Call it what you want, incredible or miracle, that particular day was historic when Shahid Afridi was bombarding missiles in Kanpur and thousands of spectators were went silent simply watching those unbelievable moments. The cricketer who comes under sever criticism when does not perform, smashed 102 against India made 63 in just three overs. His 50 came up in only 20 balls and 100 in 45 balls. Afridi, a player in his own style, scored the second fastest century equalising the record of Brian Lara, the West Indian captain and a master batsman. And he himself holds the record for the fastest century, which he posted in just 37 balls.
Afridi's super knock shattered the confidence of the Indian team and when he was hitting the balls and rocketing them across the boundary the Indian looked helpless and depressed. The Captain Rahul Dravid made frequent changes in the bowling to protect his team from giftimg runs but failed as Afridi did not spare any bowler. Whether it was the fast bowlers or the spinners all were given the same treatment.
Afridi displayed immense patience and played defensively in the first two overs. In the third over came the turning point for historical century when he extracted 23 runs in just one over. He blasted another 23 runs in the next over to assert his authority and in the fourth cracked 22 more runs.
In just three consecutive overs, Afridi scored 68 runs enough to shatter the confidence of the opponents and create panic amongst them. Thousands in the crowd could only hold their breath in disbelief, moving their eyes from the ground to the sky in awe.
Afridi continued roaring and hitting six after six giving no chance to the Indians to even think how to extricate themselves in a match that was fast getting out of hands. Afridi hit 10 boundaries and nine sixes in the brilliant 102 to help Pakistan to defeat India by four wickets while there was still 47 deliveries left to bowl.
Bad luck for Dravid who captained for first time match in this Pakistan-India Test and one-day international series. Dravid played a very good innings saving his team from early destructive spell by Rana of Naveedul Hasan who sent three top-order Indian batsmen back for just 26 runs. Later, Dravid admitted that Afridi snatched the match from India, which could put Pakistan in trouble with a challenging 250-odd runs score on that ground.
Commentators, cricketers and cricket lovers, all of them were stunned with the amazing skills of Afridi who could use his arms with all the vigour he has in his body.
"He played as absolutely brilliant knock. I thought 250 was a good score and if you take away Afridi's contribution it was not an easy target. Afridi is a very dangerous player," said Rahul Dravid after loosing the Kanpur match.
The danger turned into a psychological pressure on Indian team when they played the final and sixth ODI at Ferozsshah Kotla Ground at New Delhi. Afridi once gain haunted them. Though he did not pile a huge score but he was able to damage the temperament of the Indian team and set up a confident match winning start. He started rocketing and sent the ball across the boundary giving no chance to the Indians to put any kind of pressure on him. He hit superb 44 runs in just 23 balls, enough to place the opponents under pressure and boost the morale of the Pakistani side.
Pakistan grabbed the Pepsi trophy with a wide difference of 4-2.
How Afridi played crucial role to bring about the Pakistani side to think positively against India, is interesting for observers. The last Test match, which the Pakistanis won with the courageous 79 runs last inning knock of Afridi, was the outcome his crucial blast and proved a real force behind the winning move. The team found tremendous strength and for the first time they thought they could win against India and to level the series. The team found chance to win but it became clear only when Afridi snatched the match from India and brought it close to the Pakistani team.
Is this not enough that India lost the chance to win the series by 1-nill but it proved a turning point for the Pakistani team. The Test match win provided them opportunity to regroup and turn themselves into a winning combination. The teamwork for the victory came through a superb performance put in by captain Inzamame. This is also the fact that it was Arfidi who took the bold initiative and shattered the confidence of the Indian bowlers.
The third one day also witnessed a thundering 40 runs by Afridi and Pakistanis never looked back after losing first two ODIs. Afridi must be given credit for brining courage to the team and providing opportunities to win matches while making it easier after his splendid knocks.
How badly Afridi damaged the confidence of the Indian team and their senior cricketers becameobvious from their comments. While Dravid wanted to judge the performance of his team excluding Afridi's knocks, seniors started talking about vital changes in the India team.
After losing against Pakistan, Indians believe that India is no more a winning combination and they started proposing that some new talents should be given chance. India lost despite the presence of giants like Tandulkar and iron wall Rahul Dravid and great-hitter Valendar Sehwag.
They have good seam bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Balaji, Ashish Nehara and Irfan Pathan and world class spinners in Harbajan Singh and Anil Kumble. It seems that the defeat against Pakistan would produce some harsh criticism in India and they would have to initiate some changes to calm the critics. Now it is the right time for the Pakistanis to take full advantage of the discoveries they made in India and use it in the next World Cup 2007. Shahid Afridi, 25, would certainly shine more when playing in the World Cup. Rana Naveed is another discovery who was declared man-of-the-series in the ODIs taking 15 wickets at a rate slightly over 16.
Izamam said that Rana was highly dedicated cricketer. And, then a very good performer Younis Khan who also turned out to be a Rahul Dravid for the Pakistan team.
The biggest advantage is that we have a young team and much younger team than Australia, which might have to face aging problem by the time World Cup starts. 0Last but not least the Pakistanis can win without Shoaib Akhtar.
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