Matthew Wade hit three successive sixes off Shaheen Shah Afridi as Australia powered through to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup with a five-wicket win over Pakistan.

Australia will face New Zealand in the final on Sunday with the tournament now preparing for a first-time champion.

For Pakistan, the match ended their unbeaten run in the event. Praised throughout for their fielding and overall enthusiasm, a dropped catch in the penultimate over followed by three successive sixes took the game from Pakistan.

Earlier, the Babar Azam-led set a competitive total that set up the semi-final nicely.

However, a sensational finish saw Australia maintain their dominance over Pakistan in ICC knockout games, which stretched their unbeaten run to five games.

Match proceedings

Pakistan begin their defence of the target.

David Warner and Aaron Finch will open the innings for Australia, as Shaheen Shah Afridi looks to make early inroads.

Australia are chasing 177 to book a place in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup.

Australia innings - 1st over

Shaheen Afridi beats David Warner on the opening delivery. A hint of swing.

Dismissed. Aaron Finch declared LBW off the first delivery he faces, a typical inswinger that traps the Australia captain.

Shaheen away.

Australia lose opening wicket.

So much happening.

A leg-before appeal on the very next delivery. It has been reviewed. A run-out was also being looked at.

Shaheen seems to be on-point, swinging the ball at will.

Australia are 1 for 1 after 1 over.

2nd over

Five runs from this over.

Australia are 6 for 1 after the second over.

3rd over

Mitchell Marsh hits Shaheen Afridi for a four through covers.

Haris Rauf saves a certain four with a brilliant dive.

Australia are 13 for 1 after the third over.

4th over

Big over for Australia.

David Warner hits Imad Waseem for a six, followed by a four through covers.

Warner hits another four over fine-leg.

Australia are 30 for 1 after fourth over.

5th over

Mitchell Marsh welcomes Haris Rauf with a flat six on his first ball, followed by a four off the edge on the second.

Australia are 44 for 1 after the fifth over.

6th over

Mitchell Marsh pulls this one for a four.

Australia's 50 comes up in 5.3 overs.

Australia are 52 for 1 after the sixth over.

7th over

Shadab Khan takes big wicket, removes Mitchell Marsh for 28.

Steve Smith gets a four off the edge.

Australia are 57 for 2 after the seventh over.

8th over

David Warner hits Mohammad Hafeez's (double-bounce) no-ball for a six.

13 runs from this over.

Australia are 70 for 2 after the eighth over.

9th over

David Warner hits Shadab for a big six.

Shadab removes off-colour Steve Smith for 5.

Australia are 80 for 3 after the ninth over.

10th over

David Warner scores another boundary, moves to 47.

Australia are 89 for 3 after the 10th over.

11th over

Shadab Khan strikes, again. Takes the key wicket of David Warner.

Just three runs from this over.

Australia are 92 for 4 after the 11th over.

12th over

Economical over from Imad Waseem, just 3 runs from it.

Australia are 95 for after the 12th over.

13th over

Shadab bags another, removes Maxwell for 6.

Australia are 103 for 5 after the 13th over.

14th over

Matthew Wade hits Haris Rauf for a boundary.

Australia are 109 for 5 after the 14th over. They require another 68 in 36 balls.

15th over

Shaheen misses a run-out chance.

Just six runs from this over.

Australia are 115 for 5 after the 15th over. They require another 62 in 30 balls.

16th over

Stoinis welcomes Hasan Ali with a first-ball four.

Hasan bowls a no-ball at a crucial stage. No boundary on the free-hit.

12 runs from this over.

Australia are 127 for 5 after the 16th over. They require another 50 in 24 balls.

17th over

Marcus Stoinis smashes a slower-one from Haris for a huge six. The next ball reaches boundary like a bullet.

Another big over for Australia; 13 runs off this over.

Australia are 140 for 5 after the 17th over. They require another 37 in 18 balls.

18th over

Matthew Wade hits Hasan Ali for big six.

Big over for Australia. as they get 15 runs from this over.

Australia are 155 for 5 after the 18th over. They require another 22 off 12 balls.

Pakistan innings - 1st over

Babar Azam hits a ball off the pads for four to fine-leg. Pakistan are away.

Pakistan are 6 without loss at the end of the first over.

2nd over

Babar Azam hits a cover drive off Josh Hazlewood for another boundary. The captain seems to be in sublime form.

Pakistan are 11 without loss at the end of the second over.

Mohammad Rizwan has yet to get off the mark.

3rd over

Mohammad Rizwan hits a ball high in the air, looking for a six, and is dropped by David Warner. The end-result -- boundary for Pakistan. The wicket-keeper is off the mark.

Babar Azam hits the last ball for another four.

Pakistan are 21 without loss at the end of the third over.

4th over

Babar Azam hits his fourth boundary of the innings, this time off Pat Cummins.

Pakistan are 29 without loss at the end of the fourth over.

5th over

Mohammad Rizwan slaps Josh Hazlewood off his pads for a flat six.

Pakistan are 38 without loss at the end of the fifth over.

6th over

Mohammad Rizwan flicks Pat Cummins for another four.

Mohammad Rizwan is dropped again near the boundary.

Pakistan are 47 without loss at the end of the sixth over.

This is Pakistan's highest total in the Powerplay during this T20 World Cup.

7th over

An uneventful over, just four runs from it.

Pakistan are 51 without loss at the end of the seventh over.

8th over

Babar Azam welcomes Mitchell Marsh with a boundary.

Pakistan are 62 without loss at the end of the eighth over.

9th over

No boundary in this over.

Pakistan are 68 without loss at the end of the ninth over.

10th over

Adam Zampa removes Babar Azam off the last ball of the 10th over. He departs after scoring 39 off 34 balls.

Pakistan are 71 for one at the end of the 10th over.

Since the Powerplay, Pakistan have scored 24 off 4 overs.

11th over

Just four runs from this over. Pakistan slow down as Australia spinners take charge.

Pakistan are 75 for one at the end of the 11th over.

12th over

Mohammad Rizwan breaks the shackles with an 86-metre six off Zampa.

Pakistan get four extras. Wicket-keeper Matthew Wade makes a mistake, lets one slip away for four byes.

Pakistan are 89 for one at the end of the 12th over.

13th over

A bouncer by Mitchell Starc hits Mohammad Rizwan on the helmet.

Pakistan are 92 for one at the end of the 13th over.

14th over

Fakhar Zaman hits Josh Hazlewood for a boundary.

Mohammad Rizwan sends Hazlewood's length-ball for a huge six over midwicket. He completes his fifty in 41 ball.

Pakistan are 106 for one at the end of the 14th over.

15th over

Fakhar Zaman hits a no-ball for a boundary. But, on the free-hit, he only takes a single.

Pakistan are 117 for one at the end of the 15th over.

16th over

No boundary in this over.

Pakistan are 122 for one at the end of the 16th over.

17th over

Fakhar Zaman smashes a six, finally.

Australia taking their time to set the field.

Following the changes, Pakistan hit a boundary, off another no-ball. A free-hit is now available for Mohammad Rizwan.

And he takes full advantage, hits a six, a great hit. He is now not out on 67.

Pakistan are 143 for 2 at the end of the 17th over.

18th over

Fakhar Zaman hits Starc for a massive six, followed by a boundary that almost took out the umpire at the bowler's end.

Fakhar Zaman has cut loose.

Pakistan are 158 for 2 at the end of the 18th over.

19th over

Asif Ali goes for a golden duck.

Just three runs from the penultimate over.

Pakistan are 161 for 3 at the end of the 19th over.

20th over

Last-match hero Shoaib Malik was bowled for one.

However, Fakhar Zaman hits a massive six, again off Starc. Reaches 48 off just 30 deliveries.

Completes a 31-ball fifty. Hits another six off Starc.

Pakistan end innings at 176 for four off 20 overs.

Toss

Pakistan will bat first, after Australia captain Aaron Finch won the toss and decided to field.

Preview

Australia are looking to end Pakistan's unbeaten run in not just the ongoing tournament, but also in the UAE.

Pakistan have won five successive matches in the ongoing tournament, and 16 consecutive international matches in the UAE.

Interestingly, Pakistan have yet to beat Australia in an ICC knockout game, a statistic Babar Azam-led Pakistan are looking to change.

However, many believe Pakistan have the upper hand in tonight's game.

Pakistan have won the T20 World Cup once, in 2009, and finished runners-up in the inaugural edition in 2007.

Head to head

Pakistan enjoy a slight advantage over Australia with 13 wins in 23 games against Australia’s 9 victories in the T20 format. One game yielded no result.

In T20 World Cups

The two sides have faced each other six times in the ICC T20 World Cup, and have three wins each.

Squads

Both teams are fielding unchanged playing-eleven in the do-or-die game.

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Imad Waseem, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf

Australia: Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis, and Pat Cummins

This is a live update of the semi-final proceedings. However, the page does not refresh automatically.