Shahid Afridi, explosive batsman from Pakistan who took retirement from International cricket earlier this year, smashed lightning fast 42-ball century for his team Hampshire against Derbyshire in the ongoing Natwest T20 Blast tournament. Afridi in his 101 run knock in just 43 balls smashed seven ‘monstrous’ sixes and 10 fours to power his team Hampshire to 249 for eight, their highest score in a T20 match. Interestingly, this was Afridi’s first T20 hundred, after having played 256 matches. Afridi’s previous high score in the competition this season was 18.
Thanks to Afridi’s brilliant knock, Hampshire registered a mammoth 101-run victory over Derbyshire in the Twenty20 Blast quarter-finals that took place at County Ground in Derby on August 22. Earlier, Derbyshire won the toss and opt to bowl.
Besides Afridi, skipper James Vince, who came out to bat following the dismissal of Calvin Dickinson (18 off 16), too played the captain’s knock of 55 from 36 balls to help his team as Hampshire in surpassing their previous best of 225 for two against Middlesex in 2006.
Boom Boom lives up to his name with 16 off the first over! ____
Follow LIVE __ https://t.co/VNi5JbrMDa pic.twitter.com/s0VwDQLv2k
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
Why do they call @SAfridiOfficial Boom Boom?
Feast your _ on this & get back to us _ pic.twitter.com/XQt9iGyXOR
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
This is a Boom Boom masterclass! He reaches 5__0__ off just 20 balls #stillgotit
Live video & updates >>> https://t.co/VNi5JbrMDa pic.twitter.com/sXwd8KO1xn
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
Cricket is the winner _#Blast17 pic.twitter.com/u92N1uybKl
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
_ _ _ Simply sensational hitting from @SAfridiOfficial _
Be Afridi, be very Afridi when Boom Boom is in the mood _ pic.twitter.com/oe91mhW39N
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
A standing ovation for Boom Boom. The legend departs for 101 off 43 balls _
Follow the action __ https://t.co/VNi5JbrMDa pic.twitter.com/ZD6SOLleUW
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) August 22, 2017
Chasing 250 to win, Derbyshire got off to a poor start as they lost its opener Billy Godleman (4) in the very first over of the innings. They paid the price of the poor start as they kept on losing wickets at regular interval. Derbyshire bundled out for 148. For Derbyshire, Ben Cotton top scored with 30.
For Hampshire, Lain Dawson and Kyle Abbott were the pick of the bowlers as they took 3 wickets respectively.
Fall of wickets:
Hampshire
43-1 (Calvin Dickinson, 4.1), 146-2 (Shahid Afridi, 12.2), 198-3 (George Bailey, 16.2), 224-4 (James Vince, 18.2), 234-5 (Liam Dawson, 18.5), 234-6 (Gareth Berg, 18.6), 239-7 (Michael Carberry, 19.2), 241-8 (Kyle Abbott, 19.4)
Derbyshire
4-1 (Billy Godleman, 0.5), 8-2 (Matthew Critchley, 1.3), 21-3 (Luis Reece, 2.6), 35-4 (Wayne Madsen, 4.6), 48-5 (Hardus Viljoen, 6.4), 56-6 (Gary Wilson, 8.1), 58-7 (Matt Henry, 8.5), 89-8 (Daryn Smit, 12.4), 102-9 (Alex Hughes, 14.3), 148-10 (Imran Tahir, 19.5)
