GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia (AFP) — Michael Hussey’s latest rescue mission saw Australia beat defending champions Pakistan by three wickets with just a ball to spare to reach the World Twenty20 final here yesterday.

Set a huge 192 to win, Australia collapsed to 62 for four.

But, initially through Cameron White, who made 43, and Hussey’s unbeaten 60, they recovered and will now face old rivals England in Sunday’s final at Barbados’s Kensington Oval.

Australia needed 18 to win off the last over, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Mitchell Johnson took a single off the first ball and then Hussey took over.

The left-hander pulled Ajmal for six, struck him over long-on for six more, brought the scores level with a four and thumped another six for good measure as Australia finished on 197 for seven in pursuit of 192.

The man-of-the-match faced just 24 balls, but hit six sixes and three fours.

Hussey had come in after brother David had fallen to leave Australia 105 for five in the 13th over.

But the elder Hussey refused to be cowed and together with Johnson, who made a mere five from three balls, put on an unbroken 53 in just 16 balls.

“This game of cricket just keeps amazing me every day,” Michael Hussey said.

Opener Kamran Akmal’s 50 and younger brother Umar’s even more rapid 56 not out came against an Australia side, yet to lose at this tournament, which had thrashed them by 34 runs in a first round group match.

Left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, who led the attack with three wickets for 35 runs, removed Australia openers David Warner (nought) and Shane Watson (16).