In a match that will be etched in the annals of cricketing history, Pakistan orchestrated their highest-ever successful run chase in ODIs, surging past Bangladesh’s formidable 326/3 to secure a place in the Asia Cup final. It was a game that encapsulated the raw emotion and unpredictability of limited-overs cricket, a contest where fortunes swayed violently before Shahid Afridi’s unparalleled onslaught sealed the deal.
A Chase for the Ages
Pakistan’s pursuit of the mammoth total was initially guided
by Ahmed Shehzad, whose 103 off 123 balls provided a stabilizing force amidst
the turbulence. His century, though composed and methodical, lacked the
explosive intent required to match the increasing demands of the chase. The
105-run stand with Fawad Alam at 6.70 runs per over was a crucial phase, but
when Shehzad fell in the 39th over, the equation remained daunting—102 runs
needed off just 52 balls.
The team’s decision to promote Abdur Rehman as a pinch-hitter
proved a tactical misstep, and with every passing delivery, the required rate
threatened to spiral beyond reach. Then, as if scripted for drama, entered
Shahid Afridi.
Afridi: The Eternal
Maverick
Few cricketers have embodied the spirit of high-stakes
cricket like Afridi. He is not merely a player but a phenomenon, capable of
summoning destruction at will. His 25-ball 59 was an innings of unparalleled
aggression, striking at an astonishing 236. His arrival turned despair into hope,
and then into unrelenting carnage.
Between overs 41.2 and 46.5, Afridi launched an offensive
that defied reason. Seven sixes rained down on Mirpur, clearing long on, extra
cover, long off, midwicket, and fine leg with disdainful ease. His first nine
balls yielded five sixes, an assault so sudden that it left Bangladesh’s
bowlers bereft of answers. Mahmudullah, Shakib, Shafiul, and Razzak all
crumbled under the storm, their overs leaking 16, 20, 16, and 18 runs,
respectively.
Even as Afridi succumbed to cramps and was eventually run
out, the damage was done. Pakistan still required 33 off 19, but Fawad Alam,
often the quiet anchor, stepped forward to launch Razzak over midwicket twice,
ensuring that Afridi’s masterpiece found its grand finale.
Bangladesh’s Batting
Brilliance Undone
It was a cruel loss for Bangladesh, especially after a
batting display that had promised so much. Anamul Haque’s chanceless 132-ball
century set the tone, his partnerships with Imrul Kayes (150-run stand) and
later with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque exemplifying a perfect ODI
blueprint. Shakib Al Hasan’s blistering 44 off 16 balls had ensured a
staggering 121 runs in the final ten overs, pushing Bangladesh past their
previous best ODI total.
Yet, the psychological scars of past failures resurfaced
when it mattered most. The fielding unit faltered, most notably Mushfiqur
Rahim, who dropped Afridi on 52—a moment that ultimately defined the contest.
Their bowlers, so disciplined early on, melted under pressure, unable to defend
a 300-plus score for the first time in four attempts.
The Bigger Picture
For Pakistan, this victory reaffirmed their penchant for
pulling off last-over heists, having done so against both India and Bangladesh
in this tournament. This chase marked only the fifth time in their ODI history
that they had successfully hunted down a 300-plus total—four of those coming
against India, making this the first instance against a different
opposition.
Afridi’s 18-ball fifty—his third at this pace—placed him
alongside the great Sanath Jayasuriya, second only to the Sri Lankan’s 17-ball
record. His innings joined the ranks of the fastest fifty-plus scores in a chase,
a list already topped by his own 18-ball 55 against the Netherlands in 2002.
Legacy of the Night
What transpired in Mirpur was more than just a game; it was
a testament to cricket’s enduring unpredictability. For Bangladesh, it was
heartbreak, another instance of promise undone by pressure. For Pakistan, it
was vindication, a declaration of intent ahead of the final against Sri
Lanka.
And for Shahid Afridi, it was yet another night where he reaffirmed his legend—not just as a power-hitter, but as cricket’s ultimate chaos agent, a player who thrives when others falter, a reminder that in the world of limited-overs cricket, nothing is over until Afridi says so.
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