Cricket is Life: All smiles as Shahid Afridi leads Pakistan to Twenty20 series victory against Australia

Pakistan were a team at each other’s throats until recently making the MCC’s decision to sponsor their series against Australia under the Spirit of Cricket banner almost the ultimate cricketing definition of irony. But after two successive one-sided Twenty20 wins over Australia it is smiles all round for this eclectic bunch of cricketers who appear unified under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi. Afridi is a hyperactive bundle of energy and perhaps it maybe it takes a maverick to lead a team capable of implosion at any moment.

All smiles as Shahid Afridi leads Pakistan to Twenty20 series victory against Australia.

Winning helps to lift the mood and these two performances at Edgbaston have given impetus for a long tour of England. It has also allowed England a glimpse of what they are about to experience and they will be wary - Mohammad Aamer, a 20-year-old left-arm fast bowler in the mould of Wasim Akram, and Umar Gul are two special talents.

Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, said his team had to bat than the night before, but for the second successive match they were bowled out and their highest individual score in this series was only 34. They consistently failed to put together partnerships and the only six they managed last night was by the number 10.

Clarke’s inability to slog poses a problem for Australia and last night they attempted to solve it by moving him up the order to open. He did play one cross batted shot, a pulled four off Shoaib Akhtar, and struck six boundaries in 17 balls but played on trying to cut Aamer.

Clarke had enjoyed tucking into Shoaib, whose travails of the night before continued and after his first six balls last night he had a wretched record of conceding 108 runs in eight overs of twenty20 cricket.

But Shoaib is a proud man and his second spell seemed to galvanise him. He ran in with arms pumping and reached speeds of upto 95mph to prove there may yet be life in his career.

The Australian run chase expired in the middle overs as Afridi and Saeed Ajmal tightened the scoring. Mike Hussey offered a brief glimmer for his team with 26 off 14 balls but was out lbw playing a reverse paddle to a full ball from Gul and despite Dirk Nannes thumping the innings’ only six in the final over Australia were well beaten by the time Tait was the last man out.

Chasing 163 was always a tough ask under greying skies against quick bowlers and Pakistan’s victory was based around handy contributions from the Akmal brothers, Umar and Kamran. But it was Afridi who appropriately hit the biggest shot of the night thumping Tait into the scaffolding at the pavilion end and he appears to be building some useful momentum.