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| Sunday, 22 September 2002 |
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Afridi powers Pakistan to win but its too late by RANJAN ANANDAPPA In a match of only academic interest, Pakistan defeated Netherlands by 9 wickets without much energy in the tenth match of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament at the SSC grounds yesterday. This result has no bearing in this tourney but Pakistan gained valuable practice ahead for their three-Test series against Australia with the first one being played here in Sri Lanka at the P. Sara Stadium in the first week of October and the last two at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Netherlands elected to bat first and did well to exist the 50 overs but did not have the batting resources to accumulate runs and finally managed only 136 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Pakistan reached the required runs utilising just 16.2 overs with Shahid Afridi scoring a blistering half century. Besides a 55 run partnership off 89 balls between Luuke Vantroost (16) and Tim De Leede (24) for the fifth wicket the rest were struggling amidst a steady Pakistani attack. Skipper Ronald Lefebvre top scored for his side with 32 facing 70 deliveries with a four and a six but fell one run short of beating the number of extras (33) which took top billing in the Dutchmen's innings. Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi fully justified his award for the man of the match when he took 3 for 18 in his 10 overs and provided the sparse crowd with some lusty hitting which brought him within striking distance of breaking Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya's fastest 50 in a one day international cricket match. Jayasuriya struck the fastest 50 off 17 balls in Singapore in 1996 soon after Sri Lanka winning the World Cup. Afridi reached 49 off 17 balls and was unbeaten on 55 facing 18 balls in just 22 minutes striking four boundaries and six sixes while caning a hapless looking bowling attack. He was merciless on the Adeel Raja the Netherland spinner, hitting him for four sixes in his second over. Openers Imran Nazir (59) and Saeed Anwar (28 n.o.) put on 85 runs for the first wicket. Nazir was the dominant partner reaching his 50 off 36 balls with nine fours while Anwar played second fiddle and faced 40 balls with a couple of fours for his unbeaten knock. |
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