PHOTOS: Gul, Akmal lead Pakistan to thrilling win

Umar Gul blasted 32 runs off 17 balls and Umar Akmal struck an unbeaten 43 as Pakistan beat South Africa by two wickets in a nail-biting Super Eight stage match of the World Twenty20 on Friday.

- Scorecard 

Gul struck three sixes and two boundaries in his entertaining cameo while Akmal remained unbeaten after a 41-ball knock as Pakistan chased down the 134-run victory target with two balls to spare.

Seamer Yasir Arafat started the slide as removed Hashim Amla in the second over.  

Amla was done in by a slower on from Arafat after he was dropped by Kamran Akmal in the first over.

The slowness of the pitch increased the woes for the Proteas who found it increasingly difficult to hit the big shots.

Even young Raza was difficult to get away as he gave away only 12 runs in his three overs.

Duminy and De Villiers struggled against the spinners but when Umar Gul came in, de Villiers cashed in on some pace on the ball.

Gul's knock was crucial in the context of the match after South African spinners Robin Peterson and Johan Botha bowled brilliantly to set it up for AB de Villiers' men.

Peterson removed Mohammad Hafeez after Imran Nazir edged one to de Villers in the third over.

Pakistani batsmen, then went on a roll losing wickets at regular intervals. Shahid Afridi was back in the hut without even troubling the scorers.

But Akmal and Gul used the long handle to good effect to see Pakistan home. 

Pakistan needed nine runs off the last over sent down by Morne Morkel and Akmal hit a six off the second delivery, a full toss, before taking a single.

Saeed Ajmal edged the fourth delivery to boundary to score the winning run.

It capped a stunning comeback by Pakistan who lost their top three batsmen in a span of seven balls.