- Reuters: Afridi celebrates after hitting the winning runs.
Today, chants of “Pakistan Zindabad” resounded throughout the country, as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets to become the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup Champions. It was, as Dawn noted, the first major title Pakistan has won in 17 years, and it comes at a time when the country faces a multitude of burgeoning problems. Pakistan’s team captain Younus Khan told reporters after today’s victory, “We were the underdogs and had less pressure, but we came good in the big games. It’s a credit to the country and to the team…This is a our gift to our nation. Hopefully, it will help cheer them up.” Cricket is the sport Pakistanis bleed for, and the team, [especially Shahid Afridi] are undoubtedly national heroes. Congratulations to Sri Lanka as well for an incredible game! Below, Shaheryar Mirza, a journalist based in Rawalpindi, further discusses today’s victory:
It’s true. A four hour cricket match can raise a nation out of the doldrums of war and economic despair. If only temporarily, the Pakistani nation can unite and bask in its glory on the global stage. In a trip around the streets of Rawalpindi, a microcosm for other cities around the country, there was a zeal and fervor only recently seen at political demonstrations. Only this time, there were song and dance to replace anger and frustration. As Pakistanis waved flags and pulled wheelies on their bikes it was reminiscent of what this country used to look like, and what it should look like more often.
In the last few weeks, Younus Khan has proved that he can raise an unpredictable, isolated yet talented team to the top of the sport. Many may argue that it is just 20/20 cricket and not a One Day or Test Series. But to counter these arguments one can just point back to the time that One Day’s were thought to be an aberration or a passing trend. Under the coaching of Intikhab Alam, Khan managed to extract a performance from the Pakistan cricket team that has not been seen for at least a decade. Pakistan’s last great triumph was at the 1992 World Cup and since their embarrassing loss in 1999 to Australia, the team has never looked the same.
What more can one say but BOOM BOOM. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase in the last few weeks I’d be a rich man. Shahid Afridi dazzled the cricketing world with his drifted yet pacy leg spin. Googly’s, the quicker ones, pure leg spin and the flipper, you name it, it was part of Afridi’s bowling arsenal. As cricket commentators would put it, he bamboozled the batsmen in this tournament and made many a top order batsman look amateurish. Through the first few matches, Afridi struggled to find form with the bat until his promotion up the order. The captain told him to play his natural game and Afridi’s natural game is exactly what makes his fans love him, but it is also his greatest weakness. Fortunately, once he was promoted, the cries of BOOM BOOM from the crowd were justified by the bat.
Afridi displayed a previously un-witnessed maturity, patience and class to his approach between the wickets. Gone was Afridi’s trademark: close-your-eyes, swing and just pray. He played deft cuts, quick singles and doubles and built his innings like a master batsmen. Yet he still managed to entertain the crowd with big hits, and with the crowd already on his side he could do no wrong. Afridi’s performance cannot be mentioned without highlighting the running catch he took against New Zealand to dismiss Scott Styris and what seemed to be a turning point in the match and Pakistan’s T20 campaign.
It would also be unfair to go on without highlighting Umar Gul’s effect on the tournament. Gul’s 12 wickets in five matches with a record-breaking performance of 5 for 6 were truly phenomenal. Batsmen seemed defeated before they even faced him. His reputation built during the first few matches preceded him, and in cricket, mental advantage is key to winning the battle between bat and ball. Gul managed to get the ball to start reversing by the 12th over, a feat apparently never seen by most of the cricketers participating in this tournament. Gul showed that it was his skill and superior bowling action that achieved the reverse swing and not ball tampering. No other team had a bowler that could match the consistency and lethal nature of his Yorkers.
Credit goes to the whole team as Younus Khan, after experimenting in the opening matches, settled on an opening pair in Kamran Akmal and newcomer Shahzaib Hassan. Akmal was consistent in providing Pakistan with a steady start in each innings. Shahzaib failed to make an outstanding impression, but he is young and shows promise. Younus Khan consistently put on 20 to 30 quick runs with a couple fifties throughout the tournament. Shoaib Malik played out his role as an orthodox batsman that could anchor Pakistan’s innings at any given time. Malik proved useful with the ball to fill up some of the middle overs and dry up the runs.
Saeed Ajmal turned out to be the silent hero for Pakistan. One of the leading wicket takers of the tournament, he was overshadowed by Umar Gul, but his performance with the ball contained the opposition’s runs and took wickets at regular intervals. He has proved to be a standout off-spinner for Pakistan with an impeccably disguised “doosra.”
Lastly, Abdul Razzaq proved to be Pakistan’s psychological trump card. His admission into the team re-energized the squad and made believers of a team which at the beginning only looked like they half-believed. He bowled disciplined spells that can only come with experience. Razzaq was that extra spark that the team needed to finish the job.
Pakistan’s number one weapon, though, was the heart and will to win. They played with a passion that had been missing from the team for years. This passion seemed to be fueled by their desire to uplift a bruised and battered nation. They had the hopes and dreams of an entire nation on their shoulders, and they carried it proudly. A team without a home-ground showed that they can turn any ground into their home territory.
It goes without saying, but this win was a gift for the Pakistani people and most importantly a gift for those internally displaced people of the Swat Valley. The sons of their land were the heroes of the Pakistan team. The people of the NWFP have been thrust onto the world stage for the wrong reasons, and now they can hold their heads up high and display their talent. Thanks to Younus Khan’s gift, the displaced people may have something to smile about, if only for a short while.
As Pakistani’s sing and dance throughout the night they can once again feel proud to be Pakistani. Cricket is after all, just a game. But in a country like Pakistan it’s a game that serves as an ambassador that every Pakistani can be proud of. Shahbash boys…shahbash.
Wow! Well written, Shaheryar. I can’t believe it. I woke up this morning and with a smile on my face.
It’s our king-of-the-world moment. Temporary respite from the turmoil going in.
Agreed, very well written Sheri. I’m glad someone who knows the sport as well as you do wrote this post (versus me, who likes cricket but could certainly not speak to the crazy details you know!).
And I know I mentioned this briefly, but it truly was such a great performance by the Sri Lankan team, esp. by Sangakarra. Really a classy team!
Ummm…Sangakarra didn’t even so much as tell us that we played a good match. And I heard, maybe rumuors, but he said something to the effect that he can hit all of Pakistan’s bowlers.
I think he might still be smarting from the Lahore incident. I mean, he got shot at and all of that stuff, but dude, you lived to see another day. Be a sport and take the loss like a man.
Really? This is the quote from him that I read:
(from the AFP)
“We’ve had a great tournament and I’m very proud of the way the team have responded, the way they’ve played and the attitude they’ve shown. There are a lot of things to take from here. It’s heartbreaking when you lose a final but Pakistan outplayed us.”
I thought he said all the things he was supposed to, and in general, he had a great innings when Sri Lanka was batting.
This is also what he said at the beg of the month, which I think is a very true statement:
“Cricket over the years has been that one unifying force, a passion of the whole country. It transcends religion, caste, race and politics and that’s the greatest thing we as a team represent.”
Damn sherry u can write well. So glad we won this…paks can sure use some uplifting. I hope this sets and fuels a path for prosperity and unites the nation….inshallah!
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Such an emotional day for Pakistan! Am so proud of our Pakistani players and our country for coming together to celebrate this victory! Pakistan Zindabad!
This is the CUTEST news segment by Nic Robertson at CNN, who was at Jinnah supermarket in Islamabad after Pakistan won – my fave part is when a guy comes and hugs him and spins him around!: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2009/06/22/robertson.pak.twenty.20.win.cnn
Well written article, I enjoyed reading it. Though I am not Pakistani, I have many close friends who are. I am so pleased that Pakistan won and it gives the country some good news to be positive about. I have never been there and am not usually a cricket supporter, but this time I would like to be an honorary Pakistani! Can I?
you can definitely be an honorary Pakistani. I have ordained many of my non-Pakistani friends as honorary, since they love our culture so much!
Great post on a very timely victory. Pakistan needed a little uplifing and respite from the daily turmoil. Well done!
great guest post. boom boom afridi. may we live to see many more googlies.
I think I’ve watched Zoolander too often, because I can’t say ‘googly’ without thinking of ‘eugoogly.’
For all you non-cricket fans, here is the urban dictionary definition of a ‘googly’:
“Cricket terminology: for when a spin bowler bowls a ball out of the back of his hand which spins the opposite way to the way it normally spins.”
Definition #2 on Urban Dictionary, which made me laugh:
“A gesture one makes to display one’s utter disapproval or disgust with something a nearby girl has just done…or because she is ugly.
The gesture includes distorting one’s face and extending an arm partially out, palm up, and pointing awkwardly.”
Tuesday morning and the euphoria has died down. As many said, the joy was ephemeral since the war is real.
About Sangakarra’s statement, I just think people were smarting from the fact that he didn’t talk outright about Pakistan’s performance. Nothing more.
We Pakistanis are a passionate people. And when it comes to cricket, unless we’re garlanded and have rose petals showered on us and given piggyback rides, we’re just not happy.
congrats for keeping the title in the south asian subcontinent, rather than it going to any other country
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Pakistan Zindabad!!!
guys.. can u tell what was that song which was played in matches…????
Was it Dil Dil Pakistan? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHeQUtRsMLU
Interestingly sung by Junaid Jamshed who has become a hard-core mullah now.
Well, Junaid has come out with a statement that he doesn’t have a problem singing songs as long as they’re patriotic…and not love ballads…
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that…he’s made a choice to live his life that way and I think we should respect it in the same way someone would shave off his beard and jump into a bar…
i’m just saying…
PS: The Pakistani cricket team did do sajdas right after the match…it’s symbolic more than anything else…
It’s completely fine that he’s become very religious and prescribes to the teachings of the Tablighi Jamaat – that’s his own decision. I do think it’s a bit disturbing that he walks around telling everyone else how to practice Islam, but whatever. I’m not one to judge. I was just noting that his journey from being a pop star to what he is today is interesting.
Thank you Kalsoom, I’m very happy to be an honorary Pakistani now! Will try to come back to visit here when I can. Hope and pray things improve in Pakistan too. My thoughts are with you all.
Joanna we Pakistanis are peacefull people whatever u see or hear on media is nothin to do with us, in other words they r portraing a completely wrong picture of us. We r also passionate about our country, we r passinate about our realigion but it doent mean we r extremist and 1 more thing any1 can be an honarary Pakistani because for us it is heaven no matter what. Pakistan Zindabad, Pakistan Payandabad may it live forever.And thanks u Yunus Khan for givin us the honour to call our self as World champions once again may God Bless us all and all of our well wishers.
5 people have died in our celebrations so far….. grt job Pakistan
Yea that was sad 1 of them Died in my town they were on their roof top celebrating unfortunately 1 of the fall down from the height of about 40 feets. He suffered 3 broken limbs unfortunately he didnt made it.