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Chandigarh: Pakistan were knocked out of the World Twenty20 as Australia kept their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive with victory in Mohali on Friday.
After Steve Smith inspired Australia to 193-4, Shahid Afridi's side had to pull off their highest chase in a T20.
Khalid Latif led the charge with 46 but James Faulkner took four of his five wickets from six late balls as Pakistan finished on 172-8.
The Aussies must now beat India on Sunday to reach the knockout stage.
With Pakistan exit from the tournament, the last Group 2 match between India and Australia will decide which team will join New Zealand in the semi-finals from the group.
Both India and Australia have four points with two victories in three matches, making the Sunday encounter in Mohali a virtual knock-out.
The difference proved to be the last five overs. While Australia hammered 66, Pakistan were tied down to just 47 courtesy some great bowling from James Faulkner, finishing with five for 27 and in particular Shane Watson, who had chipped in with a useful 40 with the bat.
In order for Pakistan to even have an outside chance of joining New Zealand in the semi-finals, they needed to score their highest total batting second. And the way their batting had fared in the previous two matches, it was always going to be a tough ask. They got close at one stage, but just weren't close enough.
The onus was on Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad. Sharjeel, much like the way he did against New Zealand, got going with a three-boundary over off Nathan Coulter-Nile, but the support he needed from his opening partner didn't arrive. Ahmed Shehzad fell early once again, top-edging a pull off Hazlewood.
Sharjeel though, continued picked up a few quick boundaries, but the asking-rate kept climbing.
Australia's first bowling change worked. Sharjeel's joyride ended when he dragged an attempted pull off Faulkner onto his stumps. Australia's ground-fielding was a stark contrast to their opposition. Pakistan were in need of something that hadn't come to their rescue till now: a contribution from the middle order.
Shahid Afridi pasted two sixes in six deliveries, one of which was a fuller one from Zampa. Next ball, Zampa pitched it short, outside off to which Afridi stepped out, missed and was out stumped.
The equation had come down to 69 off 30 and memories of their struggle against New Zealand came harking back. However, Shoaib Malik's six off Zampa ensured Pakistan were in a better space.
Earlier, Usman Khawaja found a new opening partner in Aaron Finchand the two got Australia off the blocks in double-quick time. After a testing over to Khawaja from the left-armer, Mohammad Sami produced a couple of loose ones on which the left-hander zeroed in.
Pakistan were either too wide outside off, or drifted too much on the batsmen's pads. Couple of poor misfields early on didn't help them either.
Khawaja did most of the scoring. He welcomed Wahab Riaz with a brutal pull over deep square-leg for six, but was cleaned up next ball, trying to give himself room and missing a straight yorker-length ball.
Warner walked out a position ahead of his usual spot in the tournament and flayed the second ball he faced through the covers for four.
A fired-up Riaz returned and knocked him over with a dynamite of a delivery. That the ball had touched 148 on the speedometer was proof that Riaz had recovered well from being struck with on the neck.
With runs flowing in the Powerplay, Shahid Afridi had to turn to spin. Imad Wasim was introduced and struck straightaway in his first over - his arm-ball skidding through Finch and rattling his stumps after he had managed to score just one boundary.
Maxwell, who joined Smith, had jaywalked to seven off seven before out came the reverse-sweep.
Three balls later, he spanked Afridi through mid-wicket. He was severe on Sami, taking him for a six and a four to end the 13th over. Sami endured yet another forgettable outing; his sloppy fielding allowed the batsmen to take an all-run four.
Maxwell eventually found the long-off fielder. But it was almost as if Smith was waiting for another wicket to fall. His running between the wickets went up a notch, often taking on the fielders and converting ones into twos.
He was 25 off 21 initially with just one boundary, and by the time he reached his fifty - off 35 deliveries - he had collected four more.
Brief scores
Australia - 193 for 4 (Smith 61*, Watson 44*, Maxwell 30, Imad 2-31, Riaz 2-35)
Pakistan - 172 for 8 (Latif 46, Malik 40*, Akmal 32, Faulkner 5-27)
Result - Australia won by 21 runs
Points - Australia 2, Pakistan 0
MOM - James Faulkner (Australia)
