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Kumble asked Afridi where to bowl
January 14, 2006 19:49 IST
India leg spinner Anil Kumble [Images] acknowledged Shahid Afridi's [Images] mastery on Saturday by asking him where he should bowl during the Pakistan all-rounder's savage 103 from 80 balls on the second day of the first Test.
"At one stage, when I was going hard at them, Kumble asked me where should he bowl to me; he was so frustrated,'' Afridi told reporters.
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Kumble, who has taken 487 wickets in 101 Tests, conceded 178 runs in 38 overs while fellow-spinner Harbhajan Singh [Images] went for 176 in 34.Afridi and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal went on a run-spree, adding 170 in just 129 balls for the sixth wicket as Pakistan amassed 679 for seven declared.
Akmal scoring his third Test hundred from just 81 balls, the fastest by a wicketkeeper in Test history, to better Adam Gilchrist's [Images] 84-ball hundred against India in Mumbai two years ago.
The two Pakistani youngsters, however, did not rate their innings as anything special.
Akmal said his match-saving 109 runs against India at Mohali last year was more valuable.
''Today I came into bat when we were already in a strong position and it was not difficult to bat on this pitch,'' he said.
Afridi, who hit off-spinner Harbhajan for four consecutive sixes in one over during his onslaught, said he was gunning forĀ a record with six sixes.
''The ball had become wet going into the gutter after the fourth hit. I went to hit to mid-on but the ball didn't turn and the shot went to mid-wicket,'' Afridi stated.
Both felt leg spinner Danish Kaneria holds the key to Pakistan winning the Test.
''He has not bowled as yet. The pitch is still good for batting. We will have to work very hard to get them out twice,'' Afridi said.