Twitter Reactions: Shahid Afridi answered his critics with lightning 49

Published - 16 Mar 2016, 17:37 IST | Updated - 16 Mar 2016, 17:37 IST

4 Min Read

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan lost one early wicket before Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammed Hafeez took over. They built a 95 runs partnership for the 2nd wicket with both the batsmen scoring sensational half centuries.

However, at the end of the day, it was Shahid Afridi who stole the show. Promoting himself to No.4, Afridi announced his arrival on the crease by smashing 2 boundaries and a six on the first four balls off Mortaza.

He went after every Bangladeshi bowler and swayed them away according to his own will. With an absolute magnificent display of pinch hitting that included 4 sixes and 4 boundaries, Shahid Afridi raced his way to 49 off just 18 deliveries before getting out, trying to hit another over the fence. His innings made sure Pakistan reached the 200 mark for the first time in a WT20 game.

Surrounded by controversial statements with speculations rising about his retirement and under fire from all quarters, Shahid Afridi played a fantastic captain’s knock and managed to silence all his critics. The Eden Gardens crowd rose to applause the Afridi blitz.

Afridi’s innings kept everyone on Twitter buzzing. Everyone seemed quite happy to see the vintage Afridi back to his very own. Here are some of the Twitter reactions on Shahid Afridi’s thunderous innings.

Shahid Afridi has promoted himself.. Finally sense prevails!! #WT20 #PAKvBAN
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) March 16, 2016

Afridi arrives to keep our TLs buzzing.
— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) March 16, 2016

Pyaar me badi taakat hoti hai. Aaj Afridi apne real fans ke saamne chakke lagayega. #wt20
— cricBC (@cricBC) March 16, 2016

https://twitter.com/holdingwilley/status/710054540679065600

https://twitter.com/iramizraja_/status/710054732417638401

https://twitter.com/crickethuddle/status/710054802701455360

Oh, we have the good Afridi today. Not quite as much fun but still great to watch
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) March 16, 2016

Boom Boom time! Four, Four, Six
Afridi gets into gear against Mashrafe https://t.co/SzIAsPolGW #BANvPAK #WT20
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 16, 2016

Lala leaves a free hit ball. Because Lala does not take free runs. #Respect #WT20
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) March 16, 2016

Shahid Afridi taking revenge from Bangladesh after they dismissed his love ' Ahmad Shahzad'. Saccha Aashiq hai #PAKvBAN #WT20
— Shashi (@AllTimeBakchod) March 16, 2016

Afridi hits a bizarre one-legged six. Because of course.
— Cricket365 (@Cricket365) March 16, 2016

https://twitter.com/altcricket/status/710055497269956608

keep this going shahid and the indians will love you even more
and javed won't like that you know #BANvPAK #WT20 #espnmatchday
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 16, 2016

Kolkata crowd cheering for Afridi
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) March 16, 2016

Chalo good. Afridi done with his quota of runs for this World Cup.
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) March 16, 2016

https://twitter.com/holdingwilley/status/710056703631306752

Has Afridi come with the poster ' Hey Javed, talk naah' #PAKvBAN #WT20
— Shashi (@AllTimeBakchod) March 16, 2016

6! Massive. Afridi.
…. jyada pyaar de diya lagta hai Indian fans ne #WT20
— cricBC (@cricBC) March 16, 2016

Afridi going bang, bang, boom, boom!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 16, 2016

What a catch!! #PAKvBAN Soumya Sarkar. Great innings by Hafeez now stage set for Boom Boom Alfridi to take Pak over the 200 mark. #WT20
— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) March 16, 2016

@SAfridiOfficial is on fire!! ???
— Moeen Ali (@MoeenAli) March 16, 2016

Shahid Afridi's innings so far: 1 4 4 6 0 1 2 1 6 1 4 1 6 0
37 off 14 balls https://t.co/jEt05NNnB1 #BANvPAK #WT20
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 16, 2016

Not football, for Afridi, ball must be appearing as Miandad's face. #WT20
— cricBC (@cricBC) March 16, 2016

https://twitter.com/altcricket/status/710060881909047296

Is Shahid Bhai on Melodonium #WT20
— Mayank Verma (@vmayank87) March 16, 2016

Not just Indians; even Indian grounds adore Afridi, it seems.. Finally a tubthumping innings after a long dry spell #Wt20 #Pak
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) March 16, 2016

Nice Kumbh Mela type innings by Shahid Afridi. Once every 12 years.
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) March 16, 2016

I was alive when Afridi batted 19 deliveries#PAKvBAN
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) March 16, 2016

Doesn't play for MILESTONES!! Take a bow, Shahid Afridi. #RESPECT
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) March 16, 2016

In his slam-bang-boom-boom innings today I reckon Afridi has also sent a message to his critics in Pakistan…
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 16, 2016

maxwell will be so proud of afridi #BANvPAK #WT20 #espnmatchday
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 16, 2016

https://twitter.com/crickethuddle/status/710061712909537284

Form is temporary,hitting 6's is permanent Shahid Boom Boom, doing what he does best. ?? #WT20
— Khurram Siddiquee (@imKhurram12) March 16, 2016

Shahid Afridi has hit 70 sixes in T20Is, the most by an Asian player in Twenty20 Internationals history, overtaking Yuvraj Singh (69). #WT20
— حمنہ امیر ?? (@iHumnaAmir) March 16, 2016