Naeem Islam was the 50th victim for Umar Gul in T20. A serious achievement in batsmen’s game. He is not the first man to reach this landmark. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has already completed 50 wickets in T20 format & leading the list. The tale isn’t complete here. Another Pakistani & World’s No.1 ODI bowler Saeed Ajmal is at 3 in the list. A lot has been conferred on Spin twins Ajmal – Afridi. So I am going to accolade a Peshawar born Pathan who made us feel proud on many occasions.

Gull has taken 50 wickets so hurriedly in T20, which isn't an easy task when you get only 4 overs to spell your magic...Quick and conditional cause fast bowlers can't bowl bouncers or too wide outside stumps. No overstepping the popping crease and field restricted!

This class act made it simple for him. He has ways to dismantle the opposition and get them OUT. Gul knows the art of bowling yorkers really well. He is nippy and his accuracy adds danger to his work. His ability to swing the new ball and reverse the old makes him a complete bowler in any format of the game.

1^st ODI – Pakistan vs. Bangladesh – Dhaka – Dec 1, Thursday – 12:30 PM PST

Live on PTV HOME

After their dreary performance in the only T20 against Pakistan on Monday, on a pitch that was ill suited for international cricket, Bangladesh has a point to prove. For long many a cricket pundits have expressed their reservations on the Tigers joining the elite cricket club of test playing nations. Let there be no mistake, the pool of cricketers they possess are talented enough to compete against top sides  day-in and day-out, but what the lack in abundance is the will to fight it out till the end. Can Bangladesh find their Imran Khan in this series, who can transform their abundance of gift into successful results?

Pakistan on the other hand is a team on the rise. They have yet to lose a bilateral series this year, having just come off a whitewash of a strong Sri Lankan team in all three formats – Pakistan will hope to keep the momentum going against the minnows, before the all important series against England in the UAE. The term mercurial has been often used to describe Pakistani cricketers, but they have been anything but mercurial during the last year. Unyielding is a more apt term, one can use to describe the current players. Contributions from all 11 players is what makes this team so successful, Bangladesh will be looking to learn some lessons in team building from Misbah.

As the men in green grabbed wickets against Zimbabwe, in the September 2011 tour, in the first ODI, as the boys celebrated each wicket, something was missing. Energy, aggression and romance had been absent. The trademark arms-aloft celebration was Missing. YES, I am talking about the ONLY AND ONLY! Boom Boom AFRIDI! , the nickname given to him by none other than Ravi Shastri, while he was commentating on an India-Pakistan ODI. He is a six addict. The urge to hit out is so instinctive that he just cannot resist, even though he knows how much trouble it will bring him. The Wild Energy and aggression was brought back into the team on 18th October when Shahid Khan Afridi Withdrew his Conditional Retirement.  Afridi’s presence on the team adds much needed aggression and also provides the cushion of an extra bowling option. Actually, he is a frontline bowler and a wicket-taker – if he bats this sensibly all the time, Pakistan could benefit greatly. But, then he would not be the mercurial, crowd pleasing cricketer he is.

Shahid Afridi made his first impact on international cricket with the willow instead. Smashing a century off only 37 deliveries in his very first innings not only made him enter the record books but also elevated him to the status of a super star – overnight. While his mighty hitting has sent chills down the spines of bowlers around the world, and his controversies have been the talk of the town, Afridi has rather quietly established himself as the most prolific leg-spinner. His ability to economically get through the middle overs has been integral to our success over the years, and his knack of breaking partnerships and getting wickets at critical junctures has led Pakistan to glory at various instances.