Pakistan recently won Champions Trophy 2017. Against all the odds, this team achieved what even their greatest of fans would have never imagined. Pakistan had never been a good batting team, their bowling was wayward in the past couple of years (the rank 8 in the world is the testimony to the fact). And let’s not talk about their fielding. Where did all the data go in deciding the champions? Not even a great analyst of game can answer that. I myself being an analyst fail to do so.
Pakistan cricket team unpredictability is not unknown to everyone. All of us know what Pakistan is capable of when they bring their A game up front and we also know how timidly they would surrender when it’s not their day. They showcased their Z to A game in the span of 6 match tournament. After Champions Trophy ended I tried to imagine different scenes where the Pakistan team were like an army meeting enemies in the battle field. So, here’s how the story goes:
India v Pakistan at Birmingham - Jun 4, 2017
Indians are fully prepared, make no mistake they are a super power. Pakistan is meeting their arch rival. After sneaking through the backdoor (read last ranked team), they seemed to be unequipped. The only good thing about them was they didn’t forget their green uniform. They forgot their weapons, there was no confidence, and most of the men were new to the battlefield and others got injured. It seemed like they got chickens in their armory. It was such a mis-match.
Pakistan v South Africa at Birmingham - Jun 7, 2017
Pakistan knew from now on their throats are in the noose. A little slip up and they will be gone. Along with rusted sword they got few shiny swords (read Fakhar and Hasan). With men equipped with rusty sword they were defending themselves impressively. The opposition, South Africa another super power were not at their best. Their commander was less than superb in the recent battles. Nobody can’t seem to remember when was the last time he gave a smile. Another mis-match should be on the cards, but Pakistan seem to be holding the South Africans back. Sword on sword, each one pushing each other. And then the rain came. And we know how vulnerable South Africans are to the rain. They are made of salt and they melted away. Pakistan stood there victorious profusely wiping their sweat.
Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Cardiff - Jun 12, 2017
“Now is the time” was going on in Pakistanis heads. “One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
Well these were the most matched sides. Inexperience to inexperience, randomness to randomness, volatility to volatility, low rank to lowly ranked, everything matched. It was a battle of anxieties. “Who will falter first?” was the questions. Swords and spears were exchanged. Rusty swords breaking and flying away. Much time passed but no clear winner. Who will weaken first? The new supplement by Pakistan (read Fakhar) in some way or the other seems to be working. Could this be their day? Nope, not yet. Sri Lanka too got their arsenal full even though small and ineffective. They pushed back harder. Brought their most famous and lethal sword (read Malinga), fell Pakistan and started to poke them. It was a matter of time. Why is it always somehow with Pakistan? One push and the blade will be inside of Pakistan and they will be henceforth called Panicstan. Just one push. And here it will be. But wait, what do we see now? Blades are broken. Sri Lankans are flabbergasted, shocked, stunned, dumbfounded. Pakistan have a wry smile, gets back and kicks little Shree Lunkuns on the knee and the stomach and the head. Swoooshh! The end of Sri Lanka
Semi-final: England v Pakistan at Cardiff - Jun 14, 2017
“One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
Here we are. The medieval and modern day greats (both for different reasons). Another superpower – the Great Britain. Well not exactly them, but I think you get my point. Pakistan was never to be here and England, as all expected they were to win the championship. Pakistan to them was just a fly on the rug which they would swat away. But but but, Pakistan’s artillery was growing, they seem to be picking up the weapons from their battlefields and quickly sharpening them.
As soon as the battle began, England’s huge stature sidelined. Pakistan seemed to have pull aside the curtain which England was holding in front of them. Behind it was timid cat who was calling itself a lion all these while. All the previous battles were forgotten by Pakistan. They burnt in those and have risen like phoenix. The superpower had no chance but surrender.
Final: India v Pakistan at The Oval - Jun 18, 2017
“One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
“Mother of battles” is what we were to witness. Indians were also looking out to their arch rivals. They were no long holding a chicken. The rust from swords have gone away, arsenal full of weapons and all seem to be working. No idea how, but Pakistanis have created a tank now. Indians were no short of these. They knew very well how to use their ammos but more than themselves they were worried about which Pakistan would turn up? The one with the chicken or the one with the tank?
Unfortunately for the Indians, Pakistanis turned up with the tank and now I don’t want to talk much about the final battle.
Victory lap
Pakistan were the resounding winners. They proved un-expectations are the best thing for them. Winning a major ICC trophy and that too against India was biggest icing on the cake they could ever imagine. They gave their nation and their fans a great Eid gift.
(I hope someone could make a short animated movie out of this)
Pakistan cricket team unpredictability is not unknown to everyone. All of us know what Pakistan is capable of when they bring their A game up front and we also know how timidly they would surrender when it’s not their day. They showcased their Z to A game in the span of 6 match tournament. After Champions Trophy ended I tried to imagine different scenes where the Pakistan team were like an army meeting enemies in the battle field. So, here’s how the story goes:
India v Pakistan at Birmingham - Jun 4, 2017
Indians are fully prepared, make no mistake they are a super power. Pakistan is meeting their arch rival. After sneaking through the backdoor (read last ranked team), they seemed to be unequipped. The only good thing about them was they didn’t forget their green uniform. They forgot their weapons, there was no confidence, and most of the men were new to the battlefield and others got injured. It seemed like they got chickens in their armory. It was such a mis-match.
Pakistan v South Africa at Birmingham - Jun 7, 2017
Pakistan knew from now on their throats are in the noose. A little slip up and they will be gone. Along with rusted sword they got few shiny swords (read Fakhar and Hasan). With men equipped with rusty sword they were defending themselves impressively. The opposition, South Africa another super power were not at their best. Their commander was less than superb in the recent battles. Nobody can’t seem to remember when was the last time he gave a smile. Another mis-match should be on the cards, but Pakistan seem to be holding the South Africans back. Sword on sword, each one pushing each other. And then the rain came. And we know how vulnerable South Africans are to the rain. They are made of salt and they melted away. Pakistan stood there victorious profusely wiping their sweat.
Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Cardiff - Jun 12, 2017
“Now is the time” was going on in Pakistanis heads. “One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
Well these were the most matched sides. Inexperience to inexperience, randomness to randomness, volatility to volatility, low rank to lowly ranked, everything matched. It was a battle of anxieties. “Who will falter first?” was the questions. Swords and spears were exchanged. Rusty swords breaking and flying away. Much time passed but no clear winner. Who will weaken first? The new supplement by Pakistan (read Fakhar) in some way or the other seems to be working. Could this be their day? Nope, not yet. Sri Lanka too got their arsenal full even though small and ineffective. They pushed back harder. Brought their most famous and lethal sword (read Malinga), fell Pakistan and started to poke them. It was a matter of time. Why is it always somehow with Pakistan? One push and the blade will be inside of Pakistan and they will be henceforth called Panicstan. Just one push. And here it will be. But wait, what do we see now? Blades are broken. Sri Lankans are flabbergasted, shocked, stunned, dumbfounded. Pakistan have a wry smile, gets back and kicks little Shree Lunkuns on the knee and the stomach and the head. Swoooshh! The end of Sri Lanka
Semi-final: England v Pakistan at Cardiff - Jun 14, 2017
“One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
Here we are. The medieval and modern day greats (both for different reasons). Another superpower – the Great Britain. Well not exactly them, but I think you get my point. Pakistan was never to be here and England, as all expected they were to win the championship. Pakistan to them was just a fly on the rug which they would swat away. But but but, Pakistan’s artillery was growing, they seem to be picking up the weapons from their battlefields and quickly sharpening them.
As soon as the battle began, England’s huge stature sidelined. Pakistan seemed to have pull aside the curtain which England was holding in front of them. Behind it was timid cat who was calling itself a lion all these while. All the previous battles were forgotten by Pakistan. They burnt in those and have risen like phoenix. The superpower had no chance but surrender.
Final: India v Pakistan at The Oval - Jun 18, 2017
“One more victory, one more victory O lord!”
“Mother of battles” is what we were to witness. Indians were also looking out to their arch rivals. They were no long holding a chicken. The rust from swords have gone away, arsenal full of weapons and all seem to be working. No idea how, but Pakistanis have created a tank now. Indians were no short of these. They knew very well how to use their ammos but more than themselves they were worried about which Pakistan would turn up? The one with the chicken or the one with the tank?
Unfortunately for the Indians, Pakistanis turned up with the tank and now I don’t want to talk much about the final battle.
Victory lap
Pakistan were the resounding winners. They proved un-expectations are the best thing for them. Winning a major ICC trophy and that too against India was biggest icing on the cake they could ever imagine. They gave their nation and their fans a great Eid gift.
(I hope someone could make a short animated movie out of this)
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