Afridi hammers Bangladesh making Pakistan through to the final

MIRPUR: Second consecutive brilliant inning from Shahid Khan Afridi made Pakistan through to the final of Asia Cup with the win against Bangladesh at Shere Bangla Stadium, Mirpur, ARY News reported.

Pakistan chased 325 on Tuesday against Bangladesh, which was their highest successful score chase in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Four Pakistani batsmen contributed in the remarkable victory, Ahmed Shehzad was the top scorer among them. He played a wonderful knock of 103 runs.

Furthermore, Mohammad Hafeez made 52 off 55 balls hitting 8 fours while a sensible inning from Fawad Alam, who scored 74 runs and stayed on the crease till the last over helped Pakistan greatly.

But the star of the day was ‘Boom Boom’ Shahid Afridi. He blasted off 59 runs in just 25 balls. He struck seven huge sixes at different corners of the ground giving no mercy to the Bangladeshi bowlers.

At one stage Afridi's strike rate was 350 and it seemed that he would be going to grab the record of fastest fifty from Sri Lankan batsmen Sanath Jayasurya, who struck that in 17 balls vs Pakistan.

Pakistan bowlers, on the other hand, punished badly by the Bangladeshi batsmen except Mohammad  Hafeez, who bowled a economical spell conceding 27 runs but remained wicket less.

Saeed Ajmal took 2 wickets in his 10 overs spell giving away 61 runs.

Abdur Rehman, who replaced Junaid Khan in the match, was barred from bowling after he bowled three consecutive beamers to Bangladesh batsman in an Asia Cup match.

Bangladesh shattered Pakistani bowlers by hitting strokes all around the ground and posted massive score of 326 runs on board.

It was Bangladesh’s highest ODI total, against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, beating their previous best of 320 for 8 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2009.