Pakistan Beat South Africa by 2 Wickets: T20 World Cup 2012

A fiery cameo by Umar Gul and sensible show by Umar Akmal helped Pakistan snatch victory from the jaws of defeat of South Africa in the Super Eight clash of the World Twenty 20 in Colombo on Friday.


Chasing 134, Pakistan at one time were struggling at 76/7 in 14.3 overs, before Gul executed a brilliant turnaround with his big hits.

Gul scored 32 off 17 balls with the help of three sixes and two boundaries before falling on the final delivery of the 19th over, leaving his side needing nine in the last over.

Akmal, however, didn't let Proteas rule and smashed Morne Morkel for a six to ease pressure. Saeed Ajmal then hit the fourth ball for a boundary to secure a brilliant two-wicket win.

Dale Steyn who earlier dismissed Imran Nazir, scalped Arafat. 

JP Duminy gave Pakistan sixth blow by dismissing Shahid Afridi just after Jacques Kallis send back a struggling Shoaib Malik. Malik scored just 12 after facing 26 deliveries.

Earlier, Robin Peterson dismissed skipper Mohammad Hafeez (15) and Nasir Jamshed (0) in quick succession after Dale Steyn got rid off Imran Nazir (14) to reduce Pakistan to 31/3.

Steyn got opener Nazir caught by de Villiers near boundary line while both Hafeez and Jamshed was stumped out.

Kamran Akmal was the fourth batsman to fall at the score of 37 in the seventh over. Akmal was bowled out by Johan Botha.

At the score of 63, Kallis got Malik caught by Dale Steyn in the 12th over. Before addition of any run on the board, Duminy scalped Afridi to leave Pakistan reeling.

A brilliant performance by Pakistan's spin quartet helped them restrict South Africa to a mediocre 133 for six in their Group 2 Super Eights match at the ICC World Twenty20 on Friday.

South African captain AB de Villiers' decision to bat first backfired badly on a slow Premadasa track that saw Pakistan's opening bowler Umar Gul being brought into the attack in the 18th over of the innings.

Skipper Mohammad Hafeez had impressive figures of two for 23 while Saeed Ajmal gave only 26 runs in his four overs while taking the wicket of Richard Levi. Left-armer Raza Hasan and legspinner Shahid Afridi too were economical.

Seamer Yasir Arafat also used variations to good effect taking two for 25 in the process.

Jean-Paul Duminy, with an useful 48 off 38 balls, was the only South African batsman who was able to play a responsible innings. He struck two sixes and two fours. His 44-run partnership for the fifth wicket with skipper De Villiers, who contributed 25, helped South Africa reach a total which had some respectability.

After Hashim Amla was dropped by Kamran Akmal off left-arm spinner Raza's bowling, the world's premier batsman couldn't cash in on the opportunity as he offered a catch to Shoaib Malik in covers after Arafat had bowled a slower delivery. Amla made only six.

The dangerous Levi was the next man out after scoring only eight off nine deliveries when he went for an ugly reverse sweep to get bowled round his legs.

The slowness of the pitch increased the woes for the Proteas who found it increasingly difficult to hit the big shots. Even young Raza was difficult to get away as he gave only 12 runs in his three overs, including a maiden.