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Playing the Big-Brother to the tee!



India continues to set the benchmark for Pakistan. We won the Rothmans cup in 1985 at Sharjah; they win the Australasia cup in 1986 at the same venue (Miandad last ball six). We win the world cup in 1983, they win it in 1992, we won the T20 world cup in 2007, and they do so in 2009. We win the Champions trophy in 2013, they oblige with by winning the next version in 2017.

Always admired the way they play their cricket. Their element of unpredictability makes them a very likable and well-respected team in world cricket. In the year 1992, Pakistan was on the verge of getting knocked out of world cup against New Zealand in the semifinals. I saw Inzamam ul Haq bat before and I kept telling my folks back home that these guys can still win the game. They won; I rejoiced my hunch and was duly banned in the cousin group for my pledged allegiance to a tabooed neighbor. However, as true cricket lovers, we all wondered why or when India would get our own Wasim, Waqar or Saqlain. Just as in football, attack wins matches and defense wins you titles, in cricket, batsmen win us matches but bowlers win you trophies.

A bit of 90s Dejavu today, typically Pak set us a target of 300+, back then it was 250 and we were over and out even before our chase began as a certain Wasim Akram would rattle through our top order for us to tamely surrender at 160, well short of their score. It was Akram then, its Aamir now.

No team deserved to win this tourney more than Pakistan. To beat South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and then their ICC nemesis India in the same event does take a special doing. It won’t be long before they lose a bilateral series to Bangladesh or Afghanistan and Sarfaraz will be removed as Skipper, but for now, may the mercurial cricketing nation enjoy this special triumph and may India continue to be a positive influence on matters other than cricket.

A special mention of the post-match presentation speech and press conference by Virat Kohli. Always liked the post-match speeches of Ganguly, MSD, and Kohli, very candid and to the point.

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