Kanpur: Even Bob Woolmer didn?t imagine that his mere pep talk to Shahid Afridi would reap so much harvest for Pakistan in the fifth and penultimate match of the one-day International series.

On the match-eve, he took Afridi for a stroll around the lobby at the team hotel, pointing out to him that he shouldn?t lose track of converting a start into ?something big? for the team.

On Friday, at the Green Park, when the Pakistan opener was about to come on to the middle, with the 250-run target looking a stiff task to achieve on a track with odd bounce, the coach again came in his way and advised him to enjoy the game and ignore the pressure of the runs on the board.

Afridi?s boom-boom innings of 102 off 46 balls didn?t simply bring the smile back on Woolmer?s face, but has now threatened to push the opponents down in the dump.

?The coach and captain told me to enjoy my game today and I did exactly that in the middle,? Afridi later said.

Even his opening partner, Salman Butt, had noticed the challenge to rise to the occasion in the centurion.

?During our stand, I had nothing to do save watch the ball fly everywhere from the other hand. I even once went to him and told him to cool down. But Shahidbhai was in a different world today,? Butt told The Telegraph on Friday.

Afridi admitted that it was one of his best innings. ?The pitch might have eased out a bit in the second session but it was still difficult to bat on. Considering the situation and the position of the series, the century will certainly rank as one of the most memorable ones in my book,? he pointed out.

But was the opportunity of breaking his own record of the 37-ball century on mind? Afridi replied in the negative: ?Records come along the way? they cannot be pre-conceived.?

He also made his case about failing to post big scores.

?See, my game is risky. Someday I am lucky and someday I?m not? But the important part of all this is that I always stay positive, whatever the situations are,? he remarked.

No doubt, Kanpur got a taste of this.