Afridi's brilliance guides Pakistan into Twenty20 final
Afridi's brilliance guides Pakistan into final
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Thursday, 18, Jun 2009 11:15
Shahid Afridi hit 51 runs and took two wickets in a brilliant performance as Pakistan beat South Africa by seven runs to advance into the final of the World Twenty20, reports Richard James from Trent Bridge.
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first and although they suffered an early set-back with the loss of opener Shahzaib Hasan in the second over, it wasn't long before the fireworks began with Kamran Akmal deciding to take on the South Africa bowlers, smashing 23 runs off 12 balls.
Shahid Afridi later steadied the ship playing a masterful innings of 51 off just 34 balls and Pakistan's innings eventually ended on 149-4, setting South Africa 150 to win and book their place in the final.
Graeme Smith's men came up just short though and despite a calm innings from Jacques Kallis, brilliant bowling at the death from Pakistan saw South Africa end on 142-5.
The day truly belonged to Afridi who walked out to the crease with his team on 8-1.
Initially he allowed Akmal to steal the limelight with Pakistan's opener smashing three fours and six off just seven balls before top-edging a pull shot off the bowling of Dale Steyn into the hands of Albie Morkel.
Afridi soon began imposing himself though and with Shoaib Malik the pair batted from the second over through to the 13th and built a platform from which Pakistan could kick on.
JP Duminy eventually took the prize scalp with his first ball of the game as Afridi mistimed a flighted delivery and skied a catch to AB de Villiers.
South Africa's bowlers then came into their own at the end of the Pakistan's innings, only conceding 29 off the last five overs, with Wayne Parnell and Steyn frustrating the batsmen.
Pakistan eventually ended on 149-4, with Younis Khan finishing undefeated on 24 and Soaib Malik hitting 34.
South Africa's reply got off to perfect start with skipper Graeme Smith and Kallis reaching the end of the fourth over on 30-0, both players calmly going about their business with minimal fuss.
The drama began the next over, however, when the crowd's favourite Umar Gul dropped Smith off the bowling of Abdul Razzaq and appeared to injury himself in the process.
The Pakistan supporters cheered wildly when Gul eventually clambered to his feet a few minutes later and their joy grew considerably the next over when Smith, seemingly frustrated with his team's lack of boundaries, tried to hook Mohammad Amir but instead sent the ball straight up into the Nottingham sky and into the bowler's hands.
It was then time for Afridi to take the ball and a delightful delivery which kicked straight on dispatched Herschelle Gibbs. In his next over he then removed de Villiers, who chopped the ball onto his own stumps having scored just one run.
The two crucial wickets came in just four balls and put Pakistan firmly in the driving seat.
Kallis continued to play patiently without drama and safely negotiated the next seven overs with Duminy, but the lack of big-hitting and boundaries dragged his team further and further behind the required run rate and effectively sealed their fate.
The 18th over saw South Africa's slim chances of victory evaporate when Kallis finally succumbed trying to smash a huge six back over the bowler Saeed Ajmal's head but instead sending a catch into the hands of the fielder at long-off.
Graeme Smith's men needed 23 runs to win off the last over and despite some courageous batting from Duminy, South Africa ended seven runs short of the required total and crashed out of the competition.
Pakistan will play the winner of tomorrow's other semi-final between West Indies and Sri Lanka at Lord's on Sunday.