Afridi's Fireworks Light Up Dull Proceedings

Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir blasted quickfire half-centuries as Pakistan raced to theirtarget to inflict a nine-wicket defeat on Holland in an inconsequential league match of the Champions Trophy crickettournament at Colombo today.

Afridi smashed 55 runs off just 18 balls, the second fastest halfcentury in ODIs, with four fours and six sixes, the last of which brought up Pakistan's victoryin just 16.2 overs.

Pakistan scored 142 for one in reply to Holland's 136 all out in exactly 50overs.

Afridi, who had earlier claimed three wickets for 18 runs, was declared man-of-the-match.

Nazir, who started the onslaught, was the only Pakistan batsman to get out. He made a whirlwind 59 off 40 balls with11 hits to the fence. The other opener Saeed Anwar remained unbeaten on 28 off 40 balls.

With both teams already out of contention for a semi- final slot, the match only had academic interest. Sri Lankahas qualified from the group for the last four stage and will meet Australia in the semi-finals.

The Pakistani batsmen took full advantage of the inexperienced bowling attack of Holland and entertainedthe small crowd with big hits. Nazir struck three boundaries in the very first over byEdgar Schiferli which set the momentum for the rest of the innings. He then took 18 runs from Schiferli's fourth over asPakistan brought up fifty runs in the eighth over.

Nazir, who reached his fifty off 36 balls, was finally out in the 12th over when he was caught by Bas Zuiderent atbackward short leg off Feiko Floppenburg.

But that only worsened Holland's miseries as Afridi launched an even more vicious attack on the bowling. Afridihit a boundary off the very first ball he faced before hitting four sixes in an over from Adeel Raja who conceded 31 runs inhis 2.2 overs.

Earlier, Holland managed to survive their entire quota of overs but could muster just 136 runs.

Holland, who elected to bat, were all out off the last ball of the 50th over with captain Ronald Lefebvre remainingunbeaten on 32.

Lefebvre, who hit a four and a six in his 70-ball knock, added invaluable runs towards the end after Holland hadcollapsed to 84 for seven in the 29th over.

Holland once again had a poor start and lost four wickets with just 23 runs on the board before a 55-run fifth wicketstand between Tim de Leede and Luuk van Troost stabilised the innings a bit.

Leede scored 24 off 50 balls with two fours and a six while van Troost made 16 off 59 balls with two fours.

However, it was the extras that contributed most to the  Holland total, the 21 leg-byes and 12 wides accounting for 33runs.

Lefebvre added 28 runs for the eighth wicket with Reinout Scholte, who scored 11, and 23 for the last wicket with AdeelRaja (5).

PTI