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Pakistan got off to a flying start in the Hong Kong Sixes as captain Abbas Afridi led from the front with a blistering half-century to seal a thrilling win over Kuwait at the Mission Road Ground on Friday.
Chasing a daunting 124 in six overs, Pakistan turned the contest into a power-hitting exhibition, thanks to Afridi’s brutal 55 off just 12 balls, a knock laced with one four and eight towering sixes.
Khawaja Nafay and Mohammad Shahzad gave Pakistan the early momentum, racing to 34-0 after two overs.
Shahzad’s cameo of 14 off eight balls ended after he retired hurt, but the platform had been set for fireworks.
Abdul Samad’s early dismissal for a duck brought Afridi to the crease, and what followed was sheer carnage.
Abbas Afridi wasted no time announcing his intent, clearing the ropes with ease as Pakistan stormed to 95-1 by the end of the fifth over.
With 67 required off the last two overs, Afridi’s monstrous hitting, including consecutive sixes off Yasin Patel, turned the equation on its head.
He reached his fifty in just 11 balls before retiring hurt, leaving the finishing touches to Shahid Aziz, who smashed three consecutive sixes and a boundary in a rapid 23* off just five deliveries.
Nafay remained unbeaten on 25 off 11 as Pakistan crossed the finish line off the final delivery.
Earlier, Kuwait had posted an imposing total of 123-2 in their six overs, powered by Meet Bhavsar’s explosive 41* off 14 balls and Usman Patel’s 31* off nine.
Despite Abbas Afridi’s early strike to remove Adnan Idrees, Kuwait’s middle order flourished, punishing anything loose.
Bilal Tahir’s six-ball 24 added to the damage as Kuwait found boundaries at will, particularly in the overs from Shahzad and Samad, which went for 31 and 22 runs respectively.
Maaz Sadaqat’s tidy spell of 1-13 was the lone bright spot in an otherwise expensive bowling effort.
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