Pakistan Win ICC World Twenty20

Shahid Afridi again starred with both bat and ball to give Pakistan an eight wicket victory in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup. Afridi’s unbeaten knock of 54 runs off 40 balls backed up his miserly spell of one for 20 in four overs and earned him the man of the match award.

Sri Lanka hit 138/6 from their 20 overs, recovering from 2/2 and 70/6; Pakistan reached their target with eight balls to spare.

Sri Lanka won a good toss on a slowing strip but they were unable to rely on their key batsman, Tillakaratne Dilshan, the tournament’s top runscorer, who faced a fearsome over from left-arm quick Mohammad Aamir first up.

Aamir gave Dilshan a real working-over and the pressure told as he was caught pulling at short fine leg from the fifth ball of the innings. Dilshan was already through with the shot and the short slower ball from Aamir earned him a maiden-wicket over. It was only the third maiden of the tournament and it set the tone for an historic performance from the Pakistani team.

Jehan Mubarak was sent in up the order but he didn’t last long as he was out caught to Abdul Razzaq in the second over. Sanath Jayasuria (17) steadied the ship with a few boundaries but when he and Mahela Jayawardene were out within the space of five runs, both to Abdul Razzaq (3/20), the Sri Lankan innings was on the rocks at 32/4.

By the time Umar Gul was introduced, Sri Lanka were 65/4 off 11 overs. Gul picked up Chamara Silva in his first over, with Afridi removing Udana in the next.

A captain’s knock by Sangakkara rescued Sri Lanka from a desperate 70 for six to a modest 138/6, alongside Angelo Mathews who hit 35 off 24 balls and showd the value of having a competent hitter down the order..

There was a notable drop in intensity in the field after Afridi (1/20) had completed his spell. Pakistan may have thought they had it in the bag but Sangakkara’s 64 runs from 52 deliveries and Mathews’ 35 off 24 would have had them thinking twice. The 68 run partnership with Mathews gave the Sri Lankans something to defend but it always looked a few runs short of par.

Pakistan’s reply got off to a shaky start as Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan hit the ball in the air to everywhere except the fielders’ hands. Somehow they added 48 runs before Akmal was stumped off Jayasuriya’s first ball, in the eighth over.

Shahid Afridi again batted at No 3 and with Hasan and then Shoaib Malik, he took control of the match. For probably the first time ever, Afridi put a high price on his wicket and batted with caution and authority. Even Younus Khan later declared himself surprised that Afridi was looking for singles and not boundaries.

Pakistan managed to stay up with the asking rate for most of the chase. Only twice did it get up over eight runs an over and both occasions Afridi smashed a six and a four to abate any fears that Pakistan would stutter this time. Malik was cool under pressure with his 24 runs off 22 balls but it was Afridi who won the hearts of his team mates and countrymen today.

When the batsman turned all-rounder hit the winning run with six balls to spare, Afridi was mobbed by his team mates like I have never seen a man mobbed before. He stood still in his trademark pose, with his arms up and wide open until they got to him. He then bowed low and appeared to kiss the hallowed Lord’s turf and the rest of the team did the same. They were in fact praying to Allah.

The victory is set to revolutionise the game in Pakistan, where cricket has been fraught by terrorism and politics. Pakistani players were not welcomed at this year’s IPL in the wake of the Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan team and it seems possible that this win will save Pakistan from some kind of international cricket exile.

“I think it is a gift for our nation” said Younus Khan afterwards, who was Pakistan’s top run getter in the tournament.

It will also give a phenomenal boost to the level of interest taken in the sport in a country where cricket attendance and television ratings has been on the wane for a number of years. All tours to the country have been put on hold and Pakistan will probably be denied the opportunity to host matches at the next World Cup.

Younus added, “Today I have decided to retire from Twenty20 cricket. I am already 34 and probably too old for this kind of cricket. One Twenty20 game expends a whole month’s worth of energy!”

“We have a number of talented cricketers who can really excel in this version of the game.”

The announcement created a stir at the press conference – Younus looked a proud and cheerful man. He spoke much of his desire for international cricket to return to Pakistan for the “youngsters.”

Younus dedicated the win to Bob Woolmer, the former Pakistan coach who died during the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007.