Australia beat Pakistan by two wickets in a last-ball thriller yesterday to reach the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy at the expense of India.

Australia were cruising at 140-2 in the 32nd over in pursuit of Pakistan's 205-6 until losing 6-47 with 25 balls left. However, Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz held firm and scrambled a bye off the last ball to take Australia to a last-four clash with England tomorrow.

Michael Hussey made 64 whereas Ricky Ponting (32), Tim Paine (29) and Shane Watson (24) all got starts at the top of the order.

"I had chewed all my fingernails off," Ponting said. "It was tough to score quickly out there because the bounce was inconsistent."

Hussey, who put on 81 with Ponting, was dismissed in the 41st over with the score on 170 and had to watch as Pakistan's bowling tigh-tened its accuracy at SuperSport Park.

Offspinner Saeed Ajmal took 2-31 off 10 overs, while Mohammad Asif - returning from injury and a drugs suspension - claimed 2-34 in eight overs.

"The Pakistanis bowled well and, thankfully, Brett Lee and Hauritz showed some steel in the end and got us over the line," Hussey said.

All six Pakistan batsmen dismissed reached double figures, yet not one made a half-century. Mohammad Yousuf made 45, Kamran Akmal 44 and Misbah-ul-Haq 41, but captain Younis Khan felt the team's total was too low.

"They had a fantastic time with the ball and got partnerships going when they batted," Younis said. "But suddenly we came back hard and it was a great finish. The pitch was a little soft in the morning, not a bad pitch for cricket."

Lee led the way with the ball for Australia with 1-30 off 10 overs. He was supported by Mitchell Johnson's 2-45 and Shane Watson's 2-32 after Ponting had won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat.

The promotion of Shahid Afridi up the order to open wasn't successful, as he was dismissed in the eighth over for 15 off 18 balls.

The rest of the innings was as laboured, as no batsman was allowed to bat at better than a run a ball.

The 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq took nearly 15 overs as neither batsman was able to assert himself.

Pakistan meet New Zealand in the other semi-final.