Afridi inspires Pakistan to crushing victory

ABU DHABI: Shahid Afridi smashed 70 off 50 deliveries and took two wickets Tuesday to lead Pakistan to a 138-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international.

Afridi put on 101 in less than 15 overs with Kamran Akmal, who made 67 not out from 43 balls, to help Pakistan reach 287-9 after having lost two wickets for no runs at the start of its innings.

Akmal belted five boundaries and four sixes, while Afridi hammered four fours and three sixes.

Khalid Latif, playing in only his second ODI and replacing the more experienced Shoaib Malik, made 64 from 112 balls.

Afridi was then one of four Pakistan bowlers to take two wickets, finishing with 2-46 as New Zealand was dismissed for 149 with more than 10 overs remaining at the neutral venue of Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Aaron Redmond top-scored with 52 for New Zealand, while captain Daniel Vettori made 38.
Captain Younis Khan hailed the victory as a ‘complete team performance.’

‘We started on the wrong foot, but luckily Afridi and Akmal did the job for us,’ he said.

Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal put on 54 in 15 overs to rebuild Pakistan's innings after fast bowler Shane Bond dismissed opener Salman Butt and captain Younis Khan in his first two overs.

Yousuf was then run out by Martin Guptill as he hesisted for a quick single, and Umar Akmal was bowled by an arm ball from Vettori to leave Pakistan were 75-4 in the 24th over.

Afridi, the captain of Pakistan's Twenty20 side, and Latif then picked up the momentum. Afridi brought up his 30th half-century in only 37 balls, hitting across the line on a flat pitch with plenty of bounce to step up the run rate.

Latif had a slice of luck on 34 when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum down the leg side.

Only Jacob Oram kept his composure as Afridi cut loose despite just returning from a hamstring injury.
Afridi departed in the 42nd over, moving across for a paddle sweep but holing out to Ian Butler at short fine leg off Oram.

That left Pakistan on 176, and Latif was out eight runs later after deflecting a ball from Vettori on to his stumps.

Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq (26 from 20 balls) helped Pakistan score 104 runs in the last nine overs.

Bond finished with 2-61, while New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori took 2-34.

New Zealand also made a sedate start after a tight spell by new ball bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul. Both worked up decent pace. Aamer, hailed as the next Akram, was particularly impressive with his first seven overs costing only 15 runs.

He bowled Brendon McCullum for 21 and Martin Guptill for 4 within two overs after both tried to force the pace.

Younis' persistence with Aamer also paid off as Ross Taylor was caught behind for 0 by Kamran Akmal to an angling delivery to leave New Zealand on 35-3 in the 11th over.

Scott Styris went for 5 only 15 runs later, caught by substitute Imran Farhat off Abdul Razzaq. Redmond and Vettori then provided some brief resistance with their right-left hand batting combination adding 69 runs for the fifth wicket.

Offspinner Saeed Ajmal provided the breakthrough, trapping Redmond lbw.

It was then Afridi's turn to strike as Vettori played on to his stumps and Nathan McCullum was bowled next delivery. The hat trick was saved but the Blacks Caps caved in, the last six wickets adding only 30 runs.

Vettori said the total was too much to chase.

‘We were on course to restrict them to 220-230 but Afridi and Akmal were fantastic,’ Vettori said. ‘They took the game from us.

‘After losing early wickets it was always going to be difficult. We thought if we could keep the target to 100 from the last 10 overs we could get there with the help of batting powerplay.’