Gul takes 5 wickets for 6 runs as Pakistan easily beats South Africa in Twenty20 match

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DURBAN, South Africa — Fast bowler Umar Gul took 5 wickets for only six runs and captain Mohammad Hafeez smashed a career-best 86 off 51 balls to lead Pakistan to a 95-run victory over South Africa in the decisive second Twenty20 match on Sunday.

Hafeez’s entertaining knock inspired Pakistan to 195-7 and Gul grabbed four top order wickets in the space of six balls at SuperSport Park as South Africa was bowled out for 100 in 12.2 overs, its lowest ever Twenty20 international score.

Pakistan won the two-match series 1-0 after the first Twenty20 at Durban was washed out on Friday.

Gul, now the world’s leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals with 74, removed captain Faf du Plessis (6), Chris Morris (0) and Justin Ontong (0) in his first over.

Farhan Beherdien (0) was smartly caught at point by Ahmed Shehzad in Gul’s next over.

“Nothing went to plan, mainly because of two things — Hafeez played a brilliant innings and our bowling didn’t work to a plan,” Du Plessis said.

“Our bowling did well in the last five overs to keep Pakistan to what we thought was a manageable total, but a five-for (Gul) and an 80-odd completely changes the game. Pakistan are a dangerous team.”

Inbetween Gul’s burst, top scorer AB de Villiers (36) played Mohammad Irfan’s delivery back onto his stumps as South Africa nose-dived from 50-1 to 53-6.

Hafeez then ran through the tail with 3-25 and Gul completed the rout when he had newcomer Kyle Abbott caught behind.

“The team was eager to perform as we didn’t have a good time in tests,” Hafeez said. “Umar showed the way with brilliant bowling.”

Earlier, after electing to bat first, Hafeez looked to have learnt from his dismal run in Pakistan’s 3-0 defeat by South Africa in the test series by playing attacking shots.

Hafeez hit nine fours and four sixes and never let the scoring tempo slow down after Nasir Jamshed (13) was caught at midwicket in the 4th over with Pakistan on 29.

Hafeez added 83 runs with Ahmed Shehzad, who scored 46 off 25 balls which included six fours and two sixes.

Abbott had a dream test debut last month, when he took nine wickets against Pakistan, but will want to forget his Twenty20 debut at home, being hammered for 41 off four overs for the wicket of Gul.

Hafeez hit Ontong for successive sixes in the 14th over and became the first Pakistan batsman to score over 1,000 runs in the shortest form of the game.

The Pakistan captain was out hit wicket in bizarre fashion when he slipped his backfoot onto the stumps despite smashing Rory Kleinveldt for another impressive boundary over the cover boundary off the same delivery.

Shahid Afridi ensured Pakistan posted a challenging total with an unbeaten 19 off 13 balls.

South African and Pakistan start a five-match one-day series on March 10.

12:30ET 03-03-13