"Who writes your scripts?" England's legendary allrounder Ian Botham was asked after taking a wicket first ball on his Test comeback in 1986. The same question can be asked of another flamboyant cricketer today as Shahid Afridi turned in one of the great all-round ODI performances to flatten West Indies in his comeback game.
With Pakistan axing a whole host of experienced players in recent months - including Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal - there had been murmurs over whether Afridi's ODI career should have been given yet another lifeline. He's someone who sees himself as a bowling allrounder in recent years, and with no wickets in seven previous ODIs, the doubts were justified. Afridi squashed them, and how - a game-transforming half-century and then the second best one-day bowling figures of all time.
Before he walked in to bat on a drizzly morning in Providence, Pakistan's top order had keeled over once again against the moving ball as Jason Holder delivered a searing new-ball spell of 8-4-8-4. The manner of those dismissals would have been as demoralising for Pakistan's fans as the scoreline, with two top-order batsmen being bowled when looking to leave the ball.
Misbah-ul-Haq was playing his usual hold-the-innings-together role scoring at about a run an over, when Afridi strode out, immediately looking to score a run a ball. Pakistan were 47 for 5 and the team's last recognised batting pair was in the middle, but that didn't prevent Afridi from launching his third delivery for six over long-off. Given his kamikaze style of play, a quick end to his innings wouldn't have surprised. It almost did after he belted another six and a four, but Chris Gayle put down a tough chance at slip.
After that, he could take lesser risks despite scoring rapidly as West Indies' bowlers offered several boundary balls. Marlon Samuels offered long hops and full tosses that were dispatched beyond the rope, Darren Sammy was cleverly dinked over the shoulder before his half-volley was pounded through extra cover to bring up the half-century off 35 deliveries. The man who was expected to be the biggest threat, Sunil Narine, was caned out of the attack, taken for 32 in three overs.
On a track where the rest of the Pakistan team combined to score 120 off 245, Afridi plundered 76 off 55, showing the insouciance and big-hitting that make him such a fan favourite. Misbah added to his ever-expanding collection of ODI half-centuries as well, on a track which he called one of the toughest he has come across, and his partnership with Afridi underlined how two vastly different styles of batting can both be crucial to the team's cause. Their efforts drove Pakistan to 224, which seemed like a challenging target for West Indies.
Twenty minutes into the chase, that seemed a far larger score as West Indies were reduced to 7 for 3, the second lowest score for which they have lost three wickets in ODIs. It began with Mohammad Irfan's swinging 146kph low full toss that resulted in a golden duck for Johnson Charles in the first over. The pace and bounce of Irfan disconcerted the batsmen, with Darren Bravo the next to go, caught down the leg side.
The biggest breakthrough though came through a direct hit from Misbah at cover, catching Chris Gayle well short while attempting a single that should have been attempted only by a much quicker runner. Pakistan knew well the importance of that wicket - Misbah was midway through celebrating the dismissal when he was swamped by his joyous team-mates.
Marlon Samuels and Lendl Simmons then cut out all risk, and played ultra-cautious cricket against some top bowling from Pakistan. "Huge pressure is there, huge pressure," wicketkeeper Umar Akmal frequently reminded the batsmen. The biggest strength in the Pakistan line-up is the quality they have across their bowling, with no real weak links.
With Simmons and Samuels batting out 15 overs - and scoring only 34 runs on a turning track - the required-rate had crept above six, but West Indies were still optimistic of winning. Afridi was only brought on as the sixth bowler, but there was no stopping him from the headliner. In his second over, he had Simmons stumped and Dwayne Bravo lbw next ball. He was showing off his famous starman celebration, and West Indies' chances were evaporating.
His mix of legspinners, quick sliders, the occasional googly and the odd offbreak proved too much for West Indies' batsmen. Kieron Pollard's had three ducks in his previous four ODI innings, and his lack of confidence was apparent, as he holed out to long-off for 3. Not long after, Afridi had Samuels lbw with a delivery that turned in. The big crowds that had turned up in Guyana knew the game was up and headed for the exit.
Afridi's five-for came soon after as Kemar Roach handed a simple return catch, and his figures were an unbelievable 6-2-6-5 with every delivery seemingly a wicket-taking one. He didn't strike in the next couple of overs though and was taken out of the attack, before being brought back six overs later as Sammy and Narine somehow survived the other bowlers. They didn't last against Afridi, though, who needed only one over to wrap up the match and consign West Indies to their lowest ever total in a home ODI.
The fans in Guyana had been starved of international cricket for two years after a conflict between the government and the country's cricket board, and while they were treated to an awe-inspiring performance from Afridi, they didn't like the limp batting show from the home side.
25 overs West Indies 48 for 5 (Samuels 24*, Pollard 2*) need another 177 runs to beat Pakistan 224 for 9 (Afridi 76, Misbah 52, Holder 4-13)
West Indies made painfully slow progress in their attempt to overhaul Pakistan's competitive total of 224 in the first international game in Guyana in more than two years. They were first put on the back foot by the pace and bounce of Mohammad Irfan before the nagging accuracy from the rest of the attack kept runs to a minimum. Just before the halfway mark, Shahid Afridi's golden day continued with two wickets in two balls that virtually extinguished West Indies hopes.
The biggest breakthrough came for Pakistan through accuracy in the field from Misbah-ul-Haq, whose slide-rule throw from cover took out the stumps and caught Chris Gayle well short of the crease. Pakistan knew well the importance of that wicket - Misbah was midway through celebrating the dismissal when he was swamped by his joyous team-mates. That reduced West Indies to 7 for 3, the second lowest score for which they have lost three wickets in ODIs.
Before that, it was the hostility of Irfan that rattled West Indies. The first ball Johnson Charles faced was a 146kph low full toss, which was much too quick for him and crashed into the base of the stumps. Darren Bravo was also discomfited by the manner in which the ball reared up, and after a brief struggle he was caught down the leg side.
Marlon Samuels and Lendl Simmons then cut out all risk, and played ultra-cautious cricket against some top bowling from Pakistan. "Huge pressure is there, huge pressure," wicketkeeper Umar Akmal frequently reminded the batsmen. The biggest strength in the Pakistan line-up is the quality they have across their bowling, with no real weak links. Each member played his part as the run-rate crept up above six, before Afridi removed Simmons and Dwayne Bravo off successive deliveries to put Pakistan in command.
50 overs Pakistan 224 for 9 (Afridi 76, Misbah 52, Holder 4-13) v West Indies
Pakistan revamped their batting for this series, but there were some familiar sights after they were put in on a drizzly day in Providence: the top order keeled over at the slightest sight of movement, Misbah-ul-Haq again played a hold-it-together innings scoring at a slow rate that riled Pakistan fans, and Shahid Afridi again showed his penchant for the big moment with a innings-transforming 76 in his comeback game to set West Indies a tricky target.
West Indies' punt in picking the towering Jason Holder for Tino Best paid off spectacularly early on. Holder, playing only his fourth ODI, ripped through the new-look Pakistan line-up in a searing opening spell of 8-4-8-4 in which he had the ball swerving both ways, befuddling the batsmen.
His first two wickets, both of which came with the batsmen attempting to leave the ball, showed the problems he posed. Ahmed Shehzad, playing his first ODI in two years, tried to shoulder arms but Holder got the ball to jag away late and Shehzad ended up inside-edging onto the stumps. Mohammad Hafeez, with three single-digit scores in his previous four ODIs, also looked to let the ball go but the delivery darted in to take the offstump, and leave Hafeez looking foolish.
Holder then dismissed the usually reliable Nasir Jamshed, who was wrongly adjudged lbw for 6, and Asad Shafiq fell for a golden duck to a superb diving catch from wicketkeeper Johnson Charles, leaving Pakistan at 21 for 4. Another comeback man Umar Akmal was then in all sorts of bother - there were edges short of slip, several beatens, a clear caught-behind that was turned down and a difficult stumping chance. Pakistan lost three wickets for eight runs in a 10-over spell ending in the 14th.
Misbah was his usual patient self, showing off his watertight technique as he kept out everything West Indies hurled at him. With the ball nipping around, run-scoring wasn't on his mind, and was more focused on guiding Pakistan through the difficult period, hoping the pitch would settle down as the innings progressed.
When Akmal holed out to mid-off another comeback man, Shahid Afridi, walked in, and he had only run-scoring on his mind. Pakistan were 47 for 5 and the team's last recognised batting pair was in the middle, but that didn't prevent Afridi from launching his third delivery for six over long-off. Given his kamikaze style of play, a quick end to his innings wouldn't have surprised. It almost did after he belted another six and a four, but Chris Gayle put down a tough chance at slip.
After that, he could take lesser risks despite scoring rapidly as West Indies' bowlers offered several boundary balls. Marlon Samuels offered long hops and full tosses that were dispatched beyond the rope, Darren Sammy was cleverly dinked over the shoulder before his half-volley was pounded through extra cover to bring up the half-century off 35 deliveries. The man who was expected to be the biggest threat, Sunil Narine, was caned out of the attack, taken for 32 in three overs. On a track where everyone else struggled, Afridi was at ease, showing the insouciance and big-hitting that make him such a fan favourite.
Once Afridi fell for 76 towards the end of the Powerplay, the onus was on Misbah, who couldn't lift the rate but went on to yet another half-century. He perished in the 48th over, after 120 deliveries of defiance, but was still not satisfied, punching the air in dejection and admonishing himself after his dismissal. His and Afridi's efforts guided Pakistan to 224, which should prove challenging for the West Indies batting order.
25 overs Pakistan 74 for 5 (Afridi 21*, Misbah 13*, Holder 4-13) v West Indies
Pakistan revamped their batting for this series, ditching the experienced trio of Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal, but it made no difference as Misbah-ul-Haq was yet again left to firefight as the wickets tumbled around him.
On a drizzly day in Providence, West Indies' punt in picking the towering Jason Holder for Tino Best paid off spectacularly. Holder, playing only his fourth ODI, ripped through the new-look Pakistan line-up in a searing opening spell of 8-4-8-4 in which he had the ball swerving both ways, befuddling the batsmen.
His first two wickets, both of which came with the batsmen attempting to leave the ball, showed the problems he posed. Ahmed Shehzad, playing his first ODI in two years, tried to shoulder arms but Holder got the ball to jag away late and Shehzad ended up inside-edging onto the stumps.
Mohammad Hafeez, with three single-digit scores in his previous four ODIs, also looked to let the ball go to the keeper but the delivery darted in to take the offstump, and leave Hafeez looking foolish.
Pakistan have reposed much of their their top-order faith in Nasir Jamshed in recent times, and once again they were looking to him providing some stability after another rocky start. He couldn't deliver this time, though, as he was sent off in the eighth over by an umpiring error, adjudged lbw when the ball was clearly going to miss off stump.
Things got even better for Holder as Asad Shafiq fell for a golden duck, nicking behind only for Johnson Charles to take a superb diving catch. That put Holder on a hat-trick, and though he couldn't achieve that he had comeback man Umar Akmal in all sorts of bother. There were edges short of slip, several beatens, a clear caught-behind that was turned down and a difficult stumping chance.
Misbah was his usual patient self, showing off his watertight technique as he kept out everything West Indies hurled at him. Despite his resistance, Pakistan lost three wickets for eight runs in a 10-over spell ending in the 14th.
Akmal swung a six over square leg to end that suffocating spell but soon after he holed out to mid-off, bringing in another comeback man, Shahid Afridi. Pakistan were 47 for 5, and had a lengthy tail to follow, but that didn't prevent Afridi from launching his third delivery for six over long-off. There was more of the big swings associated with his batting as he and Misbah pushed Pakistan along to 74 for 5 at the halfway stage.
What is even more worrying for Pakistan is that this is their last recognised batting pair, and West Indies had yet to bring on mystery spinner Sunil Narine, who can run through the lower order.
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