ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Afridi 5-For Helps Pakistan Defeat Kenya by 205 Runs

Shahid Afridi, captain of Pakistan, helped his team to an opening ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 victory, by collecting 5 wickets for just 16 runs off his 8 overs.

Pakistan beat Kenya by 205 runs.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, and despite losing openers Mohammad Hafeez (9) and Shehzad (1) with just 12 runs on the board, soon set about piling on runs at a good rate.

Kamran Akmal (55 from 67 deliveries) and Younus Khan (50 from 67 deliveries) put on an important partnership of 98 runs for the third wicket, meaning they had recovered to be 110 for 3 when Kamran Akmal was stumped by Ouma off the bowling of Obado.

The Kenyan bowlers all performed reasonably well, but it was Odoyo who picked up the best figures of 3 wickets for 41 runs off 7 overs – it was he who had collected the wicket of Shehzad, caught Kemande.

Misbah-ul-Haq came in when Kamran Akmal walked, and started to really up the run rate, adding two sixes and a four in a quick-fire 65 from 69 deliveries, but it was the other Akmal, Unus Akmal, who did the most damage, with a devastating top-score of 71 from just 52 deliveries, which included nine boundaries (8 fours and 1 six).

Afridi (7), Razzaq (8 Not Out) and Rehman (5 Not Out) had a couple of overs to add additional damage to the score, which had reached 317 for 7 when the 50 over mark arrived.

Kenya set about their batting task pretty well in the first couple of overs, but, with the runs failing to materialise, it was obvious from very early that they were never likely to reach the Pakistan total.

When the wickets began tumbling regularly, the writing was on the wall for the lesser-known cricketing nation.

Ouma (16) and Waters (17) both got in, but never looked like adding many runs from the opening positions, though Obuya (47) looked more composed, and perhaps deserved a half-cenutry for his efforts.

Tikolo (14) who batted at four was the only other resistance Kenya offered, as the middle and lower order capitulated, and fell, mostly to the Pakistan captain’s bowling.

Afridi picked up five wickets in quick succession to finish this match with just 33.1 overs gone – his figures of 5 for 16 from 8 overs , which included 3 maidens, are the best of any bowler in the tournament so far this year.

Pakistan will be pleased that their side batted well from 3 down, but will be hoping for a little more from their opening pair next time out against Sri Lanka.

Kenya will be disappointed with how lightweight their tail was, but must be buoyed a little by some reasonable bowling against one of the better batting line-ups in World cricket, and also their batting from 1 to 4 was reasonably good. Unfortunately for Kenya, however, their next match is also Sri Lanka, who will provide them with no easier an opportunity than that which they had today.

Pakistan v Kenya – ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Scorecard