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Pakistan dumps S.Africa; keeps hopes alive

Man-of-the-Match Umar Akmal scores a breezy half-century for the winner

— PHOTO: AFP

SOFT DISMISSAL:South Africa's A.B. de Villiers is about to be caught by Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal during their ICC World Twenty20 Super Eights match in Gros Islet, St. Lucia on Monday

GROS ISLET (St. Lucia): Defending champion Pakistan defeated South Africa by 11 runs to knock it out of the ICC World Twenty20 and keep its own semifinal hopes alive here on Monday.

In a must-win game for both sides, Pakistan was in dire straits at 18 for three but made 148 for seven thanks mainly to Man-of-the-Match Umar Akmal's 51.

South Africa, chasing a relatively modest target, was then held to 137 for seven with spin, primarily off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal (four for 26), proving its undoing. South Africa slumped to 68 for four and despite a half-century from A.B. de Villiers couldn't break the Pakistan slow bowlers' stranglehold.

Early wicket

Pakistan had an early wicket when Herschelle Gibbs (three) was caught at mid-on by Misbah-ul-Haq off all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. It looked as if the batsman was early on the shot, undone by the slower pace of a Beausejour pitch slower than the one South Africa had grown used to in Barbados.

South Africa was 12 for one and that became 23 for two when captain Graeme Smith chipped spinner Abdur Rehman to rival skipper Shahid Afridi at mid-off. Jacques Kallis was caught in the deep off Ajmal for 22 and Rehman struck again to get rid of J.P. Duminy after Umar Akmal, running in from long-on, took a fine catch.

De Villiers though was still there. But his 53 off 41 balls came to an end when he tried to play an audacious scoop shot off Ajmal and skied a simple catch to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to leave South Africa at 101 for five.

South Africa, which needed 51 off the last five overs, then saw the experienced Mark Boucher fall leg before wicket to Ajmal for 12. It eventually got the target down to 17 off the last over from Ajmal.

Four singles followed before Botha was stumped by wicketkeeper Akmal and that left South Africa needing an impossible 14 runs off two balls.

Useful stand

Earlier, a stand of 51 in six overs between Umar Akmal and brother Kamran (37) revived the innings before Umar put on 61 with Afridi (30), who had won the toss. Fast-medium bowler Charl Langeveldt, maintaining an admirable line, took a career-best four wickets for just 19 runs from his maximum four overs.

South Africa's seamers had early success but the Akmal brothers got the innings going again, Kamran slog-sweeping Roelof van der Merwe and Umar playing a similar stroke for a six against the left-arm spinner. Umar Akmal reached his 31-ball 50 in style with a fourth six, driven straight off Langeveldt. But, two balls later, he failed to clear the boundary and was caught by Gibbs off Langeveldt. — AFP

Pakistan: K. Akmal c Gibbs b van der Merwe 37 (33b, 3x4, 2x6), S. Butt c Smith b Steyn 2 (4b), K. Latif c Steyn b Kallis 7 (9b, 1x4), Mohd. Hafeez lbw b Langeveldt 1 (5b), U. Akmal c Gibbs b Langeveldt 51 (33b, 2x4, 4x6), S. Afridi b Langeveldt 30 (18b, 4x4, 1x6), A. Razaaq (not out) 11 (10b), Misbah c de Villiers b Langeveldt 3 (7b), A. Rehman (not out) 2 (1b); Extras (lb-1, w-3): 4. Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 148.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-14, 3-18, 4-69, 5-130, 6-132, 7-143.

South Africa bowling: A. Morkel 4-0-28-0, Steyn 4-0-26-1, Langeveldt 4-0-19-4, Kallis 4-0-28-1, Botha 2-0-13-0, van der Merwe 2-0-33-1.

South Africa: H. Gibbs c Misbah b Razzaq 3 (9b), G. Smith c Afridi b Rehman 13 (13b, 1x4), J. Kallis c U. Akmal b Ajmal 22 (21b, 2x4), A.B. de Villiers c K. Akmal b Ajmal 53 (41b, 1x4, 2x6), J.P. Duminy c Latif b Rehman 3 (5b), M. Boucher lbw b Ajmal 12 (14b, 1x4), A. Morkel (not out) 7 (7b), J. Botha st. K. Akmal b Ajmal 19 (8b, 4x4), van der Merwe (not out) 2 (2b); Extras (lb-1, w-2): 3. Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 137.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-23, 3-56, 4-68, 5-101, 6-113, 7-135.

Pakistan bowling: Razzaq 3-0-16-1, Aamer 4-0-33-0, Rehman 4-0-35-2, Hafeez 1-0-5-0, Afridi 4-0-21-0, Ajmal 4-0-26-4 .

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