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Afghanistan vs Pakistan, Only ODI at Sharjah, , Feb 10 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
Only ODI (D/N), Sharjah, February 10, 2012, Afghanistan tour of United Arab Emirates
(37.1/50 ov, T:196) 198/3

Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 77 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
5/36
shahid-afridi
New
PAK
Full commentary

The presentation is on. Afridi is the Man of the Match: "Good practice for the upcoming games. Dressing room atmosphere is perfect."

Nawroz Mangal (he's got the help of an interperter): "Performance was satisfactory. Unfortunately our batting wasn't great. If we play consistently against teams like Pakistan we will get better and do well in the World Cup qualifiers. I would like to thank the PCB and I would like the ICC to present us with more opportunities."

Misbah: "Happy to see the spirit of the Afghan team. They way they started, I was a bit surprised. When they played T20 in Pakistan they were exciting. We got in Shoaib Malik because he's another spin option and also a lower-order batter."

Thanks for your company today. There's the first ODI against England that begins on Monday. Look forward to seeing you then. Cheers!

End of match: Afghanistan may have been beaten comprehensively by seven wickets, but far from disgraced. In fact they were quite sprightly in the field even when the game was firmly with Pakistan. Hopefully this will be the start of many more games against the Full Members ie, the big teams. And Pakistan should continue to assist them in whichever way. Iqbal Sikander, the former Pakistan legspinner, is now their coach.

Pakistan pretty much played full strength today, though public opinion would say that they would be better off experimenting with a new guy like Hammad Azam instead of Shoaib Malik.

37.1
4
M Nabi to Misbah, FOUR runs

in a day of reverse sweeps Misbah decides to finish things off with one, changes guard and plays a lap sweep past short third man

end of over 377 runs
PAK: 194/3CRR: 5.24 RRR: 0.15
Misbah-ul-Haq36 (54b 2x4 2x6)
Younis Khan70 (65b 10x4)
Dawlat Zadran 9-2-38-2
Shapoor Zadran 8-1-49-0
36.6
1
Zadran to Misbah, 1 run

short and he swivels and pulls hard but finds deep square leg

36.5
Zadran to Misbah, no run

steers it straight to cover point

36.4
Zadran to Misbah, no run

slower ball again and he opts not to bash it away, pushes it to the off side

36.4
1w
Zadran to Misbah, 1 wide

slower ball down the leg side and wide called

36.3
Zadran to Misbah, no run

he makes room to slam it past the off side but it's a slower ball and he just pats it away

36.2
1
Zadran to Younis, 1 run

bowls it shorter and he opens the face and steers it to third man

36.1
4
Zadran to Younis, FOUR runs

the field is up and Younis wants to get this done with, pitched up and swinging in and he stays at the crease and scoops it over mid-on

end of over 3613 runs
PAK: 187/3CRR: 5.19 RRR: 0.64
Misbah-ul-Haq35 (50b 2x4 2x6)
Younis Khan65 (63b 9x4)
Shapoor Zadran 8-1-49-0
Amir Hamza 4-0-22-0
35.6
4
Shapoor to Misbah, FOUR runs

Shapoor was lucky to get his head out of the way! Misbah smacked a low full toss straight back towards the bowler, Shapoor just about evaded it and the ball went scorching to long-on

35.5
1
Shapoor to Younis, 1 run

squeezes it in front of point

35.4
1
Shapoor to Misbah, 1 run

powers it down the ground but mid-off's deep enough to run across and stop it

35.3
6
Shapoor to Misbah, SIX runs

straight six! Misbah stands at the crease and lofts through the line, Nabi does really well to even attempt a one-handed catch at the edge of the rope and he nearly cleans up an attendant near the sightscreen

35.2
Shapoor to Misbah, no run

Misbah sizes to blast that out of the ground but then changes his mind and defends as it was a slower delivery

35.1
1
Shapoor to Younis, 1 run

fullish delivery on the off stump and he thuds it down the track, Shapoor's boot gets in the way

This is the final Powerplay

end of over 354 runs
PAK: 174/3CRR: 4.97 RRR: 1.46
Misbah-ul-Haq24 (46b 1x4 1x6)
Younis Khan63 (61b 9x4)
Amir Hamza 4-0-22-0
Shapoor Zadran 7-1-36-0

Omar: "I think Misbah should have sent Umar and Shoaib instead of himself and Younis. They didn't play the tests and are out of batting practice. But I still think this is the best line-up for the 1st ODI against England."

34.6
Amir Hamza to Misbah, no run

drives off the front foot but can't beat mid-off

34.5
Amir Hamza to Misbah, no run

pushes a full delivery back to the bowler

34.4
1
Amir Hamza to Younis, 1 run

gets across and pushes a full delivery to sweeper cover

34.3
1
Amir Hamza to Misbah, 1 run

keeps a touch low again, he pushes it down to cover point

34.2
1
Amir Hamza to Younis, 1 run

full outside the off stump and he punches it down to long-off

34.1
1
Amir Hamza to Misbah, 1 run

flatter delivery and he punches it down to sweeper cover

Hotak returns for a new spell