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- Oct 2, 2004
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What a wonderful few weeks for Pakistan cricket we have had!
To celebrate the triumph on 18th June, here is a beautiful post which clearly deserves our award! (little late due to number of posts but back on track now)
Congrats to [MENTION=144682]Sirris[/MENTION]
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...Pakistani-fan-s-thoughts-on-the-past-few-days
To celebrate the triumph on 18th June, here is a beautiful post which clearly deserves our award! (little late due to number of posts but back on track now)
Congrats to [MENTION=144682]Sirris[/MENTION]
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...Pakistani-fan-s-thoughts-on-the-past-few-days
The result of PAK vs IND encounter: Pakistan won by 180 runs.
Emotions running high!
Feelings running wild!
This my friends is what the rewards can be when we dare to take the challenge head on.
How many of our cheeky opponents had the impression that it'd be best and wise of us to wish for the easier route, the safer route, the route with less hurdles and ultimately the route of a coward.
You should hope to meet a weaker opponent in the final otherwise you'd be getting a beating of a lifetime!
We were warned.
They claimed they were cheering for us during our semi-final against England. Why? So that they could have an easy win against us in the finals.
Not long after our impressive win against England they tried to take away our joy and ruin our victory by trying to scare us.
Don't get so happy!
You know you will be facing us in the finals, right?!
They shouted.
Be scared! Be very very scared!
Get ready for the ultimate humiliation!
They threatened.
No way we are going to hand the trophy to the likes of you.
They seemed so self-assured of being able to defend their beloved trophy.
...
In reality all this bravado was to test our mettle! To confirm how weak we are. They wished to see fear in our eyes.
But the whole nation spoiled their fun. We loudly and daringly asked for a final against the tougher opposition, our nemesis and our arch-rival.
...
Now here we are...
The match is behind us...
So many stories have been written. So many legends for the future generation to inspire from.
For example there is this newbie. Who had been dreaming for a long time of playing for his country and proving his worth. Now just three games again he has been handed his debut in this big tournament and that too in a knockout match.
It's not easy! But he never wanted it to be easy. He just wanted to perform whenever he got the opportunity.
And perform he did. He has hit back to back fifties. One in a virtual quarterfinal and the other in the semi-final.
But if he had ever dreamt of performing than that would have been in today's encounter:
The stage is set. It's the final game against the arch-rival. The winner gets much more than a trophy. He gets a place in the history books.
All the wins of the past few match are worth nothing anymore. All his runs, all his fifties are now past and forgotten. He knows it. What matters is how he will fare now. All eyes are on him. Big burden of his teams batting lies on his shoulders, he is fully aware.
It's a nervous start.
An outside edge. A catch. OUT!
so it wasn't meant to be... Today is not the day my dreams would come true... I won't become a hero today...
So he thought and made his way toward the pavilion.
A call to hold on from the umpire. They are checking for the noball and the young man is hoping against hope...
It is indeed a noball!
I have been given a new life and I will make them pay for it.
He vowed.
A couple of moments later. A man is letting out a big roar in the middle of the pitch, punching the air wildly.
It's him!
It's the newbie!
He has just hit his first maiden ODI century!
A hero is born!
He did justice to his name. His name is Fakhar Zaman and they won't forget it soon.
...
Then there is a bowler, who came back after five years of ban. He used to be held high as a prodigy by his countrymen. He had felt how it is to be at the very top but only for a brief moment. For soon after he fell at the very bottom, disgracefully. Bringing shame and humiliation to his nation.
This was not what he had aimed for when he first wore the green shirt.
He was banned for five years. In those five years he went through a lot of mental torture. Five years of contemplating whether he should give up on his God-given talent and pursuit another career. Though somehow he manages to hold on to his own and aims for a comeback.
A chance to perhaps redeem himself.
Time flies by. Now he has been in the team for two years. His comeback to the team was heavily expected. He was rushed into the team. The nation seemed to have forgiven him too soon.
But it is starting to look grim for him. He can't live up to the nation's expectation. It does not seem like as if he will ever reach his past heights.
The nation is wondering whether he has been cursed. Despite his good bowling he never seems to get any wickets.
He should have never been allowed back in the team.
Some whispered.
...
It's the big tournament. He had high hopes from it. But it's the same old story. Good bowling but no wickets. He himself is frustrated with his performance.
He was missed out on the semi-finals because of an injury. But now he is fully fit for the final. People are questioning if he should even play in the final.
Here he is. Indeed playing in the final. The captain seems to have trust in him.
It's the biggest game he has ever been in.
He is holding the ball firmly between his fingers, ready to defend the target his side has put on. Ready to give it his all. He is going bowl the first bowl of the second innings.
He is running in hard. Now is the time to make it count. He has yet another opportunity to prove his worth. Time to justify his selections. Time to give back to his nation for their trust and support. They have been disappointed from him. He never wanted to let them down.
Now or never!
IT'S TIME FOR THE ULTIMATE REDEMPTION!
...
Our opponents were confident in their batting lineup and rightly so. They have Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli as their top three.
Sharma has two double centuries in ODIs to his name, Dhawan has scored the most number of runs in the Champions trophy and Kohli is arguably the best ODI cricketer in the world right now and his strongest point is chasing down big targets effortlessly.
The opponents said England's batting isn't as dynamic as theirs. Our bowlers dominated England but it won't be easy against them. They were confident that there superstars can't be taken down easily.
...
The bowler who wants to redeem himself is running in hard...
Third balls and Rohit is gone!
An over later...
Third ball and Kohli is gone... oh wait he has been dropped.
ahaha how typical Pakistani of them. Look another life for Kohli! Now there is no saving them! Kohli is going to teach them a lesson they will never forget! Get ready and pay close attention.
They were sure about it.
Fourth ball and Kholi is gone.
Yes it's true. The genius architect of Indian batting line up is actually gone. Out twice in the spawn of two deliveries.
Okay, no worries. Everyone can have an off day. Dhawan is looking in a great touch he will guide us home with support from Yuvraj and Dhoni
They were still hopefull.
A couple of overs later. It is the last ball of his fifth over.
He balls a cross-seamer.
He sends Dhawan back to the pavilion.
In just 5 overs he has single-handedly borken the back bone of the Indian batting line up. India's top 3 batsmen, the best India has to offer all sent back to the dressing room before anyone could make sense of what's going on.
A large portion of the crowd has gone silent.
But one can clearly hear a portion of crowd chanting:
AMIR! AMIR! AMIR!
The bowler is soaking it all in. The redemption he had been yearning for so long has finally come his way.
No you aren't dreaming my boy. You actually did it!
...
Then there is this 18 years leg spinner. Who has been with the team only since a couple of months. Many experts wondered if it would be wise to play him in the finals. He is indeed playing.
It's his first over if the day. He has to bowl to Yuvraj Singh, India's pinch hitter of the finest and a great player of spin bowling.
The 18 years old bowls the last ball of his first over. It beats Yuvraj.
Huge appeal! No is the reply.
He immediately turns to his captain and asks him fiercely to take the review. There is fire in his eyes. The passion is pouring. He is assure of his kill. Fully aware that the game has a long way to go and if they end up wasting their only review this early in the game, it might come back to haunt them.
His conviction is strong. The confidence is high. He doesn't let the moment get to him. It's the final. The whole nation is watching. He is aware. He isn't timid, doesn't second-guess his judgment. He makes a call and stands behind it.
There is no way the captain could turn down the request by his young and daring player.
They take the review. The review is successful.
The audience is thrilled by the the young man stood his ground and fought for what he thought was rightly his.
Yuvraj has to walk back to the pavilion and the youngster can feel proud of his courage and sharpness. It's not the first time he has given the Indians a hefty blow. It was also him who took the sharp catch of India's captain.
He is Shadab Khan.
In the end there wasn't much to be seen of the dynamic Indian batting we were promised of. They were bundled out for even a lower score than the English team.
There were a lot of stories to be inspired by.
From the captain who had patiently waited for a long time, in the shadows before he could lead his nation as a skipper.
To that relatively unknown right arm seamer who was written off before he could even prove his worth because his physique was not ideal for a fast bowler. But here he is somehow, collecting the award for the best bowler of the tournament.
There are many stories and legends to talk about. But the lesson should be clear. It never hurts to take brave decision. The risks might be high but the rewards will be even higher. Don't be timid and don't let your fears consume you.
Be bold, be daring, never give up at the sight of huge adversaries and always push forward in spite of heavy resistance and setbacks.
The next time you find yourself in a tough situation, be it a difficult exam or standing up to your wife, think about these stories we witnessed today and let them inspire you to write your own story of overcoming hurdles and achieving success.
It's because of these inspirational stories provided by the Pakistani team that I can sit through an 8 hour long game in this fast paced world. Long may it continue!
Pakistan Zindabad !
We are the Champions and we did it in style!
rby
