“He came, he saw, he conquered.” The saying might have been coined for cricket king Shahid Afridi. When ‘Lala’ was recalled after he was ruled out in the 2013 Champions Trophy, he played an innings that can undoubtedly be regarded as one of the best all-round innings of the game’s history. Seventy-six runs off 55 and balls and seven wickets for 12 runs. He broke several records in one match.

[caption id="attachment_1888" align="alignright" width="262"]Pakistan’s start was like this. Three batsmen was dismissed his way. (Photo: WICB) Pakistan’s start was like this. Three batsmen was dismissed his way. (Photo: WICB)[/caption]

Afridi played an innings so superb that it dampened the enthusiasm of Trent Bridge Test, which is being termed as one of best Tests ever as England beat Australia by a narrow margin of just 14 runs.

Pakistan once again lost the toss at Providence, Guyana, and were put into bat. As the innings started, Jason Holder shattered Pakistan’s top-order. It was the time when maybe most Pakistanis were turning off the TVs.

Holder bowled so skilfully that Pakistan’s first three batsmen got bowled on the balls which they were trying to leave. Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez were clean bowled, and Nasir Jamshed was given lbw. Although it was result of bad umpiring but Pakistan got a blow. Asad Shafiq was caught behind the wickets, whereas Umar Akmal’s adventurous force of habit cost him his wicket. Now Pakistan were 47 for five. Another horrific performance!

Now two most senior members of the team were at the crease – Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi. The need of the time was to stay at the wicket and play the next 30 overs, but Afridi had already written his script. The third ball he played was six – and it was just the start.

West Indian bowlers who had seemed impregnable implode in from of the Boom Boom. He scored 76 off 55, which included five sixes and six fours. Misbah batted in his usual way and having scored 52 off 121, he was caught behind in the 48th over.

Pakistan’s score was 224 for nine in 50 overs. It was a better score against the backdrop of team’s performance in the Champions Trophy, where it could not even reach 200 runs and were all-out in all matches. But still the score was not defendable – or so it seemed.

Holder’s bowling was remarkable in the innings. In his 10 overs, he gave just 13 runs and took the initial four wickets. Kemar Roach and Dwayne Bravo took two wickets apiece and Kieron Pollard took one.

As soon as West Indies entered the ground, Mohammad Irfan dismissed Johnson Charles on the second  ball of the innings. In the fifth over, Bravo lost his wicket to Irfan, giving catch to wicketkeeper Umar Akmal. The game was now getting lively.

Pakistani players were imbued with enthusiasm, but there was much more to come. The last ball of the same over was a nightmare for the hosts. A direct throw by Misbah ended the innings of Chris Gayle. The tourists broke into jubilation as if they had won a football World Cup. Pakistan had now firm grasp over the game. Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuels tried to push the score, but they could only add 17 runs. West Indies were 41 in 22 overs.

[caption id="attachment_1873" align="alignright" width="250"]Shahid Afridi scored 76 runs and took seven wickets (WICB) Shahid Afridi scored 76 runs and took seven wickets (WICB)[/caption]

When Afridi was introduced, all hell broke loose. He bagged all the remaining wickets through his bowling which was a combination of normal legbreak, googly and fast deliveries. The unforgettable moment was when Afridi reciprocated his wicket with Pollard, who had been a nuisance for Lala in the first innings.

West Indies were all-out on 98 runs in the 41st over and Pakistan sealed a 126-run victory.

Afridi gave just 12 runs in nine overs and took seven wickets. It was the second-best bowling of any player in the ODIs and the best by any Pakistani bowler. He broke Waqar Younis’ national record of 7 for 36. Had Afridi taken one more wicket, he could have broken Chaminda Vaas’ world record of 8 for 19.

When Afridi dismissed Dwayne Bravo, it was the 350th wicket of his career and he became the third Pakistani bowler ever to touch the mark. Moreover, he has now become the only player in the game’s history to have scored 7,000 runs and claimed 350 wickets.

He took a five-wicket haul and scored half-century in one match for the third time. No player has ever done so even more than once.

Afridi was given the man-of-the-match award for his performance, the 30th time he received the award – most by any Pakistani player.

He second between the two teams will be played on July 16 at the same venue.

West Indies vs Pakistan


1st ODI


July 14, 2013


Venue: Providence, Guyana


Result: Pakistan won by 126 runs


Man of the match: Shahid Afridi

























































































































پاکستانRunsBalls4s6s
Nasir Jamshedlbw b Holder61710
Ahmed Shehzadb Holder51210
Mohammad Hafeezb Holder11300
Misbah-ul-Haqc †Charles b DJ Bravo5212110
Asad Shafiqc †Charles b Holder0100
Umar Akmalc DJ Bravo b Roach193401
Shahid Afridic Sammy b Pollard765565
Wahab Riazc Holder b Roach72100
Saeed Ajmalnot out151910
Asad Alib DJ Bravo11601
Mohammad Irfannot out4110
Extras(byes 1, leg-byes 4, wides 23)28
Total(9 wickets; 50 overs)224

 





























































Bowling (West Indies)OversMaidenRunsWickets
Kemar Roach100382
Jason Holder104134
Darren Sammy82350
Dwayne Bravo103522
Sunil Narine30320
Marlon Samuels30240
Kieron Pollard60251

 






















































































































ویسٹ انڈیزTarget: 225 runsRunsBalls4s6s
Chris Gaylerun out (Misbah-ul-Haq)1800
Johnson Charlesb Mohammad Irfan0100
Darren Bravoc †Umar Akmal b Mohammad Irfan51810
Marlon Samuelslbw b Shahid Afridi257520
Lendl Simmonsst †Umar Akmal b Shahid Afridi104600
Dwayne Bravolbw b Shahid Afridi0100
Kieron Pollardc Wahab Riaz b Shahid Afridi31000
Darren Sammynot out214310
Kemar Roachc & b Shahid Afridi1900
Sunil Narinec Nasir Jamshed b Shahid Afridi143120
Jason Holderlbw b Shahid Afridi0400
Extras(byes 1, leg-byes 6, wides 11)18
Total(all out; 41 overs)98

 






















































Bowling (Pakistan)OversMaidensRunsWickets
Mohammad Irfan72172
Asad Ali50130
Wahab Riaz5180
Saeed Ajmal70250
Mohammad Hafeez81160
Shahid Afridi93127
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