Pakistan beat Australia by seven wickets

Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi shared the bowling honours as Pakistan defeated Australia by seven wickets in a Twenty20 match in Dubai on Thursday.

• Scorecard

Paceman Gul snared four wickets for just eight runs and wrist spinner Afridi returned a three-wicket haul to help Pakistan bowl out the Australians for a paltry 108.

Pakistan, spearheaded by an unbeaten half-century from Kamran Akram, reached the target of 109 in 16.2 overs.

Australia, electing to bat after winning the toss, were off to a steady start with Shane Watson and skipper Brad Haddin sharing a 42-run stand in 25 balls.

The innings took a dramatic turn, though, after Watson was trapped leg before wicket for 33 by a charged-up Gul.

Afridi changed the complexion of the game by removing James Hopes and Andrew Symonds off successive balls. With Pakistan bowlers striking at regular intervals, Australia were eventually bowled out for 108 in the last over.

Pakistan stuttered early in their innings, losing debutant Ahmed Shehzad and Salman Butt for 23 runs by the fourth over.

But the in-form Akmal, who top-scored 59 off 42 balls with five boundaries and three sixes, and Misbah-ul Haq (24 not out) batted with authority and conviction to secure a comfortable victory.

"It was a disappointing result. But then Pakistan played better. We have to accept the result," Haddin told reporters.

Stand-in Pakistan captain Misbah said: "I think Shahid and Umar bowled very well. They did the job for us. No doubt Kamran Akram is in great form and he helped us seal the victory.

Scorecard:

 Australia innings
 S. Watson lbw b Umar Gul                   33
 B. Haddin c Umar Gul b Shoaib Malik        24
 J. Hopes lbw b Shahid Afridi                6
 A. Symonds lbw b Shahid Afridi              0
 D. Hussey b Shahid Afridi                   4
 C. Ferguson st Kamran Akmal b Shoaib Malik  8
 M. North b Umar Gul                        20
 N. Hauritz c Shoaib Malik b Umar Gul        2
 B. Lee b Umar Gul                           0
 N. Bracken not out                          3
 B. Hilfenhaus c Shahid Afridi b Saeed Ajmal 2
 Extras (lb-3, w-1, nb-2)                    6
 Total (all out, 19.5 overs)               108

 Fall of wickets: 1-42 2-61 3-61 4-69 5-73 6-85 7-94 8-94 9-105

 Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 2-0-18-0 (nb-1), Sohail Tanvir 3-0-32-0 (nb-1), Umar Gul 4-0-8-4 (w-1), Saeed Ajmal 3.5-0-19-1, Shahid Afridi 4-1-14-3, Shoaib Malik 3-0-14-2

 Pakistan innings
 Salman Butt c Hopes b Hilfenhaus           16
 Ahmed Shehzad c sub b Lee                   4
 Kamran Akmal not out                       59
 Misbah-ul-Haq c Bracken b Hauritz          24
 Shoaib Malik not out                        0
 Extras (w-5, nb-1)                          6
 Total (three wickets; 16.2 overs)         109

 Did not bat: Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal

 Fall of wickets: 1-17 2-23 3-108

 Bowling: B. Lee 4-0-22-1 (nb-1), N. Bracken 3-0-24-0 (w-2), B.Hilfenhaus 4-0-20-1, N.Hauritz 3.2-0-20-1 (w-1), J. Hopes 2-0-23-0 (w-2)