Adil Najam
UPDATE:
India won the TwentyTwenty final in a thriller, after setting Pakistan 158 to win and then bowling Pakistan out (with three balls to spare) for 152. IK Pathan from India was names Man of the Match for very tidy bowling (3/16 from 4 overs) while Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi was named Man of the Series.
ORIGINAL POST:
I have resisted writing about the Twenty20 Cricket Tournament in South Africa till now. But now I can resist no more. All is set for a thriller final game against India.
What more could one ask for… well, actually, one could ask for Pakistan’s TwentyTwenty winning streak to continue into the Final game against India in Johannesburg on Monday!
Pakistan is on a roll. And this is no fluke. The victories against Australia and Sri Lanka were brilliant and breezing past New Zealand in the semi-final today proved that this is not just a lucky streak.
The young team under a young captain and a new coach seems to have finally found its stride. And it is about time…
Much of our cricket coverage this last year has been depressing. Umpire controversies, a disastrous World Cup Exit, death of a coach, players misbehaving, and more. So, this good news is very welcome. It is all the more welcome because other news these days is much less than welcome.
India, too, has had a spectacular T20 tournament. In fact, the most memorable moments of the tournament till now were the 6 sixes in an over by Yuvraj against England.
That the game between India and Pakistan in the T20 tournament had ended in a tie will make the anticipation about the final even more nail-biting.
Neither team goes in as favorites. Both go in on a roll. Its should be one great game!
Lets forgt what Malik said and what he didnt and religion etc.
Just enjoy the progress of the two teams…
Forgive and forget…
But what rankled many Indians was Malik’s attempt to own worldwide Muslim sentiment for Pakistan when India has as many Muslims who support their home team, which has always had a healthy representation of Muslims and other minorities and has been a showcase for India’s secular society.
Pakistan and pakistanis feel, think and behave as though they are the self declared guardians of muslims worldwide. What they fail to understand is that there are nearly 200 million muslims next door.
Even the arabs don’t behave this way. The man of the match of this finals was a muslim too. India being a HINDU majority country has had Muslims head of state and muslims at various levels.
South Africa has had Ali Bacher as South African cricket head, Nasir Hussain has been the most successful captain for England. Owais Shah is the new middle order for England.
From where on the eartht do these pakistanis get strange ideas?
“Why would Shoaib think, then, that the Muslims of the world were collectively rooting for the Pakistan team or that they felt let down by its defeat? Did he stop to think of how Danish Kaneria, his Hindu team-mate, might feel hearing his Test skipper all but declare that the Pakistan team is a Muslim team that plays for the Muslims of the world?It is one thing to be publicly religious-Shahid Afridi thanked Allah and Matt Hayden and Shaun Pollock are proud, believing Christians – quite another to declare that your country’s cricket eleven bats for international Islam.”
well said Adnan :)