Awesome Afridi stuns Kiwis

Afridi: Fine all-round performance

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First One Day International
Abu Dhabi
Pakistan 287-9 (Shahid Afridi 70, Kamran Akmal 67 no, Khalid Latif 64) v New Zealand 149 (A J Redmond 52)
Pakistan beat New Zealand by 138 runs

A fine all-round performance from Shahid Afridi helped inspire Pakistan to a 138-run victory against New Zealand in the first of their three one-day internationals in Abu Dhabi.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Pakistan reached a total of 287-9, with Afridi's rapid-fire 70 the top score alongside notable contributions from opener Kalid Latif (64) and wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal (67no).

New Zealand's reply was less-than formidable as only Aaron Redmond (52) and Daniel Vettori (38) managed any resistance of note in a feeble 149.

Aside from his fireworks with the bat, Afridi also took the wicket of Black Caps skipper Vettori and one other en route to figures of 2-46 from his 10 overs.

It seemed at first that Younus Khan's decision to bat first might have proved a mistake when paceman Shane Bond extracted plenty of bounce and movement to remove both opener Salman Butt and then the captain himself for ducks.

Hands tied

Pakistan stood with their hands tied on 0-2 as the opposing bowlers' lines stifled their ability to hit out. However, Mohammad Yousuf (30) and Latif then settled nerves with a 57-run stand for the third wicket.

Hitting Jacob Oram for consecutive boundaries was evidence that Yousuf was starting to assert himself but he soon departed when attempting a quick single - an accurate throw from Martin Guptill at cover catching him out of his crease.

Pakistan were by now 75-4 in 23.3 overs, but fortunes decisively shifted in their favour once the fearless Afridi arrived at the crease.

He completed his 30th ODI half-century off just 36 deliveries, hitting Vettori for six and also clearing the boundary twice off one Nathan McCullum over.

Latif provided able assistance on his way to a maiden half-century and the pair put on a total of 101 for the fifth wicket.

Afridi was dismissed by Oram, with Vettori accounting for Latif but there was still more to come from Pakistan as Akmal and Abdul Razzaq (26) moved their total past the 250-mark late in the innings.

Akmal reached his half-century off just 35 balls as the pair put on 86 off 43 deliveries for the seventh wicket.

Struggling

New Zealand were always struggling after Umar Gul claimed the prize scalps of Brendon McCullum and his replacement Guptill in successive overs.

Paceman Mohammad Aamer dismissed Ross Taylor (0) and Scott Styris (5)also offered little as New Zealand sunk to 50-4 in not much more than 15 overs.

Redmond and Vettori attempted to revive the chase by adding 69 for the fifth wicket - the opener reaching his maiden half-century along the way.

But his dismissal - lbw to off-spinner Saeed Ajmal - triggered another collapse and the match was eventually wrapped up with more than 10 overs to spare.