KOLKATA: Pakistan batting finally came good. The Shahid Afridi-led team blew away Bangladesh by 55 runs at Eden Gardens here today. Pakistan ran up to a huge total of 201 for 5 in 20 overs and Bangladesh, in reply, fumbled to post 146 for 6.
But what came as a sweet music to the Pakistan camp was the return to form by Afridi. The hard-hitting batsman, who was in the news for wrong reasons, mauled the Bangladesh bowlers in his 19-ball 49 (4x4, 4x6) before falling in the last over.
Coach Waqar Younis had said in his media conference yesterday that Afridi was one innings away from form. Afridi showed why he was regarded as one of the most dangerous batsman even though he was in very poor form in the last few matches. Walking in after Ahmed Shehzad’s dismissal in the 14th over, Afridi tamed the Bangladesh bowlers. He literally ran riot. He struck fours with sheer power while striking sixes with clean hits. He was severe on Bangladesh skipper and medium pacer Masrafe Bin Mortaza. The bowler was struck for 18 runs in his third over. It was ominous sign for India.
Earlier, left hander Sharjeel Khan set the tone, by pulling and hitting two sixes in Al-Amin’s first over. But the opener departed as he was castled by left arm spinner Sunny Arafat.
But the advent of Mohd Hafeez saw Pakistan batsmen taking the centre stage. Shehzad hit clean and hard while Hafeez was equally busy collecting the runs with ease. The Bangladesh bowlers were hapless and looked innocuous on this flat wicket. The second wicket put on 95 runs off 11.2 overs. Shehzad made 52 off 39 balls. Hafeez too completed his half century but his innings was cut short by a brilliant Soumya Sarkar at deep mid-wicket, who lunged high to pluck the catch inches away from the boundary rope. After that it was Afridi show.
For Bangladesh bowlers, it was disappointment all the way. Mortaza conceded 41 runs in this three overs while Al-Amim Hossain gave away 43.
After his breezy knock, Afridi silenced Bangladesh with two vital wickets. He cleaned up the dangerous Shabbir Rahman and then had in-form left hander Tamim Iqbal caught in the deep over. Bangladesh ran into blind alley but for Shakib Al Hasan’s fighting 50, it was Pakistan evening