Turning Points

Canada v Pakistan, Group A, World Cup 2011, Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Mar-2011
Pakistan get-together after the wicket of Nitish Kumar, Canada v Pakistan, Group A, World Cup 2011, Colombo, March 3, 2011

Shahid Afridi made sure an under-par Pakistan team didn't slip up against Canada  •  AFP

15.3 Rizwan Cheema to Kamran Akmal, OUT, 67 for 4. The minnows are mincers. It was a short of length delivery and there was some width on it but Kamran cut it straight to backward point. The shot was on but the execution was poor. Kamran mutters to himself as he drags himself off the park
32.1 Balaji Rao to Umar Akmal, FOUR, Umar likes the flight that Balaji gives the ball, takes it from the middle stump, couple of steps and as clean a swing as any, brings up 1000 runs with the straight boundary
42.6 Baidwan to Saeed Ajmal, OUT, that will do, full and on the stumps, Canada's version of Malinga if you please, Ajmal plays all over it, and the ball thuds in to the off stump, Pakistan fall well short of 200 in the end
24.2 Mohammad Hafeez to Hansra, FOUR, Oh superbly played cut. There was some width on it, not too much but just about enough for Hansra to rock back and cut deliciously to right of backward point
33.3 Saeed Ajmal to Surkari, OUT, loud shout for lbw The quick seam-up delivery. They go for another review as the umpire negates this one as well! It landed full in length on the leg stump line, moved across with the arm, hit the pad in front of the middle - the ball clipped the pad before it hit the bat - and it would have hit the off stump. Looks out. And the verdict is OUT. Harper has to reverse another decision. And Surkari trudges off in complete disappointment
34.6 Shahid Afridi to Rizwan Cheema, OUT, Clatter! What a lovely intelligent delivery. It was a lot slower than what Cheema anticipated. He was way too early into his attempted big heave-ho to the on side. The ball came on slowly and broke back in from outside off to gently hit the off stump.
36.5 Shahid Afridi to Baidwan, OUT, What a quick ripper! It was the pacy seam-up delivery. Afridi the leggie had transformed into Afridi the pacer. It landed full in length and breached the defenses of a surprised Baidwan. He had no clue and hence, no chance to save his stumps. The ball rushed through the hurried poke, hit the pad and fell on the stumps. Pakistan fans would remember the dismissal of Greg Blewett (or was it Steve Waugh)