COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

Australia reached the World Twenty20 semi-finals despite a 32-run loss to Pakistan in the Super Eights yesterday.

Pakistan scored 149-6 off their 20 overs, but Australia gave up chasing the win after feared openers Shane Watson and David Warner were dismissed for eight each.

Instead, Australia went after the 112 runs they needed to seal a place in the last four and finally got there when Mike Hussey hit a boundary off fast bowler Umar Gul to start the last over.

Australia ended up on 117-7, suffering their first loss in the tournament. Pakistan's semi-final fate was decided in the last Super Eights match, ultimately going through when India failed to convincingly beat already-eliminated South Africa.

India won by one run, but were knocked out of the tournament because of an inferior run-rate.

"Pakistan completely outplayed us," Australia captain George Bailey said. "But it's a three-phase tournament and we're in phase three (semi-finals).

"To this point we've been really consistent and the challenge will be to get that form back in the semi-finals."

Pakistan opened their bowling with spinners and continued to attack with spin for 18 overs, with their premier seamer Gul getting just two.

"I don't think it's any great secret that we have some deficiencies at times against spin and that probably showed tonight," Bailey said.

"Tactically very astute game from them to bowl spin till the 18th over, I don't know if that's happened in any Twenty20 game before."

Left-armer Raza Hassan gave the in-form Watson his first single-digit score in the tournament with the total on 15. Watson has been in imperious form with three half centuries and an unbeaten 41.

Hafeez entered the fray with his off spin and dismissed Warner lbw to reduce Australia to 19-2 after five overs.