Five-star Afridi inspires 46 run win over Canada

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Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi took five wickets to lead a sprited fightback, as his side outlasted Canada by 46 runs in a tempestuous Group A match in Colombo.

40th over: Tempers flaring here, and the umpires have a word with Afridi to control his team. Gul has a strong word with Balaji Rao, and the batsman doesn’t hold back himself. Who says they don’t care about this? 131 for 8

39th over: WICKET Gordon is very well caught by Wahab Riaz – Afridi again the bowler with the golden arm. That is a great five-wicket haul by the talisman. Gordon tried to muscle that for six, but only skied it towards mid-on. Good running catch, that and Canada is almost out of gas. 130 for 8.

38th over: Runs galore for Canada. Gordon smears Ajmal to cow-corner for four, and then the offie has a mind-freeze and gives 5 wides away. 125 for 7.

37th over: DOUBLE WICKET Afridi bowls dangerman Hansra for 43, and the crowd goes wild. He was the one serious threat to a Pakistan win. And the skipper does it again, as he bowls a startled Baidwan with the quicker ball. Canada are suddenly 114 for 7. What an over!

35th over: WICKET Cheema b Afridi 4. Brilliant stuff from Afridi, as he comes back into the attack and strikes with a slightly slower delivery. 111 for 5.

34th over: WICKET Surkari lbw b Ajmal 27. Ever since he has come around the wicket, the offie has looked more deadly. Umpire Harper had said not out, but the review says Ajmal has his man. Bigm big wicket! 106 for 4.

33rd over: Six! Hansra dances down the wicket and smacks Hafeez over his head. He is the key man now, Hansra. That is the 100 for Canada. Can they hold their nerve? 104 for 3.

30th over: Well, they say you should double your score from 30 overs. Which would give Canada a tie. They are in this now, and Hansra and Surkari have added 48.

29th over: Pakistan getting a bit nervy here. Hansra is getting bolder by the minute, as he backs away and slams Hafeez past cover for four. 89 for 3.

25th over: Hafeez on now with his offies. That is a super cut from Hansra, and Canada are 74 for 3 at halfway.

24th over: Saeed Ajmal on now, and this will be interesting. Good turn for the tweaker, but Canada have garnered 5 off that over. 70 for 3.

23rd over: Better that, for Canada. Hansra has come in and played his shots. A bit lucky as an edge off a good Riaz ball goes for four past slip, before a top-edge off a bouncer gets the same result. Who said it’s only the Irish who get lucky? 65 for 3.

20th over: runs have dried up here. One of the last over, and one more off the 20th brings up 50 for Canada. It has been an almighty effort to get there. 50 for 3

18th over: WICKET Bagai lbw Afridi 16. Well, that was always likely. One skipper does for another, As Afridi lands that parallel, and even a review can’t save Bagai this time. It’s the long walk back, and Canada have lost another. 48 for 3.

15th over: Bagai bangs that for four – a bit of relief for the Canadians. They are falling behind the rate though, and Pakistan are well in control after 15 overs. 40 for 2

14th over: Afridi tempted to go for the review there, but decides against it. That hit Surkari outside the line, and he lives to fight on. 36 for 2.

10th over: still not much doing for the Canadians. Pakistan are giving nothing away. First powerplay out the way. 25 for 2.

8th over: Captain Bagia is struck on the pads by Gul, and is given out. Another review, though, and that was going over. Canada breathe a sigh of relief. Another appeal to end the over, but that was stifled. Bagai got a tickle on that, but the Canadians ain’t laughing out there. 23 for 2.

7th over: Nearly! Surkari drives, and that falls just short of mid-off. That is a maiden for Razzaq. Canada feeling the heat now. 21 for 2.

5th over: WICKET Kumar b Razzaq 2. Tough lessons here for the 16-year old. But that ball would have done for plenty other players, too. Nipped back nicely through the gate, and Canada are under the cosh. 16 for 2.

4th over: WICKET Gunasekera lbw Gul 8. That was initially given not out, but a quick discussion prompted the review for Pakistan. Good thing too, as the replay hands Gul a vital early breakthrough.

3rd over: solid enough start by the youngsters Kumar and Gunasekera. 13 for 0, as Canada goes in search of their big World Cup scalp.

Shahid Afridi had won the toss and elected to bat first, but that was just about all that went right for the Pakistanis, as Canada stuck manfully to their task.

Only Umar Akmal (48) and Misbah ul-Haq (37) batted with any sort of responsibility, as a succession of Pakistan batsmen fell to the Canadian trundlers.

Harvir Baidwan was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3 for 35 in eight overs, but there were also two-wicket scalps for Rizwaan Cheema, Balaji Rao and Jimmy Hansra.

Pakistan’s openers again failed to give them a solid start, with Mohammad Hafeez trapped leg before by Henry Osinde in the fourth over. Hafeez requested a review, but the replays showed that ball was clipping leg-stump.

Hafeez’s fellow opener Ahmed Shehzad then fell to a good low catch by Gordon at mid-on, as Canada continued to frustrate their more illustrious opponents. Pakistan reached 44 for 2 after 10 overs, but the wickets would soon continue to fall. Younis Khan was also trapped leg before, this time by Baidwan, before Kamran Akmal fell for a subdued 16, leaving Pakistan at a perilous 67 for 4.

Misbah ul-Haq and Umar Akmal then steadied the boat, adding a much needed 73 for the fifth wicket. Akmal continued to play his shots, despite the dodgy situation, until he was trapped leg-before by Rao for 48 vital runs.

Ul-Haq then followed, for a subdued 37 off 65 balls. That left Pakistan at 165 for 6, but with Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq at the crease.

But any hopes of a big finish disappeared in a matter of minutes, as Pakistan’s lower order simply melted away.

Afridi slapped a Cheema full toss straight to point, before Hansra struck a deadly, double blow in the 42nd over. He trapped Razzaq in front for 8, before Wahab Riaz was caught at slip for 0.

Baidwan then completed the carnage, bowling Saeed Ajmal to blow away Pakistan for 184.

Teams:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Misbah ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (c), Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal.

Canada: N Kumar, R Gunasekera, Z Surkari, A Bagai (c), A Hansra, R Cheema, T Gordon, K Chohan, H Baidwan, H Osinde, W Balaji Rao.