Buoyed by Ireland's stunning victory over England on Wednesday, Canada put on an impressive show to bowl out the mighty Pakistan team for 184 runs at the Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
In the end, it was Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi — who bagged five wickets for 23 runs and also ran out a batsman — who stole the show as Canada fell short by 46 runs.
Despite freezing weather conditions in their country for the major part of the year with practice rarely possible, the Canadian bowlers bowled with incredible accuracy and fire in their belly. Pakistan, hoping to gain some good batting practice before their all-important game against New Zealand on March 9, elected to bat.
Early strikes
Many believed that Canada would at the most pick five Pakistan wickets and concede a score in excess of 300 runs. However, when Henry Osinde trapped opener Mohammad Hafeez leg before with the first ball of the fourth over, it was seen as just one of those good deliveries. When opener Ahmad Shehzad too was dismissed playing a shot on the up to mid-on off the Chandigarh (India)-born Harvir Baidwan for 12 many would have seen it as a bad shot.
But when Baidwan struck again to trap Younis Khan leg before for six runs, then everyone began to take notice. By the 15th over when Canada picked the fourth wicket of Kamran Akmal through Pakistan-born Rizwan Cheema, then the intention that they were out to create waves became very clear. Akmal cut the ball straight to Nitish Kumar at backward point.
Rescue mission
If not for the 73-run partnership between the inform Misbah Ul Haq and Umar Akmal, Pakistan may have got bowled out for just around 100 runs.
Pakistan commenced their fightback to restrict the Canadians in dramatic fashion. Umpire Daryl Harper, had one of his worst days in the middle with many of his decisions being reviewed. The first wicket of Ruvindu Gunasekera was won through the decision review system despite Harper initially declaring not out to a leg before appeal from Umar Gul. Though the 16-year-old opener Nitish Kumar survived another umpiring error through a review, Razzaq bowled him. Canada's skipper Bagai was declared leg before off Afridi after a review though Harper had declared not out.
Zubin Surkari and Hansra almost pulled Canada close to victory but another review helped Saeed Ajmal end the 60 runs partnership despite another mistake from Harper. Thereafter it was Afridi all the way who struck repeatedly to end Canada's challenge.
See also Pages 38-40
Pakistan
M. Hafeez lbw b Osinde 11
A. Shehzad c Gordon b Baidwan 12
K. Akmal c Kumar b Rizwan Cheema 16
Younus Khan lbw b Baidwan 6
Misbah-ul-Haq c Bagai b Balaji Rao 37
Umar Akmal lbw b Balaji Rao 48
S. Afridi c Kumar b Rizwan Cheema 20
Abdul Razzaq lbw b Hansra 8
Umar Gul not out 2
Wahab Riaz c Balaji Rao b Hansra 0
Saeed Ajmal b Baidwan 0
Extras: (b-4 lb-3 w-16 nb-1) 24
Total (all out, 43 overs) 184
Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-42 3-55 4-67 5-140 6-165 7-181 8-181 9-181.
Bowling: Kurram Chohan 3.3-0-10-0 (1nb), Osinde 7-1-25-1 (5w), Gordon 0.3-0-1-0 (1w), Baidwan 8-1-35-3 (2w), Rizwan Cheema 8-0-33-2 (3w), Balaji Rao 10-0-50-2 (1w), Hansra 6-1-23-2
Canada
R. Gunasekera lbw b Gul 8
N. Kumar b Razzaq 2
Z. Surkari lbw b Ajmal 27
A. Bagai lbw b Afridi 16
J. Hansra b Afridi 43
Rizwan Cheema b Afridi 4
T. Gordon c Riaz b Afridi 9
H. Baidwan b Afridi 0
Khurram Chohan not out 5
Balaji Rao run out 1
Henry Osinde b Riaz 0
Extras: (lb-4 w-19) 23
Total: (all out, 42.5 overs) 138
Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-16 3-44 4-104 5-111 6-114 7-114 8-130 9-134.
Bowling: Razzaq 7-2-16-1 (1w), Gul 7-1-20-1 (4w), Afridi 10-0-23-5 (3w), Riaz 5.5-0-23-1 (2w), Ajmal 8-0-31-1 (3w), Hafeez 5-0-21-0
Result: Pakistan won by 46 runs
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat
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