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Irfan Blog: An Azhar Ali century takes KRL to their second win

Discussion in 'Cricket Talk' started by Mercenary, Feb 14, 2010.

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    Mercenary

    Joined: Dec 17, 2009
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    Irfan Blog: An Azhar Ali century takes KRL to their second win

    by Abdul Habib
    14th February 2010


    [IMG]


    KRL captain Shoaib Akhtar lost the toos to Sui Southern captain (and keeper) Ahmed Zeeshan. It had been raining heavily for the last few days and there was a threat of the rain spoiling today's game as well so Sui Southern put KRL in to bat first. Sui were hoping their pace attack could use the conditions to their benefit and skittle KRL out for a below par score.

    However KRL (and Pakistan A) opener Azhar Ali had other ideas and stuck to the wicket weathering the early onslught to keep his team in the game. Azhar told cricistan.com that "The pitch was sluggish and slow, it was a pitch where a batsman would have to be patient and run lots of singles because it was difficult to get the ball away to the boundary." At the fall of the second wicket Azhar was joined by Bazid Khan (94) and together they put on a partnership of 138 runs which lifted the KRL total to 291 runs.

    291 runs would be difficult without any complications but with the weather worsening, the total had to be recalculated under the Duckworth-Lewis system. Sui Southern needed 233 runs in 42 overs and ended up falling 68 runs short.

    Mohammad Irfan bowled really well taking 2/38 in 9 overs. He was ably assisted by the spinners Nauman Ali and Saeed Anwar Jr who took a combined 2/67 in their 20 overs strangling the fight out of Sui Southern's chase.

    Shoaib Akhtar pulled up injured two balls into his 4th over, he had pulled his calf and was unable to bowl any more overs in the game. Still his team won the match and KRL are off to a great start winning the first two games they've played.
    Mercenary, Feb 14, 2010
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    Omar

    Joined: Jan 27, 2010
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    Why doesn't this paragraph surprise me? All this time we kept hearing that he's working out regularly keeping fit to make a comeback and all that and just bowls 20 balls before he pulls out with an injury once again and too after a good gap of playing cricket after some 7-8 months probably?!
    Omar, Feb 14, 2010
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    Mercenary

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    Not to forget he was bowling with a hamstring niggle in the last game too!!
    Mercenary, Feb 14, 2010
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    Mercenary

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    Just got an update on the Akhtar injury, Ifran said Akhtar thinks he'll be fit for the next game and it's not serious.
    Mercenary, Feb 14, 2010
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    Disco Lemonade

    Joined: Dec 17, 2009
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    lol to break down again in few overs?

    seriously, this man has become a joke.
    Disco Lemonade, Feb 14, 2010
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    Nadeem

    Joined: Dec 22, 2009
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    We shouldn't let the injury to Shoaib over shadow the performance of Azher Ali and more importantly Irfan's.
    Nadeem, Feb 14, 2010
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    Mercenary

    Joined: Dec 17, 2009
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    You're right Nadeem, Azhar scored 85 runs in 83 balls today. Add the century from the last match and the fact that both games were in overcast conditions with lots of rain about and it shows that he has a lot of stickability.

    Like Shoaib Malik and Majid Khan, he started out more as a bowling all-rounder and worked hard on his batting. Azhar is now one of the most respected batsmen in Pakistan's domestic. That takes a lot of work and dedication, hopefully he gets his chance in the senior team because he's got to be better than Butt or Farhat.
    Mercenary, Feb 17, 2010
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