Pakistan vs Australia T20I: Pakistan Finally Claim 23 Run Victory over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746
After suffering one defeat after another for the best part of the last six months, the Pakistani team has finally got the monkey off its back, as they toppled the Australians by 23 runs in the opening match of the MCC Spirit of Cricket two-match Twenty20 series being staged in Birmingham, England.
It was an all-round display (that this team is certainly capable of) that helped them in achieving what looked like a difficult task, after an ordinary start that saw a flurry of wickets reduce the men in green to 44/4 batting first, including the wicket of their mercurial leader Shahid Afridi.
However, Afridi made up for his batting failure with an inspired performance with the ball and in the field, and some intelligent captaincy that brought http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 a much needed win over the runner-ups of the T20 World Championship held in the Caribbean earlier in the year.
Afridi won the toss and opted to take first use of the Edgbaston wicket that looked like a batting-friendly track.
The men in green were jolted early on; when the swashbuckling http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahzaib-Hasan-c2488 placed the first ball (of Dirk Nannes) he faced into the hands of David Hussey at mid-on.
The second wicket pair of Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal then added 43 runs before Akmal was run out attempting an adventurous run (He made 23 runs off 19 balls). Salman Butt fell in the same over, offering a simple catch to David Warner placed at the mid-wicket fence, from the bowling of David Hussey. He made 13 runs off 21 balls.
Disaster struck when Afridi perished to a limp sweep shot that he missed completely, and was caught plumb in front (lbw) off the bowling of leg-spinner Steven Smith.
Umar Akmal once again demonstrated his tremendous shot range and ability of playing deft shots with meaty blows, as he came out taking the attack to the opposition. His maturity belies his age and his approach with the bat seems so un-Pakistani, as does his uncomplicated approach towards the game.
The younger of the two Akmals smashed the fastest fifty by a Pakistani in the T20 format, scoring his first 50 off 21 balls.
He first joined hands with Shoaib Malik, who also looked in fine touch before being dismissed caught behind from a Dirk Nannes delivery. Malik scored 21 runs off 18 balls, with 3 boundaries.
Akmal perished after making 64 off only 31 balls with seven fours and three monstrous sixes that set the tone for Pakistan’s fighting total.
The 20 overs ended with the men in green posting 167 for 8. Dirk Nannes claimed two wickets and so did the 100 mile man Shaun Tait.
The Aussies lost Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482. He could contribute only 5 runs off 6 balls.
The left-hander Warner, who took 20 runs off the second over bowled by Shoaib Akhtar, added 52 runs with David Hussey, and for a while it seemed that the two would be taking the Aussies home.
Hussey’s patience ran out as he skied an Afridi delivery into the safe hands of Shoaib Malik, while Warner perished in the next over, cleaned up by Saeed Ajmal. Warner made 41 runs off 31 balls.
Cameron White threatened the Pakistan side briefly, before he was snapped by a brilliant diving catch by Afridi (managing 17 runs off 13 balls), and the wind went out of the Aussie sails with the demise of Steven Smith and Mike Hussey in quick succession.
Mike Hussey was cleaned up by a special yorker by Umar Gul, who underlined his importance in Pakistan’s attack on his international return after a three month lay-off due to a shoulder injury.
The last rites were administered by Saeed Ajmal as he went through the defences of Shaun Tait.
The Aussies were dismissed for 144 in the penultimate over, handing the ecstatic Pakistanis a 23 run win.
Umar Akmal was declared man of the match for his special batting effort. The second match of the series will be played at the same venue tomorrow.
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