Pakistan cricket great Shahid Afridi received a rousing reception as he walked out to bat for his team in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) fixture against India at Edgbaston. Both teams came into the match unbeaten after clinching back-to-back victories. After put into bat by the India champions, Pakistan champions rode on openers Sharjeel Khan and Kamran Akmal’s 145 run-stand to post 243/4 in 20 overs. Sharjeel (72) and Akmal (77) laid the foundation of the match-winning total, before Sohaib Maqsood added to team’s total with a quickfire 50.
After the departure of the trio, it was former Pakistan captain Afridi’s turn to entertain the crowd, with the 22,000 spectators inside Edgbaston giving him a raucous reception.
He was welcomed with ‘Afridi Afridi’ chants at the famous venue. However, the explosive former batter failed to live up to expectations as he notched up a golden duck.
His now show sparked a social media meltdown. Afridi was dismissed by Dhawal Kulkarni in the 18th over of Pakistan champions’ innings.
Here’s the video:
Here’s how internet reacted:
Ahead of the highly-anticipated match, all the 23,000 seats were sold out at the Edgbaston.
Approved by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the World Championship of Legends that got underway at Edgbaston on July 3 will run through July 18, as per an official release by the WCL.
Prior to the match between India and Pakistan, members of the two teams have conveyed their excitement and resolve.
“Playing Pakistan is always an honor and tomorrow’s game is no exception. On the field our squad is fired up and prepared to give it our all. We hope that our performance will make the fans proud because of their amazing energy and support,” former India batter Suresh Raina had said before the match.
“We are excited to play India in this esteemed tournament, our longtime competition. Our group has put in a lot of preparation and we are sure we can put on an amazing show. For us, it’s about pride and passion for both the sport and our nation, it’s not just a game,” Pakistan champions skipper Younis Khan had added.
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