KARACHI – Hailing national team’s T20 tri-series title win over Australia,former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi said on Monday the players wereheaded in the right direction ahead of a World T20 in 2020.
“I think it’s still a long way to go and I think the way our boys areplaying is very good. All the youngsters, they’re doing a great job andInshallah we’re hoping they’re going to do well for Pakistan,” Afridi toldSports360link>.
The victory put Pakistan at the top of ICC’s T20I rankings with 132 points,having won nine successive T20I series.
Opener Fakhar Zaman shared in a century stand with Shoaib Malik as Pakistanrecovered from an early wobble in their pursuit of Australia s 183 for 8,and Malik then showed all the experience of an 18-year international careerto see his team home with an unbeaten 43.
It looked as though Australia had produced a masterstroke in opening thebowling with Glenn Maxwell s offspin as debutant Sahibzada Farhan wasstumped off the first ball he faced and Hussain Talat sliced a catch topoint three balls later to derail Pakistan s chase.
Australia threatened to storm to victory, but Zaman quickly set aboutre-building the innings. First, he added 45 with captain Sarfraz Ahmed totake his team out of immediate danger, and he then added 107 for the fourthwicket with Malik to seize the advantage for Pakistan.