Pakistan 136 for 8 (Umar Akmal 43*, Gul 32) beat South Africa 133 for 6 (Duminy 48, Hafeez 2-23) by two wickets




Umar Gul smashed three sixes to bring Pakistan back into the chase © AFP
Umar Gul and Umar Akmal pulled off a spectacular coup to bring Pakistan back from the brink to beat South Africa. The second round of the tournament started with two thrillers on Thursday and the fire carried over into Friday as the match three times swung one way and then the other.
Pakistan put themselves in front with a strong performance in the field as their four frontline spinners wove a web around South Africa. But what should have been a straightforward chase for Pakistan turned into a comedy of soft dismissals and a surprising outfoxing of the batsmen by South Africa's spinners.
Then, Gul and Umar Akmal took centre stage and shared a stand of 49 for the eighth wicket to inflict a demoralising defeat on South Africa. The pair stroked a series of audacious boundaries as they took on South Africa's pace attack with Jacques Kallis and Albie Morkel the worst hit. To add to South Africa's worries, Dale Steyn left the field with an injured ankle after being struck on the heel in his final over.


Smart stats

• The win is Pakistan's third in six Twenty20 internationals against South Africa. All three wins have come in World Twenty20 matches.
• South Africa's score of 28 at the end of six overs is their second-lowest Powerplay score (20-over innings). The score at the end of ten overs (47) is also their lowest in a Twenty20 international.
• The number of maiden overs bowled in the game (4) is the joint second-highest in a Twenty20 international. It is the second such instance in matches at the Premadasa stadium.
• Robin Peterson's economy rate (3.75) is his best for a completed spell of four overs. He is also the eighth South African bowler to concede 15 or fewer runs in a completed spell in a World Twenty20 match.
• The 49-run stand between Umar Akmal and Umar Gul is the second-highest eighth-wicket stand for Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals. Overall, it is the sixth-highest eighth-wicket stand.
• Gul's 32 is the second-highest score by a batsman batting at a position between 9 and 11. It is however the highest such score in a World Twenty20 game.

More to follow

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s PP1 Last 5 overs NB/Wides
South Africa 46 9 4 28/2 50/2 0/2 Pakistan 68 13 5 37/3 60/1 1/3

It was Gul's sixes !! Nothing more nothing less.