KARACHI:
I want to begin by congratulating Pakistan cricket team for winning the opening match against arch-rivals India in the ICC T20 World Cup. Until last Sunday, Pakistan had never defeated India in a World Cup game, but the jinx was finally broken. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck such a blow to the Indian team early on that they were unable to recover from it and could only set a target of 151 runs.
The target was clinically achieved by our opening duo of Muhammad Rizwan and Babar Azam and India could not take even a single wicket. Pakistan’s fielding was exceptional too, as there were no dropped catches or fumbles. Overall, it was a treat to watch Pakistan play in such a professional manner — and that too against India. Our team is a true reflection of the comments of late legendary commentator Iftikhar Ahmed: “Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties.”
Our team can defeat the best team in the world on a given day and lose to underdogs the next. I hope and pray that our players remain strong and maintain stable performance in the upcoming matches. The win against India is great but the boys should not become overconfident or high-headed. Humility and focus are what they need; and if they believe in themselves and perform their best, I am confident that Pakistan will win the cup, InshaAllah.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2021.
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