Cricket: Watson stars as Aussie beat Pakistan

CASTRIES, St. Lucia - Shane Watson lashed 81 off 49 balls and Australia's pace attack followed up with some incisive spells today to lead their team to a 34-run victory over Pakistan at the World Twenty20.

The 28-year-old Watson slammed seven fours and four sixes to anchor Australia to 191 all out off 20 overs. David Hussey provided an explosive 53 off 29 deliveries, containing two fours and five sixes.

Left-arm fast bowler Mohammad claimed 3-23 and provided a dramatic final over in which five wickets fell for no runs to keep Australia under 200. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal took 3-34.

Shaun Tait took 3-20, Dirk Nannes claimed 3-41 and Mitchell Johnson picked up 2-21 as Australia undermined Pakistan's chase, which ended limply to be bowled out for 157 in the 20th over.

Misbah-ul-Haq topscored with 41, while captain Shahid Afridi compiled 33 off 24 balls.

Pakistan, which beat Bangladesh on Sunday (NZT), ended the preliminary stages with one win and one loss. The final match in Group A pits the Australians against Bangladesh on Thursday in Barbados.

Earlier, Watson and David Warner set the tone in an opening stand of 51 off 5.4 overs after the Aussies won the toss and batted.

Even when Warner fell for 26 off 18 balls and captain Michael Clarke was gone for 2 at 64-2, Australia maintained its surge.

Watson, who survived two difficult chances to Misbah, passed fifty off 31 balls with successive sixes off Mohammad Hafeez.

Hussey, dropped in an easy chance by Salman Butt at long-on off Mohammad Sami when 18, made the bowler pay by slamming 28 runs off his third over, including four sixes.

Ajmal removed both in the same over to halt the assault, and Pakistan limited Australia to 29 off the last four overs.

Mohammad Aamer's final over started with Brad Haddin slashing to short third man and Mitchell Johnson bowled by a yorker. The next two balls produced two runs outs by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal as the batsmen missed and tried to scamper byes.

Shaun Tait missed the fifth delivery before Aamer bowled him with the final one.

- AP