Afridi's moment of madness

* Shahid Afridi’s moment of madness, on the second day of the Faisalabad Test, has cost him a three match ban. A look back into his nine-year old international career reveals some interesting facts. It is for the first time that he has been penalized for violating any ICC Code of Conduct. Though, it was the second occasion for him to be reported to the match referee - after against India in 2nd Test at Delhi from February 4th to 8th 1999 – when he was severely reprimanded and warned (for future conduct) for not leaving the crease immediately after being given out caught behind off Anil Kumble. No penalty was imposed by referee C Smith then. Curiously enough, Afridi became the fifth Pakistani to breach ICC’s Code of Conduct for the ninth time in the calendar year 2005. Table 1 gives the complete details.

* On the day of mixed fortunes, Afridi set some interesting records which went virtually unnoticed. His brutal 92 off 85 balls provided only the sixth instance of a Pakistani smashing six or more sixes in a Test innings. It was the second such performance by him. It was also the joint-third most by any batsman against England. See Table 2 and 3.

* Afridi has now hit 19 sixes in 11 Test innings during the calendar year 2005. The world record of most sixes (in Test cricket) in a year is held by Adam Gilchrist whose 22 sixes were also registered in 2005. See Table 4.

* Inzamam-ul-Haq has equalled Miandad’s and Imran Khan’s record of most hundreds by any Pakistani captain. It was Inzi’s fifth ton in his 16th match as skipper. Interestingly, his five hundreds in 28 innings are almost twice as fast as compared to the other two captains. See Table 5

* Ian Bell’s and Kevin Pietersen’s hundreds, on the third day, provided the 12th instance of two Englishmen making centuries in the same Test innings against Pakistan. Click to see the tables