World T20: Gul gives Pak stunning win over SA

Colombo: Shahid Afridi started playing for Pakistan in 1996 but he still hasn’t learnt the first thing about the game. One recalls a chat with Rameez Raja about Afridi’s first innings in international cricket – against Kenya at Nairobi.

Afridi had smashed 102 off 40 balls with 6 fours and 11 sixes. So in the break, Raja went up to him and asked him how the pitch was playing. Afridi’s answer was typical: ‘Pata nahi, parr maarne mein bada mazaa aa raha tha.’

To this day, that remains the way almost every Pakistani batsman plays. Even today, they were 5-63 when Afridi came in to bat and what did he do to the first ball he faced? He tried to smash it out of the ground. He was dismissed for a duck.

But the batsmen that followed didn’t learn from his example either and everyone kept going for their shots – after all bada mazaa aa raha tha. Before long, Pakistan were 7-76 and the match, in the eyes of most observers was over. However, someone forgot to tell Umar Gul that.

The fast bowler isn’t known for his batting but he came up with a truly thrilling 32 off 17 balls including 2 fours and 3 sixes to tilt the balance once again.

His first scoring shot was a six off Jacques Kallis and then he followed it up with another six off the very next ball to speed away to 12 off 5 balls. But everyone thought it was too late. However, the comeback kept gathering pace and South Africa, once again, just seemed to choke under its weight.

Umar Akmal was the steadying influence at the other end with 43 off 41 balls and sealed the deal for Pakistan with a six in the last over. He was superb in his own way and ensured that there was someone to take the side to victory.

You can always count on the Pakistan; count on them to rustle up some excitement just when you feel you are in for a truly boring encounter. And Mohammad Hafeez’s team didn’t disappoint again. They were brilliant with the ball on a slow Premadasa wicket in Colombo and managed to restrict the South African’s to 133 for 6 in 20 overs.

South Africa’s batsmen never quite got to terms with the spin bowling and a good, balanced 48 by JP Duminy helped them get to their eventual total.

But then just as quickly, Pakistan lost 4 wickets with just 37 on board. What happened next was anyone’s guess because that’s the way Pakistan play – with them you never quite know what you’ll get.

In the end, the victory was unexpected but not entirely surprising because with Pakistan nothing is ever certain.