Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review Late but true.... 3 Idiots!

My first post so nervous moments & here I go.... Having read Five Point someone, I was always worried at the idea of making a film out of that book completely starring Aamir Khan, given the youthful nature of the lead characters in the original plot. But after I saw the movie which was made with considerable amendments to the original plot and just keeping the main story intact, I was more than relieved with the thoughtful and refreshing changes that were made to the original plot. No this is not any attempt to indirectly support the VVC production house and query Chaitan Bhagat’s claims but it’s just a personal observation. But most of the good things to say about the movie unfortunately end here. Aamir Khan is of late playing roles where he is everything you want a lead role to be, confident, clear in thought, beyond materialistic pursuits of money and fame, always willing to forgive, forget and share his widespread knowledge & enlightening the lesser mortals; being spontaneo...
3 comments
Read more

A SOS on COC - Commodization of Cricket!

From early 2ks, ESS (EspnStar or then Star Sports) has been trying to advertise the game of cricket by glorifying the rivalry of any upcoming series.  Just that they chose to go the cinematic way of doing it than the accepted way of promoting a sporting event giving a brief history of its rivalry. Starting from LG ‘All the best, LG ki Duva’ to the 99 India Team that went to the World cup, to early 2ks, And the hope against hope, come on India, dikhado, India ko Jitado, when all we had was Sachin and ten duds to fill the 11 in those days. Badlaa (Australia V Pak) a revenge for Pak’s loss to Australia in WC-99 final. Barood (India v Aus) and Sarfarosh (Aus Pak India tri series), the campaign clearly did not yield the desired results.  Predictably, Aussies won the Badla and Barood Test series 6-0.They also won the tri series with the men in then light blue managing just one win from 8 games.  Much better was the world cup 2011, add where rope walk...
1 comment
Read more

Wonder Years My Stefan and I…

The title is inspired from John Hislop’s ‘My Baba and I’. It some how made me believe that it’s the most apt way to describe the impact the visual sporting spectacle had on me during my growing years, its befitting that I write something as a tribute to him on 19th January his 44th Birthday. I first heard of Stefan Edberg in my school when a certain friend of mine was in awe of him for his style grace and elegance. In Wimbledon 1988, I was rooting for the popular choice Boris Becker, while my cousin Bunnu, went for Stefan Edberg and Edberg won and I dint appreciate Bunnu’s hi-fis and jigs. Things changed in the next year when I went for Edberg and Bunnu went for Becker and Becker won the 1989 Wimbledon crown. In the year that followed Edberg beat Becker again to make the Wimbledon Final tally between them 2-1 & am sure Becker wouldn’t mind trading his over all career record of 26-10 against Edberg to Edberg’s 2-1 at Wimbledon Finals. Then started the long story as Stefan Edberg bec...
Post a Comment
Read more