Owais Mughal
Update: VIDEO highlights added to the post
Pakistan has beaten Sri Lanka by 8 wickets to become the World Champions of T20 Cricket. Hard work of 14 and prayers of millions have paid off. Congratulations to all our readers and Pakistan zindabad. News channels are now full of reports of showing thousands of Pakistanis pouring into streets and celebrating like never before.
For the past hour or so, I’ve been reading different articles appearing at several cricket sites and to me following paragraph from Cricinfo’s Dileep Premachandran says it all:
Remember that this is the team that has no home series to look forward to in the foreseeable future, the country that had the ICC Champions Trophy taken away from it and given to South Africa. These are the players who were prevented from playing in the IPL, and the same side that was annihilated by South Africa and India in warm-up matches. But less than three weeks on, they are champions of the world.
Video Highlights of Sri Lanka Innings:
Video Highlights of Pakistan Innings:
The Final Winning Over for Pakistan:
Presentation Ceremony
Younis’ Announces Retirement from Twenty-20:
Another news that has come out of Pakistani camp is that Younis Khan has announced his retirement from twenty-20 format of cricket. He will continue to play ODIs and Test Matches. While it is always better to retire at the height of ones career, he will be definitely missed. He was able to bring players together as a team, something we’ve not seen in a while. Younis Khan has also deciated today’s victory to Pakistani nation and to Pakistan’s former coach, late Bob Woolmer.
Following is a cutting from Urdu daily Jang telling us about the spontaneous celebration that has erupted all over Pakistan:
Here is the writeup from our pre-match post:
An ATP Poll we have been conducting since yesterday shows an overwhelming number of Pakistani think that Pakistan will win in Sunday’s Twenty20 Cricket Final against Sri Lanka.
Of course, this probably reflects what we want more than a scientific assessment of cricketing merits. But it is clear that the enthusiasm that Pakistan’s surprise rise into the final has galvanized has the entire country into a state of frenzy and national pride. That is how it should be.
I myself have voted for a Pakistani win. Even though Pakistan goes in with a 4-2 record in this tournament against a Sri Lanka that goes in with a 6-0 record, any T20 game is only as good as you play on that very day.
I know what I want to happen today. But I also know that just about anything could happen. I cannot even imagine just how happy I will be if that happens. But I also want to mention that “cricket is cricket and a cup of tea is a cup of tea.” While a Pakistani win will be the most welcome news, a defeat shouldn’t end up in burning player’s effigies on roads. After all it is just a game.
Blogistan and the news media is full of people arguing that a Pakistani win will be the best news and morale booster for the Pakistani nation that has been on the receiving end of anything going wrong in the world. I agree. It is time we get something to cheer about.
But a win for Sri Lanka will also be a great event for another South Asian nation that has been going through its own great turmoils. The wounds of a protracted civil war are still hurting there and the trauma of the attack on their cricket team while touring Pakistan would come come back into relief with this game.
The match today between these two South Asian teams promises to be exciting and electrifing. At their best, either can give us mesmerizing cricket. I hope both do. Players from both teams will be playing for the trauma and angst that their respective societies are going through. A win for either will give a much needed respite to their wounded societies and deeply hurting polities.
As a Pakistani I know who I want to win. As a cricket fan, a South Asian and as a human being, I wish both the teams good luck. May the best team win… And, today, may the best team be Pakistan.
jeetain gay bhai jeetain gay.
Pakistan got strong team and I think this time, its pakistan who will win…They should win
I would like Pakistan to win. But do not hold too high hopes.
All our wins have been because of bowlers because our bowlers can surprise most teams. But not Sri Lanka because they have similar bowlers and are used to it.
So unless our batsmen make a really huge score which they have not been doing I think our chances are slim.
But I am still hoping for Pakistan to win.
I wouldn’t want to be in Younis Khan’s shoes at this moment; the pressure must be enormous. One can only imagine what the celebrations on the streets of Karachi and Lahore will be like if they are able to pull out a victory. However, as a die-hard supporter, all I ask of the team is that they keep fighting up to the very last ball.
Here’s hoping Owais writes a celebratory post 12 hours from now :-).
Umer Gul.
Its all going to depend on Umer Gul!!!!!!
We will INSHALLAH win this time with flying colors….
Thank you very much for these very nice sentiments. Its a game so let us keep it like a game and let us all pray for a great game today. May the best team win (I hope that is SL)!
Great performance so far! How’s Pakistan’s soccer team doing – the world is more fixated on soccer, and another Muslim country’s (Egypt) performance against Brazil and Italy has also surprised the world. Inshallah Pakistan will win!
Quite unexpectedly, as usual, the Pakistan Cricket Team has shocked and amused everybody at home and abroad. They have managed to reach to the final of the T20 world cup in England after beating South Africa, which was going unbeaten in the tournament and was the hot favorite. Pakistan did same to the New Zealand in 92 world cup.
Pakistan is facing Sri Lanka in the final, who have got all the firepower in the world both in bowling and batting. With Jayasuriya, Dilshan, Sangakkarra, Jehan, and Jayawardena firing in batting, Lankans have got Muralitharan, Mendis, and Malinga in the bowling to blow any time off. Fielding of the Sri Lankans is also considered better as compared to other Asian teams.
Pakistan, well you cannot predict about Pakistan. They can be a disaster or they can be a total masters at any given day. You cannot even guess about any specific player. Can you predict about Afridi? Boom Boom Afridi could carry a golden duck, or he could struggle or he could be a smasher. Same goes for Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and the skipper himself, Younus Khan. Bowling of the Pakistan is also wishywashy with Umer Gul and Saeed Ajmal and Muhammad Amir. But they can all be heroes or zeroes any day.
So don
EVRYTHNG Z IN SHAHID HAND,HE Z DA 1 WHO I MAKE PAKISTANIES WON,IF HE WANTS DAN PAKISTAN CAN WON.V I WIN DIS T20 FINAL INSHALLAH
INSHAALLAH PAKISTAN IS COMING BACK TO HOMW WITH WORLD CUP.INSHALLAH.
What language are you writing in FHD?
What does “HE Z DA 1″ mean?
And is there really a word spelled as “DIS”?
I’m sure the Lankans want it as badly as we do, but we need it more…
Three hours or so to go… it is already getting on my nerves…
The key thing is the toss? If we win the toss, we MUST bat first. what do others say?
I agree, toss is key thing. And we must bat because that gives bowlers something to shoot for.
Pakistan should win since being in the final twice. once being the runner up and hopefully in this final the champions.
A fun game for passing time challenge my Brute
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Inshallah Pakistan is going to win
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Challenge my brute
Pakistan does have bright chances……….
i found a working stream at http://rightnreal.com of all the matches…
Pakistan have a very good chance but they have to be sensible. They should realize that Afridi has done his bit and should not send him at the top again..Younis and Misbah are the best players of spin and they should bat higher up the order to handle Muralitharan and Mendis. They need to win the toss and bat first and set a target.
It will all depend on which captain can handle pressure better and which team can play like the cornered tigers.
As the match is about to start, the poll has now been closed. DO please keep your comments coming on how you think the game is going. Thanks.
Game has begun. Sri Lanka batting. Good Luck Pakistan.
SL 39/4 off 7 overs. shabash Pakistan :)
SL 55/4 off 10.2 overs. A slight hint of acceleration from SL in the last over
Yonis Khan should have kep Razzak , he was having a great spell. I’d ‘ve let him finish his overs.
I’d have also brought on Gul by now.
Kruman, Gul is here, as you wished.
SL 67/4, Afridi’s last over provided some more acceleration to SL.. Their runrate still little bit less than 6
Gul DOES IT. Silve goes. 67/5 off 11.3
YK should now keep his main bowlers on attack . No more Malik.
I’d bring on Afridi or Razzak from the other end, to go for the kill.
SL runrate 5.58 after 12 overs. 67/5
Afridi takes the 6th wicket.
Sri Lanka should now be bowled out for under 90.
Kruman, aap ki zuban mubarak ho :) Looks like YK is getting instruction from you. Afridi bowled Udana just now.
SL 70/6 off 13 overs
Afridi finishes with 20/1 off 4 overs.
What a game thsi is turning out to be…..
but will the batsmen lose for us what the bowlers are winning!
SL 74/6 off 14. RR: 5.28
Owais,
Thanks for passing my suggestions on to Younis Khan. You get the credit!
SL: 79/6 off 15. RR 5.32
acceleration coming from SL. 9 off the last over
88/6 off 16 overs. RR 5.5
15 from last over of Gul. Sangakara seems to have started his sang-bari :)
SL now picking up fast. 103/6 off 17.1 overs RR: 6.00
Great bowling by Ajmal!
This is going much better than one thought. Is it the pitch or is it really our bowlers?
We really have to contain them in these last overs. They cannot be allowed to go on hitting spree. Hope they field well
Saeed Ajmal, who is fondly called Hakeem Ajmal on Karachi streets due to similarity of his name to a famous Hakeem just bowled 2 maiden balls before Sangakara came back with his ‘sang-bari’ and hit two boundaries.
SL 113/6 off 18 overs: RR 6.27
Gulloo badshah, back in attack for 19th over
I’d give the ball to the experienced Razzaq. Sri Lanks sould be contained to less than 130.
SL: 121/6 off 19. RR 6.36
Gul bowled a better over, considering that it was over # 19
Kruman, i wish YK had listened to your advice for last over’s bowler choice
I hope these last 5 overs when we gave 50 runs do not come back to haunt us! I have a fear that they will. I hope I am wrong.
I would say well done Sri Lanka. 138 seems to be a very fighting total
On to the batsmebn. Keep it cool guys. There is no hurry. Slow but steady. Just dont get behind target. But no heroics needed.
No shoodabaazi needed from our batsmen please. Play like a team, people.
Owais,
I was hoping you’d pass the message.
Aamer is a 17 years old kid. Why would you give him the ball when you have experienced Razzaq? YK has a penchant for making such stupid moves, he gave the ball to Fawad Alam against South Africa. Sri Lanka did great after being down at 95/6.
Irrespective of how it goes, Misbah and YK need to come at one-down and two down. You play your best players at these positions not, gamblers like Afridi, or mediocre players like Shoaib.
Pakistan is very weak in chasing totals, their bowlers messed up after having Sri Lanka at 75/6. I think they basically gave the game away in the last 5 overs.
Thanks to the bone-headed YK, Aamer gave away 17 runs in the last over. Against South Africa he gave away 15 runs in the last over.
Is YK on drugs? I hope he does not banish Misbah in this all important match, sending his best batsman at #8.
As I said, Akmal and Shazeb should open with Misbah and YK coming in next.
Akmal needs to play a good innings and provide an anchor.
Shazeb should play his natural game, like Akmal does.
Kruman bhai
sorry for the late reply. I had gone to kitchen to make a cup of tea :) tension buhat hai. is liye
I agree, an experienced bowler would’ve been a better choice than 17 year old for the last over. Reminds me of salim Jaffar’s last over in 87 WC Semi final. He gave away 16 in the last over and that was also the margin of loss in that end.
Aslam saheb, i enjoyed your choice of words for advice to Pak batsmen. so “shoda-baazi” please :) :)
Pak 12/0 off 2.4 overs. theek hai!
Guys, lets not get depressed too early. There is plenty yet to come. But, yes, those last five overs may well cost us the game.
Pak 26/0 off 4 overs. ab tak theek hai.
I want to remind our reader Aslam saheb’s comments to our batsmen. No ‘shoda bazi’ please :)
aa gaya hai woh shahkaar….jis ka tha intizaar
i.e. Muralitharan is bowling
Pak 27/0 off 4.2 overs
Pak 30/0 off 5 overs. Run rate = basic match. too easy to calculate
haan shabash. TEEK hai. bilukl TEEK. It is 6.0
…baat ab tak hai bani hoi!!!
Well played Akmal and Shazaib. This offsets the good bowling in the previous over by Malinga and now places him under pressure.
Owais,
Enjoy the cup of tea! While you were out Akmal and Shahzib had a good over.
And ow just a six. Pakistan is on the way!
Sri Lanka getting desperate to get a wicket.
Sangakara is frantically changing bowlers in a bid to get a wicket.
Another good over for Pakistan!
abhi abhi Akmal ka chakka—-jio meray sher (sher= lion or tiger? an old confusion)
“ninanway ka pher” !!! 99 needed off 82 balls
bach ke rehna re baba…
Akmal ka ek aur CHAKKA….”Akmal saada sher eh” (should i also say ‘dum lagaan di der eh?) may be Not.
Like one my friends from interior sindh used to shout at stiuation like this:
“halo BheRa” never knew what it meant. most likely “keep it up guys”
woopsi. Akmal gone.
Pak 48/1 off 7
As Aslam Saheb said to Pakistani batsmen: “no shoda-bazi please” !!!
take it easy lo.
Shahzeb gone too. Pak 63/2 off 9.1
Must not let the required run-rate climb, but no heroics. Keep it steady guys.
I think the Afridi inningsis going to decide the game one way or the other. Lets hope it will decide it for us.
required rr is 7.7, we should not let ut go above 8. If it does at this point then it becomes very difficult. Plus, we really need this partnership to settle. Play out this and next overs. If that happens then they will start hitting.
56 needed off 42 balls.
Farooq Saheb, so far Pak is listening to your advice by not letting RRR go > 8.0. It is exaclty 8.0
Dua’on ki buhat zaroorat hai
Owais,
Thanks for rasing your hands in dua, 3balls, 11 runs.
Afridi has just hit a 6 and a 4.
dil bolay BOOM BOOM
42 needed off 36 balls now.
Aslam bhai ke alfaaz bar bar zehn mein aa rahay haiN “No shoda-bazi please”
From here onwards, it can be an easy clinical win unless somebody does something sily aka ‘shoda bazi’
100 is Up
Kruman bhaijan. duaen hi duaen haiN.
103/2 off 15 overs now
Great over by Malinga. Gave only 3 runs. 33 needed off 24 balls
As I said, sending Malik was a mistake.
Shoaib Malik is doing his best to ruin Pakistan innings. Not a single boundary from him.
YK is a big idiot. This match should have been over by now, had Aamer not bowled the last over and had Shoaib not come in to bat at #4.
26 needed from 18 balls
chalo Pakistan !!!
22 needed off 16 balls
Sri Lanka would be stupid to get Shoaib Malik out.
Afrid hits a six. Idiot Shoaib Malik is telling Afridi to take singles instead of hitting sixes.
Afridi has hit a 6 (SIXXXXXXXXXX)
Afridi 50 is up with a 5 run no-ball.
6 runs needed from 11 balls
I want to thank our readers and especially Kruman, Aslam and Farooq saheb, who have stayed with me all through the match and made this match so much more Enjoyable.
Congrats everyone! Well played Afridi, Akmal , Shazaib , Razzaq and all!
Thanks Owais for all the posts!
Afridi for president!
We won!!!!….. Great inning from both bowlers and batsmen. It was a great game and Afridi rocks!!!!!!
Congratulations everyone.
Wll done! Congrats Pakistan. Superb inning from Afridi. Yooooohoooooooooooooooooooo…
CONGRATS! They played wonderfully. Srilanka made it a difficult game but awesome work by Pakistan team! WOW! :D
Today we are winners, we are champions and no one can take that away from us. We are proud Pakistanis, WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!!
Green Revolution Hits Twitter.
Twitter outplayed all other social medias in this T20 Game.
http://techflipper.com/2009/06/21/green-revolution-hits-twitter-
Green Revolution Hits Twitter.
The Pakistani nation hand-in-hand with the prominent Pakistani bloggers has turned towards twitter to enjoy the cricket
Once again, the Pathans carry Pakistan to victory. Now let’s get the fund-raiser scoreboard ticking again :-).
Can someone post the highlights please (for those of us who couldn’t watch it live). Thanks in advance.
Congrats to all!! One of the happiest days in my life. The victory has great symbolic value and its significance is no less than historic.
As Wasim Akram said in the commentary box, this victory is dedicated to the nation of Pakistan and to the ‘brave men’ of Pakistani military fighting the terrorists in northern Pakistan.
Congratulations… to Pakistan team for bringing such a joyful moment to nation of Pakistan, you gave us what we needed badly at this time… something to cheer about…
Well done Younus Khan and rest of the boys…!!!
Well done Pakistan…!!!
And YK has announced his retirement from this format :(
I live in New York City’s “little Pakistan”, and people in my neighborhood are going absolutely crazy over the victory! There is a whole lot of cheering, whistling, and dancing on the streets. It is beautiful.
Pakistan Zindabad! Lets work as a nation to rid our minds and our society of intolerance and barbarism. Let this be a message for the naysayers and Pakistan doubters -a united Pakistan can win!
Awesome Awesome!! Bohut Acha!
This shows pakistanis have all the capabilities to turn impossible to possible, when they put their minds to it.
Congratulation!
well done Pakistan team and mubarak to all Pakistanis!
WOW!!
PAKISTAN HAS PROVED THAT THEY ARE THE CHAMPS OF CRICKET.!!!
KEEP IT UP PAKIS
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!!!:)
pakistan won…….thank GOD…..shukar ALLHAMDULELLAH
PAKISTAN ZINDA BAAAD…..HAMESHA…
Congratulations to all Pakistanis. And thank you to ATP also for making this such a nice place to share our Pakistaniat on this great victory. Yes, lets make the ATP campaign for IDPs a similar success now.
Picture of celebratory cake sent by ATP contributor Shahran Asim and shows how he is celebrating with an ice cream cake!
congradulations everyone :-) Pakistan Zindabad
………..being seated here, in the cold Northern Europe, at the outskirts of Scandinavia, it rather pleases my `dil
Let’s not forget Intikhab Alam, the only constant in the two world cup victories in 92 and 09.
Another reason why we should not have foreign coaches.
congradulations pakistan and pakistani i m proud to pakistani cricket team and shahid afridi
aaj sanwan meri ankhon main utar aya hai……….!!
aaj lagta hai bare zoor ki baarish ho gi……….!!
najanay kon duaon main yaad rakhta hai
main doobta hon sumandar uchaal deta hai
I guess in our happiness, we missed the actual words on the cake: what is “Congrate”?
Congratulations, Pakistan!
What a wonderful day! Pakistanis need and deserve this joy. The scenes with Younus Khan wrapped in the flag, with Shahid Afridi, beaming and smiling, is a more powerful image than any patriotic song or poem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NuqnNh9QdE
My all time favorite cricket song: Jazba e Junoon!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vM0wgQajpc
And the modern version of a cricket-song for Pakistan.
Great win..The cornered tigers roared again.. Congratulations.
Congratz Team Pakistan,…& Congratz All Pakistani Nation…
I was a kid when Pakistan won 92 world cup and I was happy only bcoz every one around me was happy and celebrating didn’t knew how big the achievement was but today I can feel it.. Its unbelievable and inexpressible feeling.. We are the Champions.. Thank you Pakistan Team..
Congratulations to ALL PAKISTAN and Pakistani community all over the world .Great team work and fantastic performance of our players plus prayers of the entire nation got us the T 20 World Cup. Pakistan Zindabad!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations for Pakistani Team, Pakistani Nation and Specially for Younas Khan
Best of luck for Pakistan cricket team and specially for Shahid Khan Afridi (Boom Boom)
Congatulations to Pskistani Team and all Nation.
We are world champions now. Your win is not only because of your efforts, but it is due to prayers of millions like me.
Best of Luck for all of you and our nation and specially for BOOM BOOM AFRIDI
Stand up, Stand up for the champions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUCqIvRQTXA
Thanks for making us proud and giving us something to be happy and jubilant.
Love my team!!
Congratulations Pakistan !! and all the people of Pakistan :D
I have seen that great win not only over Shrilanka but all the teams around the world .
Jiske mann me jitne ka jasba ho to woh kuch bhi karke jit jata hai aur Pakistani cricketers ne ye karke dikhaya :D
Congrats again :D
A PLEA FOR
RISK-FREE
CLELEBRATION
We know that we couldn
Congratulations! A comprehensive victory in the finals and an impressive performance in the run up to it.
Jeetay Raho Pakistan kay Jawano…….Pakistan Zindabad.
May Allah Bless U All.
Sorry about the typo in my comment. It was “Lord’s,” not
“Lords.” Thanks!
@Benawa,
Good points about the ‘Risk free celebration’. I think Pakistaniat blogspace is very popular and has plenty of talented (and perhaps well ‘connected’) bloggers who can put forth ideas for risk free celebrations.
The terrorists are fearless. Determined. They know the significance of the World Cup victory against them. And they will almost certainly try to spoil the one big, good news for Pakistanis so as not allow further unity and pride in Pakistan.
Be very watchful in celebrations.
Three cheers for Pakistan
Pakistan won and it called for celebration. But unfortunately as a nation we do not know how to celebrate. There were news of aerial firing and the deaths. Here are two letters in Dawn (July 2, 2009), narrating sad, tragic deaths of a four-year old boy and a ten-year old girl in Karachi. I am not against celebration, but reckless celebration which snatches away lives, for nothing.
————————–
JUNE 21 was a black day in our lives when a four-year-old son of my first cousin was hit by a returning bullet, as a result of senseless aerial firing after Pakistan won the World Cup.
The bullet entered deep into the brain of the child, damaging brain severely.
He was rushed to Dr Ziauddin Hospital in Nazimabad, Karachi.
We later learned that 13 such cases involving children were reported to that hospital and all had head injuries. Among them two children died immediately on reaching hospital.
Ours was the third such critical case and a fourth child was also in the same condition fighting for his life. Unfortunately, the child could not survive. Words cannot describe the grief and shock of the parents of the unfortunate child who was so innocent and went through so much pain.
It resulted in the loss of his life due to a senseless act of a few people who did it just for a personal pleasure of perhaps a few minutes
On discussing with doctors we learned that when bullets are fired they return as a projectile and can penetrate inside a child
Pakistan won the world t20!!!! i feel very happy that day
I LOVE PAKISTAN.
Hi,
It is good news for us that our national cricket won won the T20 World cup against srilanka and our team repeat the history again after 17 years i congratulate whole the team.