back to make sure they get to go at the back end,” Maxwell said. 

“But for us it’s probably that playing with freedom at the start and really trying to make the most of the powerplay and put the opposition on the back foot.” 

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is the tournament’s joint second-highest wicket-taker with 11 victims. 

“I don’t think that anyone has underrated him,” Finch insisted of Zampa who claimed a tournament-best return of 5-19 against Bangladesh in Dubai. 

“He’s someone who loves the competitiveness, loves the fight.” 

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar earlier warned the side of complacency in their knockout contest. 

“Forget the Super 12 now, just use the momentum but go into semis with a renewed focus,” Akhtar wrote on Twitter.