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Dubai: Paceman Umar Gul recorded the second best figures in international Twenty20 cricket to help fire Pakistan to a seven-wicket win over Australia in the one-off match at Dubai Stadium on Thursday.
The 25-year-old fast bowler took 4 for 8 in his four-over spell, combining with leg-spinner Shahid Afridi (3-14) to restrict Australia to a modest 108 in 19.5 overs after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and fielded.
In Pakistan's reply, Kamran Akmal hit a rapid-fire unbeaten 59 while Haq scored 24. They shared an 85-run stand for the third wicket after Pakistan lost openers Ahmed Shahzad (four) and Salman Butt (16).
Akmal's maiden Twenty20 fifty included five boundaries and three towering sixes off 42 balls and enabled Pakistan to reach their target with 3.4 overs to spare.
Earlier, Umar Gul took a wicket first ball, Shahid Afridi took two in his first two balls, and Australia imploded bizarrely after a flying start from Shane Watson. From 42 for 0 in four overs Australia went to 73 for 5 and 108 all out, a target Pakistan chased down easily after an early wobble. Australia had fielded almost a second XI, and played like that.
Afridi trapped James Hopes (six) and Andrew Symonds on duck leg-before off successive deliveries, before bowling David Hussey (four).
Gul returned for his second spell to dismiss Nathan Hauritz (two), Brett Lee (0) and Marcus North (20) to improve on his own Pakistan record of 4-13 in a Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka last year.
They were the second best figures ever in a Twenty20 international, behind New Zealand paceman Mark Gillespie's 4 for 7 against Kenya at Durban in 2007.
Brief Score: 20 overs Pakistan 109-3 (Akmal 59*) beat Australia 108 (Watson 33, Gul 4-8, Watson 3-14) by seven wickets.
