Akmal hurries Pakistan home

Kamran Akmal hit a rapid unbeaten 59 as Pakistan made short work of overhauling a target of 109 in Dubai

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An unbeaten half-century from Kamran Akmal helped Pakistan end the limited-overs series against Australia on a high with a seven-wicket win in the solitary Twenty20 international in Dubai.

Akmal hit 59 not out off 42 deliveries and put on 85 for the third wicket with stand-in skipper Misbah-ul-Haq as Pakistan comfortably chased down Australia's meagre 108.

Fast bowler Umar Gul and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi had turned in superb spells as Australia were bowled out in 19.5 overs.

Gul returned figures of 4-8 off four overs, but it was Afridi's spell, which yielded three wickets, that proved the more destructive.

Shane Watson and Brad Haddin had given Australia a flying start to their innings, putting on a rapid 42 for the first wicket.

Watson was the more pugnacious, clubbing Shoaib Akhtar for four off the first ball he faced and then hitting Sohail Tanvir for three consecutive boundaries in his second over.

Gul struck immediately after being introduced into the attack, trapping Watson leg before for 33 despite the suggestion of an inside edge.

Australia scored 53 from the six overs of powerplays, but Afridi changed the complexion of the game when he came on for the seventh over.

The leg-spinner first got rid of James Hopes, rapping him on the back pad as he attempted a slog-sweep, and then sent back Andrew Symonds lbw first ball.

Afridi began with a rare double-wicket maiden and had his third victim in the next over when he bowled David Hussey via an inside edge.

Shoaib Malik got into the act by sending back Haddin for 24 - he found only Gul at long-on - and also accounting for Callum Ferguson.

Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi claimed three key wickets to undermine Australia's innings in their final game of the tour

Gul then proceeded to rip through the Australia tail, Nathan Hauritz and Brett Lee falling in quick succession before Marcus North was bowled for 20 in his final over.

Defending a small total, Australia began brightly with the ball. Lee had Ahmed Shehzad caught at midwicket and Salman Butt, who was reprieved by North at slip off Lee’s first delivery, perished soon after.

But Akmal drove Lee and Ben Hilfenhaus for four in successive overs and kept the runs flowing, allowing Misbah to slip into a groove.

Misbah was reprieved James Hopes put down a sharp return catch, while Akmal accelerated the scoring with consecutive sixes in Hopes' second over, which cost 15.

Nathan Bracken was also hoisted for six by Akmal, and, though Misbah miscued a pull off Hauritz to Bracken at short fine-leg, victory was within reach for Pakistan.

Watson was later fine 25% of his match fee and Haddin 15% for questioning umpiring decisions – a breach of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct.

Watson hit his bat with his hand after being given out and continued to protest as he left the field, while Haddin pointed his bat at umpire Zameer Haider when Symonds was adjudged leg before and said: "There was bat involved".