COLOMBO: Umar Gul turned an unlikely hero with the bat as Pakistan survived a middle-order collapse to beat South Africa by two wickets in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 on Friday.
Pakistan, chasing South Africa's modest 133-6, crashed to 76-7 in the 15th over before Gul and Umar Akmal combined to share a match-winning partnership of 49 in 27 balls.
Gul smashed two fours and three sixes in his 32 off 17 balls before he was dismissed off the last ball of the 19th over by fast bowler Dale Steyn with nine more needed.
But Akmal, who remained unbeaten on 43, and Saeed Ajmal steered Pakistan home with two balls to spare, Ajmal edging the winning boundary off Morne Morkel.
Pakistan's openers raced to 24 in 2.5 overs before the innings fell apart after Imran Nazir (14) was caught behind off Steyn.
Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, who came to bowl the fourth over, removed skipper Mohammad Hafeez with his second delivery and Nasir Jamshed with the six to make Pakistan 31-3.
Off-spinner Johan Botha also struck in his first over by bowling Kamran Akmal for one, Jacques Kallis dismissed Shoaib Malik (12) and JP Duminy had danger man Shahid Afridi caught in the deep first ball.
But Gul and Umar Akmal launched a blistering attack on the Proteas to earn Pakistan full points in the opening match of group two.
India and Australia, the other two teams in the group, play in the second match of the double-header at the Premadasa stadium later on Friday night.
Earlier, Pakistan's spinners revelled on a slow wicket to restrict mighty South Africa to 133-6.
Hafeez claimed 2-23 and 20-year-old left-arm spinner Raza Hasan conceded just 12 runs in three overs after South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
Seamers Yasir Arafat and Gul shared three wickets as the batsmen tried to hit out against them after failing to play the slow bowlers.
South Africa, the top-ranked side in the Twenty20 format, were reduced to 28-3 in 6.1 overs before recovering through skipper AB de Villiers and JP Duminy.
Left-handed Duminy top-scored with 48 off 38 balls, while de Villiers made 25, but no other batsman reached 20.
Pakistan make one change in the team as spinner Raza Hasan replaces Sohail Tanvir.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Raza Hasan, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
South Africa: RE Levi, HM Amla, JH Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, F Behardien, JA Morkel, J Botha, RJ Peterson, DW Steyn, M Morkel
COMMENTS (77)
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@mr. righty rightist: So what were u saying.....;; yes. You should have said that now India will lose. Lol!!!L!L
fantastic win by Pakistan! Gull-dozer just samshed the proteas out of the park & won the impossible win! Oh where are the Indian trolls now since we won the match & you guys were thrashed by the aussies ??? :P no offence towards the Indians in general but just said it for the typical Indian trolls on Pakistani websites :) Pakistan is going to give a very tough time in the next match, Indians beware of the mighty green army :) Good luck team Pakistan
"We believed we could do it" | Umar Gul & Mohammad Hafeez | Post Match Presser
What a match .. and India;s loss was icing on cake :D
We Pakistanis did it ! Some Indians are really Jealous ! Jeeve Jeeve Pakistan Pakistan Zindabad
@mr. righty rightist: Will you just cut the crap. We say inshallah or mashallah. If you got problem, you are free to leave Pakistani websites
@mr. righty rightist: Oh bitter Indians!! India got destroyed by Australia!!! Now stop crying about it!!!
mr. righty rightist
I think u got your answer today.. a BIG hahahaha for Team India.
@Muhammad Rizwan Ali: Afridi is our hero.. and after all he is one of the best bowlers in the World Cup T20. And if u r expecting him to score runs , plz dont expect this,. We just want his wickets,
@All Pakistanis
Come on guys...be rational and have some minimum common sense.
What have you accomplished by saying Inshahalha?
Have you reached moon?
Have you accomplished a growing economy?
Have you won any war?
What is this nonsense?!!
Today, you are the laughing stock of the world. Is it because I said Inshahallah?
@mr. righty rightist
How's ur team mate, did u enjoy the hiding LOL
No team with a weak bowling attack like India can hope to win the cup, however strong its batting maybe. I think Pakistan has the best bowling attack in hid tournament, but an average batting, which may take them to the finals. Well done Umars, Gul and Akmal.
good news at last
Pakistan good to see winning something...everything else is just bad
The Indian trolls are bitting their tounge now!! INSHALLAH is the best word to say because there is no bigger power then Allah. INSHALLAH we will continue winning. :) Umar Gul should be promoted up the order, this isn't the first time he has been a GEM with the bat.
congratz pakistaniiz
@mr.righty rightist I hope you have just witnessed the power of saying "InshaALLAH" Get a drift now!
@Muhammad Rizwan Ali: You Saw Pakistan Won the Match and Qualified by the Grace of Almighty Allah and with the Baraka of Inshallah Mashallah ... keep your Little thoughts with yourself...
CONGRATS
Looks like there's some weird sort of religious war going on here..... :) this page is for cri...how did it lead to religion @Mr. Righty Rightist, with all due respect sir, u have no right to talk in such a manner for any religion. and yes, we won, anyways ...... (I went to sleep aftr 4 wickets with no hope....surprising to know they won) EXACTLY WHY THEY ARE CALLED UNPREDICTABLE! GO PAKISAN!
Amazing win. Great effort by Akmal and Gul.
@Omar: Lets not get carried away/
That is one reason why I do not not watch live play or even listen to the commentary anymore. It makes my heart beat go wild !
@Adnan who writes "Indian trolls: PAK won and proved yet again that they are world beaters- go and sulk in your dressing rooms!"
My dear friend, I am laughing at your comment.
World beaters? Because you won a couple of T20s? Hehehe. Do you know how big the world is?
Anyways, i can always sulk in my living room. I don't have a dressing room, actually.
plz do it everytime say inshallah before any work and then watch the miracle of allah .today pak was on 37/4 ther were no chance for pak to win but at that time i said inshaallah pak wil win .and then allah didnt despirate me and we won,,, jst due to allah kindness bcz we do not deserve his sch behaviour bcz we have left islam so far bt still he dost not left us and continiously giving us a chance to choose right way.
@mr. righty rightist:
Get a life- and show some sporting spirit for a change by appreciating Pakistan's spectacular win instead making sour remarks- worry about your own team that is about to crash out of the Tournament!
The Indian team must be depressed with this Pakitsn win- how on EARTH will they face Australia, poor things!
@mr. righty rightist: @RK Singh:
Indian trolls: PAK won and proved yet again that they are world beaters- go and sulk in your dressing rooms!
@Omar who writes "eat your words!! Whenever I have said Inshallah in life, Allah has never disapointed me!! Today Allah rewarded me, Pakistan & the whole country again!! Alhamudillah Pakistan Zindabad!!"
Are you sure?
Then, why didn't you say Inshaallah in the world cup quarterfinals, last year?
You should say Inshahallah when it matters, like Indi-Pak wars etc.
@Muhammad Rizwan Ali
I guess they do, you did a russell arnold when he said even your prayers won't save you now, only to see pak win. Seriously think before uttering it won't make you look like a fool.
@Pakistanis
Hehehe!
Don't get over emotional. Pakistan won because two of your players played very well.
Looks like my comment made quite an impact and I am reading a lot of Inshaallah, Mahsaalla, Jazakallah, Subhanallah.
Hehehe! You guys are all about Josh aur Jazba and very low on logic.
@mr. righty rightist You might want to take that back. Allah is on our side.
@Muhammad Rizwan Ali - Brother win and lose and everything else is in ALLAH'S control. But yes that doesnt mean we shouldnt do hard work, ALLAH (SWT) orders us to hard work and then put faith in ALLAH (SWT).
Well Mr. Singh i looks like your sed for Pakistancond dream going to be shattered by Australian team as you wished for Pakistn.
Bailed out of jail.
MashAllah, an excellent performance by Pakistani players, Alhamdolillah. Pakistan will also win final, inshAllah.
In such times of despair, it is always great to hear such great news related to Pakistan or Pakistanis. We need more news like these to be happier and to mitigate the effects of other events. Good job team Pakistan!
From match fixing to hopeless predictions, you guys said everything before the final result. Do you have courage to back away from your words? I guess, no! Well played Pakistan! You rock...
@mr. righty rightist: Now go take a hike, we did indeed win because of InshaAllah (God willing).
@RK Singh: Better worry about India's match Mr.Singh. Because Pakistan has won!! Pakistan Zindabad!! Pakistan Paindabad!!
Happy Pakistan won despite usual bad performance by Shahid Afridi. By the way, two convicted criminals are being glorified by our TV channels. Aamir by ARY and Salman Butt by Express News.
@mr. righty rightist: eat your words!! Whenever I have said Inshallah in life, Allah has never disapointed me!! Today Allah rewarded me, Pakistan & the whole country again!! Alhamudillah Pakistan Zindabad!!
@mr. righty rightist:
Looks like you are wrong, Pakistan did win in the end =p!
Cheer up gals and guys. :) Looks like they did it again!
Bravo Pakistan.
Congrats Pakistan.. Really i appreciate your team effort, especially Umar Gul!
Hope same will happen on your next match, against India!! Anyhow all the best.. :)
we wonn!!! Alhumdullilah. InshAllah we will the final too
GUL FOR PRESIDENT!!
UNPREDICTABLE GREEN ROCKS.....CONGRATS TO WHOLE NATION.
hahaha @ all those who gave up on here. and LOL @ the typical indian trolls. We've bagged our points, lets see what India do against the Aussies....
Pakistan WON :)
Umar Gul, you beauty. Umar Akmal. solid, no stupidity. what a 6 off the last over!!!. SA Rattled us a bit, But what a come back.
Ajmal to seal the win :-)
Seems like its fixed
Afridi fans just collectively jumped of a bridge. This is what happens when no one can hold wickets. No partnerships.
Today is Afridi's day. He will score more than 0.
may pakistani team win this and final match
@Oman who writes "Have a feeling Pakistan will win this, Inshallah"
The moment you wrote Inshallah, Allah took offense. Now you will lose.
SA will win.