Michael Clarke stops short of saying Pakistani Rahat Ali dropped the World Cup.

But the Australian captain concedes if Ali had caught Shane Watson, the result of Friday night’s quarter-final could have been different.

Ali turfed a sitter at fine leg from Watson’s bat which proved the defining moment in Australia’s six-wicket victory at Adelaide Oval.

Catch Watson, who was just four at the time, and Australia would have been 4-83 chasing 214 to win – and Pakistan paceman Wahab Riaz would have got further reward for an inspired spell of bowling.

But Ali dropped it.

And Watson went on to make a pivotal unbeaten 64 in what eventuated as an easy Australian triumph with 97 balls to spare.

“Credit to Watto, the way he hung in there,” said Clarke after Australia booked a Thursday semi-final against India in Sydney.

“Obviously he had a bit of luck being dropped at fine leg.

“But the way he was able to get through that period and be there at the end shows his experience and he deserves a lot of credit for that.

“If they take that catch at fine leg, who knows what could have happened. It would have been a lot tighter, that is for sure.”

Wahab dismissed David Warner and Clarke himself before targeting Watson with a theatrical spell that included patronising hand-claps and even a blown kiss to the Australian.

“That is as good as I have faced in one-day cricket for a long time, there is no doubt about it,” Clarke said of Wahab.

“It probably gave us a look at what it would have been like to face Mitchell Johnson throughout the Ashes … he didn’t bowl too many bouncers that weren’t on the money.”

Australia travel to Sydney on Saturday with Clarke’s troops gaining in confidence.

“Since the New Zealand game, we have slowly been building in our cricket, slowly been improving,” he said.

“Every win gives you momentum and gives you confidence and this will certainly be exactly the same.”