COMMENT – Younis Khan became the eighth Pakistani and 42nd batsman overall to score 6000 runs in limited overs international cricket. The right hand batsman from Mardan achieved his feat in his 21-run knock in the fifth match of the six-match series against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Thursday.
It was his 205th innings in 212 one-day match. The former captain who made his international debut against Sri Lanka at Karachi on February 13,2000, took 10 years and 355 days to reach this milestone. Inzamam-ul-Haq (11,739 runs in 350 matches), Mohammed Yusuf (9,720 runs in 288 matches), Saeed Anwar (8,824 runs in 247 matches), Javed Miandad (7,381 runs in 233 matches), Salim Malik (7,170 runs in 283 matches), Ijaz Ahmed (6,564 runs in 250 matches) and Shahid Afridi (6,539 runs in 311 matches) are the other Pakistani batsman to reach this milestone before Younis Khan. Younis Khan also became the 40th batsman to play 8,000 or more balls in one-day internationals.
Pakistan’s 41-run victory was their first in three matches at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Ahmed Shehzad scored his maiden hundred in eighth innings of as many matches by making 115 off 109 balls with 12 fours and three sixes. It was 18th century for Pakistan against New Zealand in ODIs and fifth against New Zealand in New Zealand. Ahmed Shehzad’s previous highest was 43 against Australia at Abu Dhabi on May 1,2009.
Abdur Razzaq’s only maiden over during his four overs spell was his 100th in 242 innings of 252 matches.
Jesse Ryder became the first New Zealander and fourth batsman overall to be dismissed run out off the first ball of the innings. Zimbabwean Stuart Matsikenyeri, against Bangladesh at Chittagong on January 24, 2005 and Canadian Mohammed Iqbal, against West Indies at King City on August 24,2008, achieved this ‘unwanted feat’ off the first ball of the match while Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar was run out off the first ball of the innings against South Africa at Nairobi on September 29,1996. It was only second time in 24 innings of 27 innings when Jesse Ryder was run out.
New Zealand wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum kept the wickets without wearing pads. Probably it was first time in international cricket when a wicketkeeper did not use pads while keeping.
Ahmed Shehzad received his maiden man of the match award in eight ODIs.
