(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Sunday, the first working day in this part of the world, and who would have thought Sharjah would be a full house.
There was not a seat empty, every bit of space was taken. And people were still streaming in, jostling to make their way inside the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Yes, it was the triple header - the two semifinals and the final of the T10 League, but one suspects the sell-out was down to one man - Boom, Boom Shahid Afridi.
He was like the Pied Piper of Pakistan, luring fans with his batting, perhaps even transcending borders. Even non-Pakistanis had come to watch the Afridi show.
And the man himself didn't disappoint. Having shown glimpses in the earlier fixtures, Afridi made the stage his own. Ironically enough, even the pitch had that bit of shine on it, as is the case in Sharjah, perhaps a reminder of the stars of yesteryears who made it their stage.
The Booms were flowing off his willow as Afridi unravelled a knock worth gold standard in the second semifinal against the Punjabi Legends.
He was bested by opener Ahmed Shehzad, who top scored with 58 from 29 balls with six boundaries and four sixes, but Afridi's gem, a 17-ball 41 with five booming sixes and a boundary, jogged everyone's memory back to his days of yore.
A flourish was in store but Ravi Bopara turned villain and cut that short by having Afridi caught by Chris Jordan, with three balls left in the innings.
Afridi and Shehzad's knocks were to set up Pakhtoons innings of 129 for four.
But the Punjabi Legends rocked the chase with opener Luke Ronchi and Shoaib Malik taking them home with nine wickets in hand and with five balls to spare. Afridi, who had done the star turn on the opening night, with a hat-trick against the Maratha Arabians, couldn't replicate that.
Ronchi remained unbeaten on 60, while Malik was 48 not out.
Earlier, Afridi didn't hesitate in having a first go, and once opener Tamim Iqbal was caught by Umar Akmal off Bopara, he walked in at one-down.
And a absolute roar went around the Stadium and the fans welcomed their beloved hero by switching the lights on their smart phones. It was quite the sight and it was their way of giving a 'guard of honour.'
And Afridi duly responded to all the love. Starting off by lofting Jordan for a six, Afridi smoked two successive sixes off Hasan Ali in the next over. A six and a boundary was to follow in Jordan's next over before he laid into Bopara with a six followed by a boundary.
The Punjabi Legends made a solid start to the chase with opener Luke Ronchi playing the lead role after his partner Umar Akmal had got out for 17 from five balls with two sixes and a boundary.
It should have been Afridi's night but it was not to be.
SCOREBOARD
Pakhtoons Innings
Tamim c Akmal b Bopara 17
Shehzad b Zadran 58
Afridi c Jordan b Bopara 41
Zaman b Zadran 4
Dawson not out 2
Smith not out 1
Extras 6 (w 6)
Total Four four wickets in 10 overs 129
Fall: 1-58, 2-112, 3-116, 4-126
Bowling: Ashraf 2-0-19-0, Zadran 2-0-32-2, Hasan Ali 2-0-30-0, Bopara 2-0-21-2, Jordan 2-0-27-0
Punjabi Legends
Ronchi not out 60
Akmal c Dawson b Gul 17
Malik not out 48
Extras 7 (lb 1, nb 1, w 5)
Total: For one wicket in 9.1 overs 132
Fall: 1-32
Bowling: Gul 2-0-31-1, Irfan 2-0-32-0, Afridi 2-0-23-0, Imran 2-0-22-0, Sohail 1.1-0-23-0
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