A special milestone was passed for Shahid Afridi as Multan Sultans took the field in a 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL) clash against defending champions Islamabad United at Dubai.
Tuesday’s encounter marked the 300th appearance for Afridi in the T20 format with the veteran becoming only the third Pakistan player after Shoaib Malik and Sohail Tanvir to do so.
The 38-year-old returned with figures of 2-37 from his four overs against Islamabad. Here, we take a closer look at the former Pakistan international’s bowling display on his 300th T20 appearance.
STATISTICS
OVERS: 4
RUNS CONCEDED: 37
WICKETS: 2
ECONOMY-RATE: 9.25
30-SECOND REPORT
Brought into the bowling attack at the half-way mark of the Islamabad innings, Afridi was expensive to start with before he castled the stumps of the dangerous Hussain Talat in his second over. The veteran all-rounder had a second scalp in his next over with the well-set Samit Patel caught excellently in the deep by a combination of James Vince and Dan Christian.
Afridi, however, ended his spell in the same fashion as he had started with his last over proving to be an expensive one.
OUT! @SAfridiOfficial bowls @HussainTallat12 for his first wicket of the game. Multan Sultans are on top at the moment
— Cricingif (@_cricingif) February 26, 2019
Ball-by-ball details 👉 https://t.co/Q8UL1fO68m #MSvIU #PSL2019 #KhelDeewanoKa #CricketForAll pic.twitter.com/UuRhkmRp6d
GOT RIGHT
Used all his years of experience to the hilt. After an expensive first over which leaked 10 runs, Afridi got his head down and got back to basics. Bowling wicket-to-wicket in his second over, the leg-spinner had the beating of Talat who played all around a straighter delivery.
Mixing up his flighted deliveries nicely with some quicker ones, Afridi earned a second wicket when Patel attempted to slog one out of the ground.
GOT WRONG
Afridi has generally been one of the most economical bowlers in the T20 format but the Pakistan veteran failed to stem the flow of runs in his final over despite Islamabad being under severe pressure.
The leggie was slammed for two huge sixes by Asif Ali in his fourth over with both the deliveries being pitched full outside off-stump. After being tight with his lines and lengths in his previous overs, Afridi showed a lapse in concentration by allowing Ali to free his arms and paid the price for it.
Asif goes Bang Bang 💥💥@AasifAli2018 smashes two sixes off Afridi. United recovering!#HBLPSL #KhelDeewanoKa #MSvIU pic.twitter.com/X4a6hTgWst
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 26, 2019
VERDICT – 6.5/10
Wickets were the saving grace for Afridi on Tuesday with his two dismissals throwing Islamabad into further turmoil after their poor start with the bat.
However, the 37 runs he conceded in his four overs will take the shine off those two crucial wickets. For a man who had gone for just 6.68 runs per over in his previous 299 T20 appearances, an economy-rate of over nine does not do justice to his talents.
Afridi was in fact overshadowed by 32-year-old Nauman Ali with the Multan left-arm spinner picking up 2-14 from his two overs.
