PAKISTAN, The World Twenty20 Champions!
Q's Call: The team that bats first will win. I don't think either team has the batting to chase down a total, while both have the bowling to defend any kind of score.
Ecstatic should be the appropriate word, though what I'm going through right now cannot be described in words.
I don't want to say I told you so but right now I feel like I should - I called Pakistan the favorites and it wasn't an emotionally optimistic call; it was one I made purely based on history.
Sri Lanka got a spanking. 8 wickets IS a spanking.
Pakistan's doubters got a spanking.
And we got a World Cup victory!
Sri Lanka were so occupied thinking about how to play the Pakistan spinners that they lost half their team to the Pakistan pacers.
Mohammad Aamer was outstanding, as was Abdul Razzaq.
Umar Gul did not finish well but his first couple of overs at back of a length worked to perfection.
And Sri Lanka couldn't have finished their innings without giving Afridi a wicket. We had to see the Afridi salute!
Dilshan, well what do I say; he should have read my letter.
He did top the World Twenty20 with the player of the tournament award, but in my books, for me the man of the moment, the man of the final, the man of competition was none other than Shahid Afridi!
For all the abuses and curses he's got over the last two years, he turned them around in two absolutely fantastic, and match winning knocks, in the semi final and the final.
He was always going to do well with the ball; what he produced with the bat in the last two games is what mesmerized the Pakistani fans.
The 1992 image of Imran Khan with his arms raised is what has been etched into the memories of all Pakistani fans.
After today the image of Afridi hitting the winning runs, taking his helmet off, and raising his arms in glory is what will remain with Pakistani fans forever.
Call it irony or call it karma, it was Shoaib Malik out there in the middle with Afridi taking Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title!
Both did it together.
I have a lot more to say, and I will, but right now I am way too emotional to continue writing.
I am going to celebrate and so should you.
Pakistan are the World Twenty20 Champions!
wooohhooooo! Yeah baby! Please celebrate for me as well... mine are a bit muted because my in-laws are here... I couldnt do everything that Imran Yusuf suggested in his brilliant article
Congrats, Q! I think both Afridi and Malik deserve credit for that partnership that took the match completely away from Sri Lanka.
Too bad for Sri Lanka, but they were totally outclassed today, even at the very start, when Pakistan decided to bounce Dilshan out!
Mubarak Q and everyone!
Forget the in-laws Obaid!
Pakistan Zindabad !!!
Pakistan Paindabaad !!!
Congrats to all PAKISTANIS on becoming the champions of T20 cricket! The journey was a short and bumpy ride but in the end we proved to the world that we were better than any other team having beaten the 2 favorites to win this cup.
In the start of the match, I recall the moment Dilshan half-attempted his Dilscoop, I simply could not get your 'Open letter to Dilshan' out of my head. In those milliseconds while the ball was still in the air, I felt an energy radiating between Pakistanis across the globe, as if every heart was hoping, wishing that the catch be taken and the beginning of this dream come true.
Amazing stuff. I'm still buzzing...
congrats to everyone ..what a win! and it is just beginning to sink in!
Q im sure will describe in detail what the atmosphere was at time cafe where we watched the match, had it not been for the screens, one could have said you were right in the stadium! strangers highfiving, hugging, dancing, jumping, some crying..
i am still at loss of words..
nothing can ever compare to the celebrations in the karachi streets i just now came back form --- oh my God to every pakistani fan, this is the moment we waited 17 years for...
the best part of my night was the joy we could share with every pakistani, rich or poor, in the streets, young and old, everyone was together, overjoyed, its hard to describe, never seen anything like this... so so so so so excited, mashallah...
oh and we also went to shahid afridi street in gulshan e iqbal. it was packed with dancing boys. so much fun...
so so overjoyed!!!!
by the way Q just read your dawn blog --- wow you are some hidden intellectual / supremely funny... like seriously friggin good... so here are my two cents
to the unassuming blogger
ditch the super niceness, and give us some kick ass analysis and predictions... oh wait, didn't you call this win for us? damn you imran yousuf!!!!
KK,
I am not Imran Yousuf! Who or what gave u that thought?
I just shared that awesome write in a post of mine :-)
I am just a cricket buff who does some analysis on numbers and stuff and makes calls here and there.
Imran Yousuf is pure genius!
The rest of u.. I will be back shortly to respond :-)
hahaha
*blush* i was wondering that your name, as far as i remembered, was not imran yousuf... oh well on a night like tonight who gives a ...? hahahahah congrats man thanks for always keeping the faith it meant a lot especiallty with al the opportunistic "fans" our team has - tonight was one for the lovers
congratulations mia. u feeling the same thing we felt 2 years back. i hope this dawns a new era for pakistan cricket washing off all the ills and the butts and miandads for good.
and it takes first step to rejoin the elite league of Australia, South Africa and India as best teams in international cricket.
Obaid,
Maybe it was the right time to actually follow Imran Yusuf's suggestions! What a write that was!
Krish,
Thanx buddy. That was one great partnership for sure.
Pakistan turned in a clinical and efficient performance, something they are not known for.
I'm still buzzing with the victory high.. feels too good.
Stani,
To you too man. I can't even imagine what it would be like in London!
Atif,
Pakistan Zindabad!!! My voice is gone!
Mani,
To you too buddy! Wat a win! I'm still buzzing, even after 10 hrs!
Its an amazing feeling, can't get over it.
And you're right, Pak did it by defeating the 2 best teams of the competition and quite convincingly!
The number of smses I got that referred to the "Letter to TD" when he got out was overwhelming!
LIB,
Its an experience that can hardly be described in words. I'm not sure if you witnessed the dances on the street outside the Ramee Royal.. I have a small clip up on FB.. check it out.
My voice is gone, my hands hurt, my feet hurt, but it all feels so damn good!
KK,
I briefly saw the celebrations around Pakistan on GEO.. saw the crowd at sea view and outside Afridi's house.. must have been an exhilirating experience being a part of that.
A lot of my friend's were at Lord's for the game - they also had one hell of a time as you can imagine.
I also took part in a much smaller street celebration in Dubai, but it was nothing like what I saw on TV wrt London and Pakistan! Awesome stuff!
"congrats man thanks for always keeping the faith it meant a lot especiallty with al the opportunistic "fans" our team has - tonight was one for the lovers"
It sure was and u can always count on me for keeping faith.
Congrats too u too!
Superunknown,
Thank you.
As for joining the elites, I would not go that far. We will always remain the volatile, unpredictable side. We always have been.
If ur talking T20, then I think we have been THE best for a while now.. ODI and Test.. u can't expect anything more than unpredictability :-)
Ajay Jadeja was on star news yesterday.. you know what he had to say to the BCCI and Modi ?
quote " aren't you people ashamed of leaving out such quality talent in the IPL? i hope Pakistanis are inclulded in the next edition so we have a better standard of cricket "
but i think now pakistan should refrain from the IPL, does them good :p
Congrats Q!
Pak outclassed SL in every sense..a richly deserved win :)
hi to all Pakistanies from Mahtab Rasheed. yaroo es se bari baat koe ho nahi sekti k hum world champion ban chuke hain .ea watan se payar karo mere bhaio ye tume bohat kuch de ga.
Atif,
You know what. I think it was great that the IPL cancelled the Pakistanis contracts this year. What this world cup win will do is that it will get the Pakistanis even higher valued contracts next year from the IPL teams.
HA!
Megha,
Thank you :-)
Mahtab,
Welcome to Well Pitched and thank you for your comment.
Pakistan zindabad!
@Q, Atif: Wasn't it Pakistan that prevented its players from taking part in the IPL? Due to security concerns?
In that regard, what other choice would Modi/IPL have had other than to cancel their contracts?
Sledge,
Ponting and Mike Hussey also decided to skip the IPL for their own reasons..
Their contracts were not cancelled.
Let me have the opportunity to say Mubarak to all Pakistani fans.
Q predicted Pakistan champions at the beginning and oh boy he was right !
Congrats Maza.. I'm sure u had a ball in the UK with all the celebrations!
Yh I was there with the Pakistani supporters partying outside Lords. The time of my life !
I'm sure it was maza. I know a lot of people who were there at Lord's and listening to their experience has been overwhelming.
Imran Yusuf from dawn.com here.
Q, thanks man, and Mubarak.
Karachi Khatmal, how do I get in touch with you?
Imran,
Thanks for stopping by.
Your write before the final was an awesome read man!! Loved it. As did everyone one else.
Congrats to u too.
@ Q
i think for a fan like you, the location of the celebration doesn't matter - the joy in your heart must have been unparalleled... in fact, i know a lot of pakistani fans owe you a big round of applause for keeping pakistani cricket alive on the blogosphere when all we had left were drug scandals and genital warts... :)
@ imran
you can email me at ahmertensionATgmailDOTcom
KK,
Thanx man :-)
And ur right abt the celebrations.. the location did not matter.. Dubai looked like just any Pakistani city with green all over the streets after the victory.. was awesome!
And ahmer tension? Hahaha.. brilliant! Which TV channel do u work for?