Pakistan Vs Kenya- Afridi five destroys Kenya to fly Pakistan to victory

Pakistan 317 for 7 (Umar 71, Misbah 65, Kamran 55, Odoyo 3-41) 
Kenya 112 (Obuya 47, Afridi 5-16, Gul 2-12) 
Man of the match: Umar Akmal
Group A fixture

Umar Akmal in action  (Getty images)

It was almost a perfect day for Pakistan as they started their World Cup campaign beating the minnows Kenya with a thumping 205 run victory. This was also their largest margin victory in World Cups , earlier being versus Sri Lanka back in 1975 with a 192 run victory. Afridi led from the front taking 5 wickets for just 16 , making the best bowling figures by a captain in World Cups.

This match was full of surprises and with bunch of records, counting would take some time, so once it would be given at the end. On a slow pitch Pakistan decided to bat, which some early casualties including a stunning dismissal of Hafeez by some brilliant athletic stuff by Waters. After being just 12-2 Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan took charge and played some sensable cricket , taking Pakistan past 100 run mark. After dismissals of Akmal and Younis , Younger Akmal and vice captain Misbah took over the anchor role in the innings build up. While Misbah busy with his sweeps, and reverse sweeps , Umar Akmal played some gem of an innings playing some technically sound stroke to boost the scoreboard. Together they posted a 5th wicket partnership of 118 again a World Cup highest for Pakistan .With on the bowling side, it was a total mess. After starting off pretty impressively, they brought themselves into a total havoc; with wides all over the pitch, and few of them being raced down the boundary ,no chance for the wicketkeeper to but glove the ball. In total they brought 37 wides , equalling West Indies record also against Pakistan. Their last batting powerplay yielded 70 runs, mostly thanks to the extras. Odoyo on one time on a hatrick, delivered a horrendous 5 run wide on the hatrick ball.

With Kenyan batsman onto the crease after a heavy target to pursue, never were threatning, though not have lost too many wickets earlier on, but remained below par with the run rate. After being 72-2 by 22nd over, Afridi  took charge and bamboozled the Kenyans all around. Mixing up his googlies, top spinners, and occasional faster ones he produced on the most sensational bowling performance in his career. Finally Umar Gul wrapped up the proceeding with a indipper to clean up Ngoche, so at 112 it was it. 

Match Records and Trivia:

• Best figures by Pakistani bowler in World Cup - Shahid Afridi 5-16 (8ovs) 
• Best figure by a captain in World Cup              - Shahid Afridi 5-16 (8ovs) 
• Best 5th wicket partnership for Pakistan in WC- Misbah Ul Haq & Umar Akmal 118
• Most wides in an innings(All ODI and WC)       - 37 (Kenya)
• Highest margin victory by Pakistan in WC         -205 runs
• Pakistan highest total against Kenya              - 317-7
• Most half centuries in an innings (WC)              -4 (K.Akmal, Y.Khan, U.Akmal, Misbah Ul Haq)
• Misbah-ul-Haq scored his fourth half-century in 11 innings since August 2009. In the same period, he has scored 428 runs at an average of 47.55.
• Pakistan highest score in Power Play (All ODI and WC)-70