Mohammad Hafeez put a poor Test series behind him to lead Pakistan to a crushing 95-run win in the second and final Twenty20 international against South Africa at SuperSport Park here on Sunday.
Hafeez hammered 86 and took three wickets for 25 runs, while fast bowler Umar Gul took five for six as South Africa collapsed to 100 all out in reply to Pakistan's 195 for seven in what was effectively a series decider after the first match in Durban was washed out. Appointed Pakistan's captain in the shortest form of the game, Hafeez thrashed four sixes and nine fours off 50 balls and when he reached 73 became the first Pakistani to reach 1,000 runs in T20 internationals.
His innings was in dramatic contrast to his struggles in a three-match Test series which ended last week, in which he could score only 43 runs in six innings at an average of 7.16. A second wicket partnership of 83 off 48 balls with Ahmed Shehzad (46) set Pakistan on target for a massive total but the innings lost momentum when Hafeez was out off the third ball of the 17th over, with the total on 170.
Hafeez slipped as he stepped back in his crease to hit Rory Kleinveldt to the cover boundary and he dislodged his bails. South Africa made a flying start, with AB de Villiers batting audaciously as the home side reached 48 for one in four overs. But Gul then took four wickets in six balls, spread across two overs, as the match swung irrevocably in Pakistan's favour. In between, De Villiers was bowled by Mohammad Irfan for 36, made off 22 balls with two sixes and four fours.
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