Shahid Afridi brilliant show with bat and ball halt the South African journey of World Twenty20 to help Pakistan enter the Final of twenty20 World Cup. Now they will face (Sri Lanka or West Indies) in the Final at Lord’s on June 21st.
Shahid Afridi who was promoted at number three did what exactly his team required from him with bat. He went on to score 51 runs of just 34 balls and then turned the game in his team favour by taking two crucial wickets of H.Gibbs and AB Devilliers in his quota of four overs.
Before playing this game South Africa was considered as firm favorite to lift the World twenty20 title after early exit of India and Australia from the tournament but South Africa CHOKE again as they were not able to chase down 150 runs target on good batting wicket.
South Africa started their run chase in style in first three overs picking up as many as 29 runs. However Pakistani bowlers came back strongly to tighten the scoring areas of Protease and from that point the panic start in South African batting lineup. Graeme Smith who was dropped earlier in the inning by Umar Gul tried similar shot to sky an easy catch to 17 years old Md. Aamer for 10 rusn of 14 deliveries.
The Shahid Afridi removed dangerous Gibbs and Devilliers in his two successive overs to peg back South African run chase. They were suffocated by Afridi and Saeed Ajmal and their inability to score enough runs during the initial and middle overs left them with far too much to do against the pinpoint accuracy of Umar Gul's yorkers.
Earlier Pakistanis captain Younis Khan won the toss and elected to bat first in knockout game. Opener Kamran Akmal gave Pakistan flying start by scoring quick 23 runs of 12 balls. However two quick wickets from Parnell and Styen bring back South Africa back into the game.
But Shahid Afridi played his natural game regardless of math situation to kept Pakistanis scoring rate in excess of 7 runs per over. But once Afridi dismissed in the 13th over, Pakistan unable to score freely and from 120/3 in the 15th over they reach 149/4 at the end o 20 overs. South African bowlers bowled exceptionally well in last five overs and conceded just 29 runs.
Shahid Afridi was declared Player-of-the-Match for his all-round show both with bat and ball.
