Pakistan outplayed mighty Aussies in the 1st T20
At last the cricket nomads, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 as they beat the Kangaroos by 23 runs in the 1st T20 International at Edgbaston, Birmingham last night. One again Umar Akmal’s remarkable 64 off just 31 deliveries was heart of Pakistan’s 167/8. Pakistan’s bowling department led by teenage sensation Mohammad Aamer did not let Clark’s men to chase down 168.
Pakistan entered the Edgbaston ground with memories of Hussey’s blitz in St. Lucia still fresh but came out triumphant. Though the victory cannot bring the World T20 trophy back but would definitely ease the nerves of mauled men in green and specifically Saeed Ajmal. This time Ajmal taking the last wicket, bagged a victory to his time after losing 12 matches in a row to the mighty Aussies, across all the three formats.
Afridi after winning the toss decided to bat first. Pakistan’s opening stand could bring only one run for its side when the young http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163 played an innings of Just 13 runs from 21 balls.
The time Boom Boom Afridi lost his wicket at duck in the seventh over, Pakistan was just 47 for 4 and it seemed as if once again it is going to be http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120’s day. But a fifth wicket stand of 51 runs between the bludgeoning Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik rescued the Pakistan side from a precarious 47-4. 20 years old Umar Akmal chalked his fourth T20 half-century of 21 balls which is the fastest T20 fifty by any Pakistani player till day. Malik gave an edge to Paine on a slow bouncer by Nannes. Malik scored 21 of 18 balls with the help of three boundaries. Pakistan’s sixth wicket fell when Abdul Razzaq was clean bowled by Shaun Tait. He could only add seven runs to the score card. Umar Akmal once again brilliant with the bat played a marvellous innings of 64 runs with the help of three sixes and seven fours to set a decent target of 168 runs.
The target seemed to be a formidable but chase-able, at least when the chasers are mighty Aussies with a very strong and threatening batting line-up. The time pugnacious Warner slaughtered express pacer Shaoib Akhtar with five boundaries off his first five balls, it 168 was perceived to be easily gettable target. But the batting line led by 18 years old seamer Mohammad Aamer denied the Kangaroos strangling their run-rate.
Aamer made http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 go back to pavilion without letting him open his account. Things seemed to be going out of hand when Warner smashed five straight boundaries to speedster Akhtar, but Afridi and the T20 specialist Umar Gul, who just recovered from a shoulder injury, strangled the run rate. Gul bothered Warner and David Hussey with his Yorkers one after the other, while Afridi from the other end - altering his pace and angle kept the players guessing his line and length during the 52-run partnership.
Afridi sacked Hussey in the tenth over when he was caught by Shoaib Malik on the mid-on. He scored 34 off 28 including four boundaries and a six. In the following over, the danger man Warner was bowled by Saeed Ajmal, the unlucky man of St Lucia. Warner played an innings of 41 runs with the help of six boundaries. Warner’s dismissal brought the hero of World T20 semi final Michael Hussey to the crease, but failed to play heroics this time as he was bowled by the T20 hero of 2009 World Cup, Umar Gul.
Aamer and Ajmal both shared 3 wickets each. Shoaib Akhtar was the most expensive bowler from Pakistan, conceding 34 runs of just 2 overs.
Both the teams last met in Caribbean in the semi-final of the third edition of World T20 tournament. That time http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 was unlucky as Michael Hussey single handily grabbed a victory for his side but this time the bowling department well defended 167-8 bagging a 23 run win to Pakistan. Though the victory did not earn a world cup trophy but will be a morale booster for Pakistan ahead of the exhaustive England tour. 64 off 31 earned Umar Akmal the Man-of-the-Match award. Both teams will meet tonight in the last T20 of the series.
Tags: