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May 18, 2007 (Link to Scorecard)

The Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi was treated to one of the most stunning performances in the history of the game. Boom Boom Afridi played only 34 balls out in the middle, but what he did was smash 73 runs out of nowhere. The result was a Pakistani win despite being in the woods with about hundred runs to get with just the five wickets remaining in the first ODI of the three match Warid Cricket Series. With Afridi opting for the counter attack mode, Pakistan raced away to victory with still eight overs to spare!

The highlight of the day was the over Malinga Bandara had bowled to Shahid Afridi. It was the 39th over when Afridi decided that Malinga Bandara was after all only a slow bowler. A couple of boundaries to start the over and then the next four balls were out of the park for four consecutive sixes. That was 32 runs knocked out of the target in a single over. But for Herschelle Gibbs' six sixes in an over in the World Cup match against Netherlands, this could have gone into the history books as the most expensive over. What it did was to reduce the target to 28 from 66 balls and it was a cakewalk for the Pakistan side. Afridi was there till the end with 73 from 34 with 8 fours and 4 sixes having come at no.7. He was given rock solid support from the other end by Kamran Akmal striking a run-a-ball 51 with 8 fours.

Chasing 238, Pakistan got off to a bright start from the stylish Salman Butt and Imran Nazir. The opening pair put up a fifty runs stand for the first wicket. Imran Nazir got a blazing 38 from 24 with half a dozen boundaries and a six. Salman Butt got a slow 34 from 64 balls in his comeback match. Once the first wicket was down, Pakistan lost its way to slip at 137 for 5. As many as three run outs happened which had got Sri Lanka into the driving stage. New Skipper Shoaib Malik was also a run out victim falling for 11.

Sri Lanka had decided to bat first after winning the toss in this day night affair. They were rocked back at 103 for 5 but then recovered smartly to end up at 235 for 9. Farveez Maharoof showed his full potential with the bat staying unbeaten on 69 from 54 balls with 9 fours and a six. Chamara Silva was the next top scorer with 47. Umar Gul was the most successful bowler, he didn't get the new ball, but did take three wickets in his 10 overs. Mohammad Asif was simply superb in his return to international cricket with McGrathish figures of 1 for 26 in 10 overs.
 

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