Afridi inspired Pakistan crush listless Bangladesh by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla
Scorecard:	Bangladesh v Pakistan
Player:	Shahid Afridi
Event:	Asia Cup 2010

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DateLine: 21st June 2010

 

Shahid Afridi scored his sixth ODI century to brush aside a listless Bangladesh aside. It was batting of top quality as it was a perfect mixture of caution and aggression.

 

Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bat first on a track that was flat. Shakib reckoned that a target of 260 could be easily chased but what he was not prepared for what was coming.

 

Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi smashed a scintillating 124 off 60 balls as Pakistan piled up their highest one-day total, with 385 for the loss of 7 wickets. Afridi plundered 17 boundaries and four massive sixes to demoralise the Bangladeshi bowlers as none was spared. Umar Akmal gave his skipper valuable support as he made 50 during a fifth-wicket stand of 136.

 

The Pakistani innings was given a flier as openers Imran Farhat and Shahzaib Hasan took full advantage of a toothless bowling attack. Shahzaib Hasan was the aggressive of the two as he went after the bowling from the word go. Imran Farhat was watchful in the beginning but as the innings progressed the southpaw showed glimpses of his attacking game. The innings had a bizarre dismissal of Umar Amin who was run out by Mahmudullah while moving from the off to the leg-side at the non-striker's end after completing a single.

 

Tamim Iqbal took a leaf from Afridi's innings as the southpaw batted with controlled aggression before imploding. The innings of his partner Imrul Kayes was confusing and bizarre as the opener seemed to be allergic to scoring a run. He scored his first run in his 24th ball of his innings and that mood continued till his dismissal. Though Junaid Siddique was much better in his scoring rate the approach of the two batsmen was poor.

 

In the end it was of academic interest as to whether Junaid Siddique would reach his maiden century but was cut short by Shoaib Akthar's clever change of pace.