Pakistan reserved their best cricket for the most inconsequential tie of the Asia Cup. After scoring their highest score of 385/7, Shahid Afridi’s men kept Bangladesh down to 246 to win by 139 runs. Batting records tumbled thanks to a rampant Afridi (124, 60b, 17x4, 4x6) as Pakistan bettered their previous best of 371/6 scored against Sri Lanka at Nairobi in 1996.
Bangladesh never showed the urge to chase down the massive target. Imrul Kayes taking 25 deliveries to get off the mark told the tale. Junaid Siddique was unlucky to miss his hundred by three runs but his innings did nothing to alter the outcome of the one-sided contest.
Openers Imran Farhat and Shahzaid Hasan who registered his maiden 50 in 36 balls launched the Pakistan innings with a solid 81-run stand. Umar Amin was unfortunate to be run out by Mahmudullah, when he was trying to get to other side of the stumps. Walking in at the fall of the fourth wicket, Afridi was lucky to see a few of his intended drives go past the stumps.
The thick edges were replaced by solid hits from the middle of the big broad blade and Afridi’s 50 arrived in 35 balls. Umar Akmal kept the score ticking at the other end as Afridi launched into a major offensive.
Afridi blasted his second fifty off 18 balls to bring up his hundred in 53 balls, the sixth fastest century in ODIs. The 30-year-old has his name etched thrice in the top six fastest centuries. Mashrafe Mortaza put down a sitter when Afridi was on 32. In hindsight, the lapse put Bangladesh out of the contest.
Afridi who struck four sixes went past Sanath Jayasuriya’s record of 270 sixes. Afridi has now gone over the ropes 272 times. The power play was taken in the last five overs and 66 runs were plundered off them.
Scores: Pakistan 385/7 in 50 ovs (Afridi 124, Farhat 66) bt Bangladesh 246/5 in 50 ovs (Siddique 97)