Pakistan, Australia reach CT semis
Greenshirts stun eight-time winners Netherlands while Australia edge past Argentina to reach the last-four.
Pakistan and Australia reached the semifinals of the Champions Trophy.
The Pakistanis beat eight-time champion Netherlands 4-2, while the world champion Australians defeated Argentina by the same score.
Former champion Pakistan surprised everyone after failing to garner a point in the league phase which determined the draws for the knockouts with all eight teams assured of quarterfinal berths.
It was the second successive loss for the Netherlands against an Asian team after a 3-2 defeat to India in the league phase.
“Our objective was to use the league games to ensure better synergy as the knockout matches are the ones that matter,” Pakistan captain Muhammad Imran said.
“We managed to do that and I thought the Dutch players were demoralised after the loss to India in their last game.”
Five-time defending champion Australia came back from 2-1 down to complete a convincing win.
Australia scored through penalty-corner specialist Chris Ciriello, Simon Orchard, Daniel Beale and Jeremy Hayward while Argentina got its goals from captain Matias Paredes and Manuel Brunet.
Pakistan will next face either India or Belgium. Australia will play either England or Germany.