ST JOHN’S (Antigua), May 16: A flattering all-round performance from Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan to a commanding 248-run victory in their West Indies tour opener, a limited-overs practice match against Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday. Afridi hit a stroke-filled 104 from 46 balls that propelled Pakistan to a formidable 366 for seven from their allocation of 50 overs, after the visitors won the toss and chose to bat.
Afridi led a strong Pakistani batting performance, despite the dismissal of captain Inzamamul Haq for a duck — run out.
Yousuf Youhana warmed up for this week’s tussles against West Indies with a fluent 79-ball 87 with seven fours and three sixes, Kamran Akmal hit 56, and vice-captain Younis Khan scored 53.
But it was Afridi who stole the limelight from the start, allowing Salman Butt to contribute just eight in a first-wicket partnership of 50. The powerful right-hander’s knock included 11 blistering fours and eight towering sixes, including one off fast bowler Ricky Christopher which landed into a nearby church.
By the time 25-year-old was finished he had plundered 104 out of a team total of 141.
Afridi then returned to bowl his leg-spin darts and captured four wickets for six runs from 6.4 overs, as Antigua and Barbuda were dismissed for 118 in 32.4 overs.
Antigua and Barbuda never recovered after losing two wickets early wickets for 18 runs, despite a fighting knock of 46 from all-rounder Wilden Cornwall.
The three Test players in the Antigua and Barbuda side were all dismissed cheaply. Omari Banks’ 17 was their best effort, Sylvester Joseph, and recently retired West Indies wicket-keeper/batsman Ridley Jacobs, the captain, both made five.
Pakistan face West Indies in the three-match One-day international series with the first game scheduled for Kingstown in St Vincent on Wednesday. The remaining two matches will played at Gros Islet in St Lucia at the weekend before the two sides clash in the two-Test series.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN:
Shahid Afridi c Prince b Hampson 104
Salman Butt c Joseph b Simon 8
Shoaib Malik c Jeremy b Cornwall 35
Yousuf Youhana c Joseph b Simon 87
Inzamamul Haq run out 0
Younis Khan c Simon b Hampson 53
Kamran Akmal not out 56
Rao Iftikhar c Joseph b Jeremy 7
Shabbir Ahmed not out 2
EXTRAS
(LB-1, W-9, NB-4) 14
TOTAL
(for seven wkts, 50 overs) 366
FALL OF WKTS: 1-50, 2-141, 3-170, 4-287, 5-287, 6-325, 7-341.
DID NOT BAT: Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Nazir, Arshad Khan.
BOWLING: Jeremy 9-0-70-1 (5w); Simon 10-0-69-2; Christopher 7-0-70-0 (2nb, 1w); Banks 7-0-58-0; Hampson 7-0-47-2 (1nb); Cornwall 10-0-51-1 (1nb).
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA PRESIDENT’S XI:
A.C.L. Richards c Kamran b Rao Iftikhar 6
A.E. Prince b Shabbir 12
S.C. Joseph c Younis b Shabbir 5
W.W. Cornwall c Kamran b Afridi 46
K.I. Tittle c and b Shahid Nazir 9
O.A.C. Banks c Razzaq b Shoaib 17
R.D. Jacobs c Kamran b Afridi 5
C.L. Simon c Younis b Shoaib 4
K.C.B. Jeremy c Shahid Nazir b Afridi 1
C. Hampson not out 2
R.J. Christopher lbw b Afridi 0
EXTRAS
(LB-3, W-3, NB-5) 11
TOTAL
(all out, 32.4 overs) 118
FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-18, 3-34, 4-52, 5-90, 6-100, 7-114, 8-116, 9-117.
BOWLING: Shabbir Ahmed 5-0-19-2 (1nb); Rao Iftikhar 5-0-26-1 (1w); Arshad Khan 5-0-16-0 (1w); Shahid Nazir 5-0-28-1 (1w); Shahid Afridi 6.4-2-6-4 (2nb, 1w); Shoaib Malik 6-0-20-2 (1nb).
RESULT: Pakistan won by 248 runs.
UMPIRES: A. Christopher and C.E. Mack.
NOTE: 12 players per side (11 bat, 11 field).—Agencies
ST JOHN’S (Antigua), May 16: A flattering all-round performance from Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan to a commanding 248-run victory in their West Indies tour opener, a limited-overs practice match against Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday. Afridi hit a stroke-filled 104 from 46 balls that propelled Pakistan to a formidable 366 for seven from their allocation of 50 overs, after the visitors won the toss and chose to bat.
