Sahibzada Farhan played a calm and crucial innings, scoring a brilliant century to become just the second Pakistani to hit a hundred in the T20 World Cup. His knock helped Pakistan post 199 for 3 against Namibia in a must-win game on Wednesday.
Farhan brought up his hundred in just 57 balls and stayed not out on 100 from 58 deliveries. His innings was a perfect mix of calm batting and powerful shots under pressure. With this achievement, he joined Ahmed Shehzad as the only other Pakistani batter to score a century in the T20 World Cup.
Shehzad had made his hundred against Bangladesh during the 2014 tournament in Mirpur.
From Slow Start to Stunning Hundred: Farhan Leads Pakistan’s Fightback
The innings was not easy at all. At one point, Farhan was stuck on 30 from 27 balls as Pakistan started slowly and carefully. He even suffered cramps and needed treatment during his knock. But once he found his rhythm, he completely changed the pace of the game.
He took just 20 balls to go from his fifty to his century, putting Pakistan firmly in control. Farhan hit 11 fours and four sixes. He first steadied the innings with captain Salman Agha, and together they added 67 runs for the second wicket. Agha scored a quick 38 from 23 balls and helped lift the scoring rate after the slow start.
Farhan and Shadab Khan finished strongly with an unbeaten 81-run partnership, Shadab scoring 36* off 22 balls. Pakistan batted first but started cautiously, scoring 47 in the powerplay and losing Saim Ayub for 14. Khawaja Nafay was added to the middle order, leaving out Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Despite some boundaries, Pakistan managed only 55/1 in the first eight overs against tight bowling from Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club. The momentum changed in the ninth over. Salman Agha hit Willem Myburgh for a six over long-on, and Farhan followed with two big slog-swept sixes over deep mid-wicket in the same over.
Those three sixes gave Pakistan the boost they needed.Agha was later caught by Gerhard Erasmus, and Nafay was dismissed soon after, caught and bowled by the Namibian captain. But Farhan stayed steady, rotating the strike smartly before attacking both fast bowlers and spinners.
In the final over, Shadab sealed the innings with two sixes, helping Pakistan reach a strong and competitive total.
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