Shahid Afridi crowned “the highest wicket taker in Twenty20”
Pakistan T20-ODI skipper, Shahid Afridi, who is known for his hard-hitting batting has become the highest wicket taker in the 20-over format of the game by taking 50 wickets.
Afridi achieved this milestone after taking 4 wickets in 2.5 overs, while giving away 14 runs, in the final T20 match of a three-match series against New Zealand. Although Pakistan have lost the series 2-1, Afridi’s record came
in the final match, which was won by his side, beating New Zealand by 103 runs.
Afridi, who failed with the bat in the previous two matches in Auckland and then in Hamilton was under tremendous pressure because a few former Pakistani players had questioned his leadership in the recent series.
Just after the second T20, Pakistan’s former pacer Sarfraz Nawaz had criticised Afridi’s lack of leadership and demanded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to relieve the flamboyant batsman from the responsibilities of captaincy.
Former wicketkeeper Moin Khan had criticised Afridi’s dejected attitude towards his own players after two consecutive defeats in the ongoing tour.
When all guns were being pointed at the skipper, he has responded in a majestic manner by taking the most wickets in the shortest format of the game. Behind him is teammate Umar Gul with 47 wickets.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first, but this time Afridi decided not to open the batting as he had not done well at all opening the innings. This decision, in fact, worked wonders for the tourists, who for the first time
in the series went off to a brilliant start. Pakistani openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez looked extremely confident and hit the Kiwi bowlers all over the park. Afridi chose to bat at number six and scored 14 runs off 9 balls. The men in green made
183 runs in the allotted 20 overs, with some magnificent batting at the end by all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who remained unbeaten after scoring 34 runs off 11 balls.
Looking at the recent poor performance of Pakistanis, the Kiwis must have fancied their chances in the match even with a big total in front of them. However, Afridi’s team was in a different mood yesterday and seemed to go for
the kill from the word go.
Abdul Razzaq was devastating with the ball in his hand and every time he came to bowl, the Kiwi batsmen must have felt a shudder in their spine. He gave away just 13 runs in his 4 overs, taking 3 crucial wickets. Together, Razzaq
and Afridi bulldozed the New Zealand batting line-up, restricting the hosts to a mere 80 runs.
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