Shahid Afridi Wins 1st ODI for Pakistan Against West Indies

             Pakistan Cricket team touring West Indies for 5 ODIs and two T20s started their tour with a bang. Pakistan defeated West Indies team by 126 runs in the first Cricket match of 5 match ODI series. Pakistan team under the captaincy of the Misbah Ul Haq made couple of changes in the squad that played in the recently concluded Champions Trophy. Pakistani team recalled all rounder Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal for the series.

Toss: West Indies Won the Toss and chose to field first.

Pakistan Inning

BATTING:

             In first ODI of  cricket series, Pakistan batted first. They got very bad start as they lost their first four wickets at the score of 24 in 10th over of the inning. By 21^st over of the inning Pakistan lost half of their team for only 48 runs on the board. Next in batsman Afridi making comeback in team, started playing his natural game and scored freely while Misbah was playing the role of a good support and tried to stop the fall of wickets from one end.

            Afridi looked in form and hit number of sixes and fours all around the ground. He completed his 35^th ODI fifty and provided a solid partnership with the skipper. At the team score of 167 runs in 39^th over Afridi got out scoring  76 runs from just 55 deliveries hitting 5 sixes and 6 fours. With the dismissal of the Afridi falling of wickets started all over again and Pakistan team could manage to score 224 runs at the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Misbah played a marathon inning of 52 runs facing 121 deleiveries and insured that Pakistan scores a respective total.

Shahid Afridi playing a shot against West Indies

BOWLING

            West Indies bowlers Jason Holder and Kemar Roach played crucial role in containing the Pakistan score for 224. Jason Holder picked 4 wickets for 13 runs in his 10 overs and Roach picked up two important wickets for 38 runs. Jason holders ended his bowling in the match with incredible figures of 10-4-13-4. Captain Bravo picked up 2 wickets while Sammy also picked up 1 wicket.

West Indies Inning

BATTING

             In reply of the Pakistan score of 224, West Indies started very badly and lost the opener in first over. They lost their top order batsman like Gayle, Charles and Darren Bravo in the first 5 overs of the game. West Indies could score only 20 runs in the mandatory 10 powerplay overs and lost 3 important wickets. By the end of 23^rd over like Pakistan, West Indies too lost their half team for the score of only 41 runs.

            At the end of 25^th over score of West Indies was 48 runs losing 5 wickets while Samuels and Pollard on the crease. By the end of 30^th over, match was pretty much finished for West Indies team as they lost 7 wickets with 55 runs on the board.  West Indies bundled out at the score of 98 runs in 41st over. For West Indies Sammy top scored with 25 while Darren Sammy remained unbeaten at the score 21.

BOWLING

              Like in batting Afridi starred with bowl too and picked up 7 wickets in his 9 overs giving away just 12 runs. Afridi ended the match with the figure of 9-3-12-7 which is also his careers best bowling figure. Md Irfan started with a wicket in his very first over and picked up 2 wickets for 17 runs in the match.

Man of the Match Shahid Afridi celebrating after taking a wicket

                 Pakistan won the match by 126 runs. The star of the match was undoubtedly the Shahid Afridi who showed how important he is for the Pakistan line up. He starred both in batting as well as in bowling. He was adjudged Man of the match for his 76 runs and 7 wickets.  It was second instance in his career when he scored 50 or more runs and picked 5 or more wickets. West Indies failed as a batting unit and their bad form continues from the Celkon Trination series. With this win Pakistan leads the series to West Indies 1-0.