What it is to be Afridi!
I watched India-Pakistan play each other yesterday. The most awaited match of the tournament. Media had hyped the match, but when India-Pakistan play each other, especially in world cups, it is all part of the parcel. This is the tenth world cup and India played Pakistan the fifth time in world cup history. And as usual, I expected the players, specially Pakistani players, to sledge and there by create the atmosphere of true rivalry. On the contrary, they weren't the Pakistanis of old days. Javed Miandad's jumping on the pitch, Amir Sohail's aggressive remarks, Shoiab Akhtar's angry looks... were all missing. Pakistanis played like true gentlemen. Not that they weren't gentle enough earlier, but "that" edge was completely missing, in their batting, bowling and fielding. I didn't enjoy beating Pakistan as before.
Afridi was leading an inexperienced Pakistani side. Just before the world cup, quite a few players were axed for being involved in match fixing. A day before the match, players were warned by their interior minister not to get involved in match fixing. They were under vigil all through. I can just imagine, what they could have been through.
Pakistani politics, I think, is eating away it's cricket. We all know what the Sri Lankans faced when they last toured Pakistan. No other team now wishes to play in Pakistan. Whatever matches Pakistan plays, plays on neutral venues or opposition's home ground. Though the world cup is being played in the Indian sub-continent, Pakistan didn't get to host a single match. What a pity!
Economically, Pakistani players are poorer in comparison to other cricketers. All for obvious reasons. IPL also do not entertain Pakistani players.
With all this and more, there is no doubt whatsoever, that they are a talented lot. Just to mention - reverse swing was first noticed by Akram and famous doosra was Saqlain's invention. Pakistan has a long list of great cricketers. Wahab Riaz, a new find for Pakistan, proved that yesterday. His reverse swinging yorker to Yuvi said more than words could ever say. No wonder they topped their group and reached the semis.
One day after the loss, Zulqarnian Haider, Pakistan's former wicket keeper, has questioned the defeat and has asked higher authorities to probe the poor performance of the team. Wonder what Afridi will have in response to all these allegations.
Afridi, in the interview after the match, said sorry to his nation and I'm sorry for him. Not because he lost the game for Pakistan, but because talent is not getting it's worth.
Well, I am a true supporter of men in blue! Pakistan was just another hurdle, we got to get our hands on to our second world cup!
PS: Afridi, a day after I wrote this blog, has questioned Pakistani's openly as to why Pakistani's hate India? He said, Pakistani weddings are done in Indian style, Pakistan watches all Indian movies, dances to Indian music, has so many things in common... then why? It was just a game that Pakistan lost!
Well said Shahid Afridi! We certainly need more people like him on either side.
I watched India-Pakistan play each other yesterday. The most awaited match of the tournament. Media had hyped the match, but when India-Pakistan play each other, especially in world cups, it is all part of the parcel. This is the tenth world cup and India played Pakistan the fifth time in world cup history. And as usual, I expected the players, specially Pakistani players, to sledge and there by create the atmosphere of true rivalry. On the contrary, they weren't the Pakistanis of old days. Javed Miandad's jumping on the pitch, Amir Sohail's aggressive remarks, Shoiab Akhtar's angry looks... were all missing. Pakistanis played like true gentlemen. Not that they weren't gentle enough earlier, but "that" edge was completely missing, in their batting, bowling and fielding. I didn't enjoy beating Pakistan as before.
Afridi was leading an inexperienced Pakistani side. Just before the world cup, quite a few players were axed for being involved in match fixing. A day before the match, players were warned by their interior minister not to get involved in match fixing. They were under vigil all through. I can just imagine, what they could have been through.
Pakistani politics, I think, is eating away it's cricket. We all know what the Sri Lankans faced when they last toured Pakistan. No other team now wishes to play in Pakistan. Whatever matches Pakistan plays, plays on neutral venues or opposition's home ground. Though the world cup is being played in the Indian sub-continent, Pakistan didn't get to host a single match. What a pity!
Economically, Pakistani players are poorer in comparison to other cricketers. All for obvious reasons. IPL also do not entertain Pakistani players.
With all this and more, there is no doubt whatsoever, that they are a talented lot. Just to mention - reverse swing was first noticed by Akram and famous doosra was Saqlain's invention. Pakistan has a long list of great cricketers. Wahab Riaz, a new find for Pakistan, proved that yesterday. His reverse swinging yorker to Yuvi said more than words could ever say. No wonder they topped their group and reached the semis.
One day after the loss, Zulqarnian Haider, Pakistan's former wicket keeper, has questioned the defeat and has asked higher authorities to probe the poor performance of the team. Wonder what Afridi will have in response to all these allegations.
PS: Afridi, a day after I wrote this blog, has questioned Pakistani's openly as to why Pakistani's hate India? He said, Pakistani weddings are done in Indian style, Pakistan watches all Indian movies, dances to Indian music, has so many things in common... then why? It was just a game that Pakistan lost!
Well said Shahid Afridi! We certainly need more people like him on either side.
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