Afridi powers Pakistan to big win over Bangladesh

WI beat England

Skipper Shahid Afridi starred with bat and ball as he powered Pakistan to a comprehensive 55-run victory against Bangladesh in his team's opening match of the World Twenty20 in Kolkata yesterday, reports AFP from  Kolkata.
Afridi's blistering 19-ball 49 helped Pakistan post a commanding total of 201 for five and his two-wicket haul was instrumental in restricting Bangladesh to 146 for six from their 20 overs.
"Boom Boom" Afridi, whose batting form had fallen away in recent months, rose to the occasion after promoting himself to number four in the order.
The skipper smacked four boundaries and four sixes to help Pakistan register their  second highest score in T20 internationals. Their highest  total is 203 against the same opposition in 2009. Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistani top-order batsmen Ahmed Shehzad (52) and Mohammad Hafeez (64) hit entertaining fifties to stitch a 95-run second wicket partnership and lay a solid foundation for others to build on.
The duo combined the right dose of caution and aggression to blunt the Bangladesh bowling attack, with the Tigers’ captain Mashrafe Mortaza unable to stem the tide in the absence of injured bowler Mustafizur Rahman.
Shehzad, who was recalled after missing the recent Asia Cup, reached his fifth T20 international half-century in 35 deliveries.
Hafeez was not far behind as the former skipper, who posted his ninth T20I fifty, struck seven fours and two sixes in his 42-ball stay. The only bright spot for Bangladesh was a moment of brilliance in the field when Soumya Sarkar took a breathtaking catch on the boundary rope to bring an end to Hafeez’s innings.
Bangladesh were never really in the hunt and their innings got off to a dreadful start when opener Soumya Sarkar was bowled by Mohammad Amir with only the third ball.
The in-form Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman put on 43 for the second wicket, but they both fell victim to Afridi and Bangladesh’s chase fell away. Amir, on the comeback trail after serving a prison sentence and a five-year ban for spot-fixing, ended with impressive figures of 2-27 in his four overs.
Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan put up some resistance, top-scoring for the Tigers with an unbeaten 50.
His 40-ball knock was studded with five boundaries and a six, but only really served to improve Bangladesh’s net run rate and never looked like altering the outcome.
In the end it was an all-Pakistan show, banishing much of the gloom surrounding the side after their recent run of bad form and their delayed departure to India in a row over security.
In the day’s another match, Chris Gayle blasted a scintillating century to propel the West Indies to a stunning six-wicket win against England in their World Twenty20 opener in Mumbai yesterday. The powerful left-hander smashed 11 sixes and five fours as the Windies successfully chased down England's score of 182 for six at the Wankhede Stadium.
Destructive opener Gayle was largely off-strike in the opening stages of the Super 10 Group One clash but lit up the tournament when the opportunity came his way.
He hit two consecutive sixes off spinner Adil Rashid in the ninth over as the West Indies sat at 85 for two at the half-way stage of their innings. England's stand came after West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field.
Joe Root top-scored for England with a tidy 48, including two exquisite sixes, off 36 balls at the western Indian city's Wankhede Stadium. England skipper Eoin Morgan had promised his charges would bat aggressively but they looked nervy in the opening stages and took their time getting runs on the board.
They posted just five runs in the opening two overs before openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales began to get into their groove as England reached 36-0 after four overs.

 

Afridi powers Pakistan to big win over Bangladesh

WI beat England

Skipper Shahid Afridi starred with bat and ball as he powered Pakistan to a comprehensive 55-run victory against Bangladesh in his teams opening match of the World Twenty20 in Kolkata yesterday, reports AFP from Kolkata. Afridis blistering 19-ball 49 helped Pakistan post a commanding total of 201 for five and his two-wicket haul was instrumental in restricting Bangladesh to 146 for six from their 20 overs. Boom Boom Afridi, whose batting form had fallen away in recent months, rose to the occasion after promoting himself to number four in the order. The skipper smacked four boundaries and four sixes to help Pakistan register their second highest score in T20 internationals. Their highest total is 203 against the same opposition in 2009. Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistani top-order batsmen Ahmed Shehzad (52) and Mohammad Hafeez (64) hit entertaining fifties to stitch a 95-run second wicket partnership and lay a solid foundation for others to build on. The duo combined the right dose of caution and aggression to blunt the Bangladesh bowling attack, with the Tigers captain Mashrafe Mortaza unable to stem the tide in the absence of injured bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Shehzad, who was recalled after missing the recent Asia Cup, reached his fifth T20 international half-century in 35 deliveries. Hafeez was not far behind as the former skipper, who posted his ninth T20I fifty, struck seven fours and two sixes in his 42-ball stay. The only bright spot for Bangladesh was a moment of brilliance in the field when Soumya Sarkar took a breathtaking catch on the boundary rope to bring an end to Hafeezs innings. Bangladesh were never really in the hunt and their innings got off to a dreadful start when opener Soumya Sarkar was bowled by Mohammad Amir with only the third ball. The in-form Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman put on 43 for the second wicket, but they both fell victim to Afridi and Bangladeshs chase fell away. Amir, on the comeback trail after serving a prison sentence and a five-year ban for spot-fixing, ended with impressive figures of 2-27 in his four overs. Bangladeshs star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan put up some resistance, top-scoring for the Tigers with an unbeaten 50. His 40-ball knock was studded with five boundaries and a six, but only really served to improve Bangladeshs net run rate and never looked like altering the outcome. In the end it was an all-Pakistan show, banishing much of the gloom surrounding the side after their recent run of bad form and their delayed departure to India in a row over security. In the days another match, Chris Gayle blasted a scintillating century to propel the West Indies to a stunning six-wicket win against England in their World Twenty20 opener in Mumbai yesterday. The powerful left-hander smashed 11 sixes and five fours as the Windies successfully chased down Englands score of 182 for six at the Wankhede Stadium. Destructive opener Gayle was largely off-strike in the opening stages of the Super 10 Group One clash but lit up the tournament when the opportunity came his way. He hit two consecutive sixes off spinner Adil Rashid in the ninth over as the West Indies sat at 85 for two at the half-way stage of their innings. Englands stand came after West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field. Joe Root top-scored for England with a tidy 48, including two exquisite sixes, off 36 balls at the western Indian citys Wankhede Stadium. England skipper Eoin Morgan had promised his charges would bat aggressively but they looked nervy in the opening stages and took their time getting runs on the board. They posted just five runs in the opening two overs before openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales began to get into their groove as England reached 36-0 after four overs.