Hafeez came out strong as compared to his low profile in test and
scored 85 and clinched 3 for twentyfive whereas Gul repeated his best performance of T-20 and lead Pakistan to an emphatic victory and leapfrog three places on the ICC rankings to No 3. South Africa collapsed to 100 all out in reply to Pakistan's 195 for seven in what was effectively a series decider.
With no Dale Steyn to contend with, Hafeez played with freedom and confidence. 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
Gul showed no such subtlety. In the space of seven balls, he took four wickets to kneecap South Africa and end the contest. Good lengths to desperate batsmen were his razor blade and he sliced through with precision, setting the stage for Hafeez to land even more telling blows with ball in hand. 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 in the 17th over. 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, spread across two overs, as the match swung irrevocably in Pakistan's favour. In between, De Villiers was bowled by M Irfan for 36, made off 22 balls with two sixes and four fours.
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