KOLKATA: After his fifth delivery against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi spread his arms high and wide. They were like wings that put his team on its flight of fancy. He had sent Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan back with the slate still clean.
This flight eventually took Pakistan to a comfortable seven-wicket win. Chasing 205, Pakistan achieved the target in the 33rd over, with opener Fakhar Zaman, playing only his second match of the tournament, scoring 81. He shared a 128-run first-wicket partnership with Abdullah Shafique (68), the second time that Pakistan have posted a 100-plus opening stand in this tournament. Zaman hammered seven sixes in his 74-ball innings, playing with fluency. Shafiq too batted with remarkable ease, smashing nine boundaries and two sixes.
