Press Trust of India
Kolkata, March 16: Stung by unwarranted criticism, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi (49, 2/27) gave a fitting reply with a brilliant all-round performance while guiding his team to a comprehensive 55-run win over Bangladesh in a group league encounter of the ICC World T20, here Wednesday.
Helped by the Afridi onslaught Pakistan posted a massive 201 for five at the Eden Gardens and then restricted their old adversaries to 146 for six to run out easy winners.
Deservingly Afridi was named ‘man of the match’ award and the victory was also a sweet revenge for Pakistan, who were ousted from the Asia Cup by Mashrafe Mortaza’s men only a couple of weeks back.
While talking to reporters Tuesday ahead of the game, Mortaza had stated that he would like to make the Eden Gardens outing a ‘memorable’ one. Well it certainly will be memorable, but more so in the form of a nightmare as Afridi took the opposition bowling attack to the sword.
Afridi (49, 19b, 4×4, 4×6) very rarely plays rampaging knocks these days but Wednesday afternoon, he did show why he is known as ‘Boom boom’ as balls disappeared thick and fast into stands. His innings was the difference between 150 and 200.
Before Afridi’s carnage, Ahmed Shehzad (52, 39b, 8×4) and Mohammad Hafeez (64, 42b, 7×4, 2×6) had laid the foundation with a 95-run partnership from 68 balls. Hafeez hit the second ball he faced from left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny for a straight six and it was an indicator of things to come.
Afridi got the perfect platform as he took just one single to settle down before smashing Mortaza for consecutive boundaries and a six. He did not relax and finally fell going for a fifth over-the-rope shot caught at the deep mid-wicket boundary by Mahmudullah off Taskin Ahmed (2/32).
In reply, Bangladesh were no way in the game and the fast and furious Mohammad Aamir provided the perfect start unsettling Soumya Sarkar’s off-stump with the third ball of the Bangladesh innings.
Amid loud cheers, Afridi brought himself on in the sixth over and angled one into Sabbir Rahaman (25, 19b, 5×4) cramping him for room to disturb the castle. A couple of overs later, he had inform batsman Tamim Iqbal (20b, 2×6) caught in the deep by Imad Wasim and more or less destroyed any hopes that Bangladesh had.
Shakib Al Hasan (50 n o, 40b, 5×4, 1×6) batted well but he was always fighting a lost cause as by the 12th over the required run rate had climbed to over 12.
