Afridi's blitzkrieg overshadows Sachin's show in charity match

London, July 11 (UNI) Shahid Afridi's thundering 12-ball 41 overshadowed Sachin Tendulkar's fifty and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 35-run blitzkrieg as Pakistan beat an International XI team by six wickets in a rain-reduced 10-over-per-side charity match at the Brit Oval here.

On a gloomy near-dark day, close to 20,000 spectators were entertained by some explosive batting by both sides.

Sachin showed little discomfort in the operated right arm as he smashed eight fours and a six on his way to not out 50 runs as International XI piled up 123 in their 10 overs.

The batting maestro put up 72 runs for the opening wicket with West Indies skipper Brian Lara but it was Dhoni who lit up the gloomy day with his 13-ball 35. The Pakistani attack, without the pace of Shoaib Akhtar and reverse swing of Mohammad Asif, took a beating as they were smashed all over the park.

Even Waqar Younis, who bowled after close to three years, looked largely ineffective as International XI treated the Pakistani bowling with disdain. Sachin's six came off Waqar's bowling and Pakistan's Bowling Consultant left the field after his two overs.

Chasing a target of 124, Afridi provided the perfect start to Pakistan by hitting 22 runs off the first four balls he faced. The all-rounder showed no mercy and it was Zaheer Khan who bore the brunt of Afridi's brutal hitting as he was hit for three sixes and one four.

Afridi's dismissal gave no respite to the International XI as Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq took up the mantle and finished off what Afridi had started with a 17-ball 36, leading his side to victory with a ball to spare.

The match raised 250,000 pounds for survivors of last October's earthquake in Pakistan, which killed over 70,000 people.

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