PSL 2019: Analysis of Shahid Afridi's brilliant display in Islamabad v Multan

Waseem Ahmed 19:28 16/02/2019
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  • Shahid Afrid. Image: @thePSLt20/Twitter

    Shahid Afridi proved age is a non-factor for a player such as himself as he came up with a superb all-round effort against Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

    The Multan Sultans star was in his element as he snared two crucial wickets on a tacky Dubai surface, proved his fitness levels by taking an acrobatic catch of Hussain Talat to peg back defending champions Islamabad and rounded the day off with an 8-ball 16 with successive sixes to secure a five-wicket win.

    Afridi finished with excellent figures of 2-18 from his four overs and then hit back-to-back sixes in the penultimate over of a tense chase to prove his match-winning abilities are still in place after more than two decades on the professional circuit.

    Afridi accounted for the dangerous Luke Ronchi, getting the batsman to miscue a sweep to square leg.

    Next over, he dived forward to take a tough catch of Talat at short mid-wicket, before firing in a quicker one to rattle the stumps of Englishman Phil Salt.

    Multan were in a spot of bother in the chase, needing 23 from the last three overs. Afridi waited for the inexperienced Waqas Maqsood to bowl the 19th over and drilled him over point and mid-wicket for successive sixes to seal the win.

    Here we take a closer look at the super effort from ‘Lala’.

    STATISTICS

    Overs: 4

    Runs conceded: 18

    Wickets: 2

    Economy rate: 4.5

    Catches: 1

    Runs scored: 16 (8)

    Sixes: 2

    30-SECOND REPORT

    It was a perfect way to get the fourth edition of the PSL under way for Afridi. His troublesome knees have hampered his cricket over the past season or so but he showed he is more than handy with the ball, bat and in the field in his second match of the tournament. Utilising the two-paced nature of the Dubai pitch, Afridi tied Islamabad in knots and the catch at short mid-wicket was the icing on the cake. Successive sixes in a tense chase was the cherry on top.

    GOT RIGHT

    Pace. For bowlers, it is important to gauge the conditions quickly. In a low-scoring innings of 125-7, a world class seamer like Andre Russell was smashed for 32 in three overs. Afridi showed his experience to change his pace perfectly to ensure the batsmen couldn’t hit him over the top or even get him off the square. And with the bat, showed supreme composure to finish the match against an inexperienced pacer in the penultimate over and not take it to the last six balls.

    GOT WRONG

    Afridi’s back foot kept cutting the return crease and it was a surprise it wasn’t called a no-ball by the umpires. But other than that, his bowling was spot on and the driving force of the bowling effort. His two sixes brought back memories from years gone by.

    Rating: 9.5/10

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