Afridi ton helps Pak to record total,huge win

It wasnt a result that had any real significance for either team,except perhaps helping salvage some pride.

It wasnt a result that had any real significance for either team,except perhaps helping salvage some pride. And the Pakistan team managed to make a statement in that department,thrashing Bangladesh by 139 runs in their final league outing on the Asia Cup at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium on Monday.

Both sides having been eliminated from the four-nation tournament after losing to finalists India and Sri Lanka,there wasnt much to look forward to in this game before it started. But Shahid Afridis rampaging 60-ball 124 changed all of that,creating enough fireworks in the middle,as the Pakistan skipper helped his team make 385 for seven their largest ever total in one-day international cricket. Pakistans previous highest total was 371/9 against Sri Lanka in 1996.

It was also the sixth fastest century in ODIs (in 54 balls) interestingly,Afridi holds the record for the fastest ton in limited-overs cricket as well (off 37 balls),made against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. Afridi,who had a 137-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Umar Akmal (50),struck 17 fours and four sixes. There were useful contributions from other batsmen as well Imran Farhat made 66 and Shahzaib Hasan scored a half century in 38 balls.

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In reply,Bangladesh could only make 246 for five in the stipulated 50 overs. Junaid Siddique,who top scored with 97 in 114 balls,fell three short of his maiden ODI ton. Siddique and Imrul Kayes shared the teams best partnership for the second wicket,scoring 160 in 197 balls,surpassing a 150-run stand between Mohammad Rafique and Aftab Ahmed against Zimbabwe in 2005. Kayes made 66 off 110 balls.

Brief scores: Pakistan 385/7 (S Afridi 124,I Farhat 66,S Hasan 50,U Akmal 50; S Islam 3/95); Bangladesh 246/5 (J Siddique 97,I Kayes 66,T Iqbal 34)