Pakistan’s Umar Akmal in action against Canada, on Thursday

Colombo: Shahid Afridi took five wickets as he steered Pakistan to a 46-run victory over Canada and avoided a major World Cup upset on Thursday.

Batting second and chasing a modest Pakistan total of 184, Canada failed to cope with the Pakistan captain’s fast leg-spinners in an inspirational performance and was shot out for 138 in 42.5 overs.

“It’s a very good wake-up call for us before the next game,” Afridi said of his team’s poor batting display.

“Coach Waqar Younis and myself will definitely talk to the boys that it does not happen again.”

Canada’s fast bowlers had used the overcast conditions to perfection and gave their team real hope of causing an upset by dismissing Pakistan in 43 overs in the Group A match.

Jimmy Hansara (43) then further improved Canada’s chances by sharing a 60-run fourth wicket stand with Zubin Surkari (27).

But Afridi — perhaps wanting to make amends for his surprise decision to bat first — rattled the middle-order with four wickets off 17 balls and also ran out Balaji Rao off a superb direct throw.

Afridi took his wickets tally to 14 in the World Cup after his five for 16 and four for 34 in the earlier victories over Kenya and co-host Sri Lanka respectively.

Pakistan-born Rizwan Cheema tried to break the shackles and lofted Afridi over wide mid-wicket for a boundary before he was clean bowled by the leg-spinner off the next delivery.

Afridi went on to shatter the stumps of Hansara and Harvir Baidwan off successive deliveries in the next over before Wahab Riaz — playing in place of Shoaib Akhtar — brought up a well judged diving catch to remove Gordon Taylor.

“We had a very good chance of putting up a good performance… But we disappointed ourselves,” Canada captain Ashish Bagai said. “We did a great job with the ball (but) our batting worries continue.”

Earlier, Baidwan (3/35) had rocked Pakistan’s top order with a superb display of swing bowling and then wrapped up the innings when he bowled No. 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Top scorer Umar Akmal (48) and Misbah-ul Haq (37) laboured for 117 deliveries to put on 73 runs for the fifth wicket stand before both fell to burly leg-spinner Rao in quick succession.

Canada had a brief setback when fast bowler Khurram Chohan limped off the field in his fourth over with a thigh injury that is set to sideline him for three to four days.

However, Pakistan’s batsmen were struggling, with Baidwan especially disturbing them with his swing bowling.

The opening pair’s poor run of form continued as fit-again fast bowler Henry Osinde had Mohammed Hafeez trapped leg before off a sharp delivery while Ahmed Shehzad played a half hearted uppish drive to Taylor at mid-on.

(Agencies)