On this day in 2013: Shahid Afridi registers the second-best ODI bowling figures

Shahid Afridi is an asset for his side with both bat and ball. While he can come in and hit lusty blows and change the momentum of the match with the bat, he can scalp crucial wickets and flummox the opposition with the ball as well.

And, on 14th July 2013, Afridi etched his name in the record books and recorded the second-best bowling figures ever in the history of ODI cricket against the West Indies side. Let us unravel what happened in that contest.

West Indies won the toss and elected to field first. After a top-order collapse that saw Pakistan being reduced to 47/5, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi indulged in the rescue act. The experienced duo put on a partnership of 120 runs for the 6th wicket.

While Misbah scored 52 off 121 deliveries, Afridi blazed his way to a 55-ball 76. And, Pakistan ended their first innings with their scorecard reading 224/9 in their allotted 50 overs. Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies and scalped 4 wickets in his quota of 10 overs.

Afridi runs through the Caribbean side

In the run chase, West Indies had absolutely no answers to the questions posed by Afridi with the ball. In the 9 overs that he bowled, Afridi scalped a whopping 7 wickets, gave away 12 runs, and destroyed the West Indian batting line-up. Not even a single West Indian batsman could even cross the 30-run mark, and the ‘Men in Maroon’ were bowled out for a paltry total of just 98 runs.

Apart from Afridi’s sensational spell, Mohammad Irfan too played his part with the ball. In the 7 overs that he bowled, the tall left-arm seamer picked up 2 wickets and gave away just 17 runs. Afridi’s magical spell with the ball in hand helped Pakistan thrash the West Indies by 126 runs. And, for his sensational all-round effort, Shahid Afridi walked away with the Player of the Match Award.