Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi said Thursday said he preferred scoring runs to taking wickets, as his fans liked him more for hitting boundaries than dismissing batsmen. The 29-year-old leg-spinner took a career best 6-38 in his 10 mesmerising overs against Australia Wednesday before hitting a fiery 16-ball 24 to help Pakistan win by four wickets in the first of five one-day matches.
Afridi, assisted by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-19) triggered a middle-order collapse as Australia were bowled out for 168. Pakistan achieved the target in the 45th over for the loss of six wickets. It was the best bowling by a Pakistani bowler in one-day cricket against Australia, bettering the 6-59 by paceman Waqar Younus at Leeds in 2001. Afridi's previous best of 5-11 was against Kenya at Birmingham in 2004.
Despite the feat, Afridi said he would like to come good with the bat. "My fans like me for my batting, hitting fours and sixes," Afridi told AFP. "I would love to score more runs because this is my trademark and people want me to hit more fours and sixes."
Afridi is the most popular player in the United Arab Emirates, where the expatriates from Pakistan adore him as they also come from the same North West Frontier Province as the all-rounder does. "I like these people and want to entertain them. Whenever I have played in the Emirates, people have given me the kind of adoration which is very unique and heart-warming," said Afridi.
The hard-hitting batsman - who holds the record for the fastest one-day century, against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1997 off just 37 balls - has been under pressure for not performing with the bat of late. His selection for the current series is seen as a trial before the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in England in June. Afridi said he would love to help Pakistan win this series and then the Twenty20 World Cup.
"Doing well against Australia is great because they are a very good team, so I hope to continue with that and then focus my attention on the Twenty20 World Cup, because last time we lost the final," said Afridi. Pakistan finished runners-up to arch-rivals India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, held in South Africa two years ago.
"It is always a wish, a dream to be part of a World Cup winning team. We had bitter memories of the World Cup in the West Indies, so we want to win for our people who are deprived of cricket," said Afridi. Pakistan were ousted in the first round of the 2007 World Cup, held in the West Indies, after they were shocked by outsiders Ireland.