Perfect 10
Rarely indeed, it’s been without any ifs and buts this time. Team Pakistan has made it to the semi-final stage of the ICC T20 World Cup, winning all the round games and obtaining full 10 points. All other teams in the tournament lost at least one of the games they played. Green Shirts have never been as consistent in any major tournaments previously. The Babar Azam men started off by thrashing archrival India — an upset, to many an expert, especially those belonging to India — and gained the confidence to go past clinical Kiwis and enthusiastic Afghans, apart from bulldozing Namibia and Scotland.
Again very rarely, it’s been an all-round performance. Team Pakistan is firing on all cylinders. Batsmen, bowlers — and surprisingly even fielders — are giving their hundred per cent. While bowling has long been our main strength, this time our batting — from openers down to the man at six — are in great touch. Both new and seasoned players are performing professionally well. Thus, the players are breaking records after records. Pakistan’s 10 wicket win against India has their first by such a margin in T20 internationals. Babar Azam’s 264 are the most runs by a captain in the history of T20 World Cup. Mohammed Rizwan has bagged the record of most runs in T20Is in a year. And last but not least, veteran Shoaib Malik’s 18-ball half-century is the fastest by a Pakistan player in the history of the T20 World Cup. So fit at 39, Malik is a genuine example for the new lot to emulate.
The next challenge — and a formidable one — is the semi-final against Australians in Dubai on Thursday. The real contest will be between Pakistani bowlers and Aussie batsmen. The toss will indeed play a major role. However, whatever the outcome of the match, Pakistan’s performance so far merits full marks, and proves to the world that the country cannot be ignored over trivial grounds like lack of security.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2021.
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