Afridi-inspired Pakistan storm to ICC World Twenty20 final

Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul were the heroes as Pakistan beat favourites South Africa in the first ICC World Twenty20 semi-final at Trent Bridge.

Pakistan (149/4) beat South Africa (142/5) by seven runs before a raucous, largely Pakistani crowd. For the tournament favourites South Africa, it was their first real test of the whole event. This was the fourth time the Saffers have been knocked out in a world event semi-final since re-admission.

Each side took the initiative by turn in in an epic, tense game. Having won the toss and batted, Pakistan raced from the blocks, with another brutal cameo from Kamran Akmal (23 off 12) setting the pace. Pakistan were 47/1 after the Powerplay and after Afridi, who again came in at No 3, had hit Botha for four consecutive boundaries in the 11th over, Pakistan were 86/2.

Yet Pakistan managed just three more boundaries in the rest of the innings, as South Africa appeared to seize back the initiative. With Afridi (56 off 34) hoisting the first ball of the 13th over, from J-P Duminy, to AB de Villiers and the Pakistan middle-order coming off second best against Dale Steyn (1/28) and Wayne Parnell’s (1/26) death bowling. Parnell, apparently able to bowl yorkers at will, bowled his last two overs, to Younis Khan and Abdul Razzaq, for just ten runs.

Despite Jacques Kallis’ 64 off 54, South Africa were stalled by two key wickets from Afridi (2/16), who bowled Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers in consecutive overs to leave the Saffers 50/3.

By the time, star bowler Umar Gul came on to bowl the 14th over, South Africa already needed 77 off 42 balls. After taking several balls to tune his radar, it was another brilliant display from Gul, whose control and ability to bowl yorkers excelled even Parnell’s. His three overs went for 19.

With the big-hitting Albie Morkel sat on the bench while Kallis and Duminy slipped further behind the run-rate – Morkel only made it into the middle for the 18th over – South Africa seemed to have misjudged the run chase.

The only concern for Pakistan fans seemed to be Younis’ miscalculation in bringing on left-arm spinner Fawad Alam for an over that went for 15. It was a weird decision that left Umar Gul unable to complete his allocation of overs and meant that teenager Mohammad Umeer bowled the final over.

By then, though, South Africa needed 23 off six balls and even a six from JP Duminy (44 off 39) could not get them close enough.