Akmal humbles Aussies in Twenty20

Twenty20 International, Dubai Sports City:
Pakistan 109-3 (16.2 ov) bt Australia 108 (19.5 ov) by seven wicketsMatch scorecard

Akmal struck nine boundaries on his way to an unbeaten half-century

Kamran Akmal's swift half century led Pakistan to a comfortable seven-wicket win after Australia had been skittled for just 108 in their Twenty20 match.

Shane Watson got the Aussies off to a flier with a 14-ball 33, but his fall sparked a dramatic collapse.

Umar Gul - the world's leading Twenty20 wicket-taker - took 4-8 from four overs and Shahid Afridi 3-14 as Australia fell apart, despite Marcus North's 20.

Akmal than hit 59 from 42 balls as he led Pakistan home with 3.4 overs left.

That came after Pakistan's openers Ahmed Shehzad and Salman Butt had fallen cheaply but, with the required run-rate at little over five-an-over, Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq were able to play themselves in before striking out with the target in sight.

606: DEBATE

Too easy. Afridi and Gul cleaned up, then the Kamran and Misbah show held the stage. Well played Pakistan

Stroller95

Akmal took the lead, striking five fours and three sixes as Australia were put to the sword in unceremonious fashion.

"Gul was outstanding, and Afridi has been bowling well in the whole series. Once we got them out for 108 it was in our hands, so hopefully we can carry this form to the World Twenty20," said Misbah, referring to next month's event in England.

Australia's stand-in captain Brad Haddin, leading in the absence of Michael Clarke, had little excuse for the result, saying: "We were progressing well in the first five overs but thereafter we were outplayed."

Haddin and teammate Shane Watson were later fined part of their match fees after match referee Jeff Crowe found them both guilty of breaching the player's Code of Conduct by showing dissent against decisions by the umpires.

Watson lost 25% of his match fee for his reaction to being given out by umpire Aleem Dar in the fifth over of the game.

Haddin was fined 15% of his match fee for pointing his bat towards umpire Zameer Haider after he had given Andrew Symonds out lbw and claiming the ball had hit the edge of the bat before the pad.

"While I understand that players will feel frustrated at times, both Brad and Shane were quick to acknowledge that they needed to accept the umpire's decision without gesture or verbal complaint," Crowe commented.