Pallekele [Sri Lanka], February 24 (ANI): Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi overtook Haris Rauf, becoming his team’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket. Also, he overtook former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq
to become his country’s ninth-highest wicket-taker in international cricket. Shaheen experienced a movement up the bowling charts during his side’s loss to England in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup at Pallekele, taking 4/30 in his four overs. While his bowling played a big role in reducing England to 58/4 while chasing 165, England skipper Harry Brook’s class, hitting and game awareness overcame all challenges. In 102 T20Is, Shaheen has taken 135 wickets at an average of 21.15, with best figures of 4/22, having taken four four-wicket hauls. Rauf has 133 wickets in 94 matches and 92 innings at an average of 21.10, with best figures of 4/18 and five four-fers. Now in 206 international matches, Shaheen has 391 wickets at an average of 24.59, with seven five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul, including best figures of 6/35. The left-armer is nine wickets away from 400 international wickets and has overtaken all-rounder Razzaq, a prominent figure of Pakistan cricket in the 2000s, to become the nation’s ninth-highest wicket-taker. The highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in international cricket is Wasim Akram, with 916 wickets at an average of 23.57, with 31 five-fors and five ten-fors. Coming to the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Sahibzada Farhan (63 in 45 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) continued his fine form in the tournament and along with knocks from Babar, Fakhar Zaman (25 in 16 balls, with two fours and sixes each), and Shadab Khan (23 in 11 balls, with four boundaries) took Pakistan to 164/9. Liam Dawson (3/24), Jofra Archer (2/32) delivered brilliant four-over spells, while Jamie Overton (2/26) was also brilliant in his three-over spell. In the run-chase, Shaheen Shah Afridi (4/30) reduced England to 58/4, but Brook (100 in 51 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes) did not give up, stitching partnerships with all-rounders Sam Curran (16 in 15 balls) and Will Jacks (28 in 23 balls, with a four and two sixes) and England won the match with two wickets and five wickets left. (ANI)
