Razzaq Shows The Beauty of Pakistan Cricket
We all saw it last night.
We all saw why Pakistan cricket is so so special.
Majority of the special wins that Pakistan have achieved during their cricketing history have been at the back of outstanding individual performances.
Yes it is a team game and Australia and South Africa have time and again shown how a good team effort can bring you wins consistently.
For Pakistan, however, it has always been about the Imran Khans, Javed Miandads, Wasim Akrams, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Inzamam Ul Haqs, Saeed Anwars, and Shahid Afridis that have brought them victories single handedly.
And last night Abdul Razzaq did exactly that!
He single handedly destroyed South Africa's bowling attack to notch up a brilliant match winning century that led Pakistan to victory by a mere 1 wicket with only 1 ball to spare.
The belligerence of Razzaq's innings is demonstrated by the statistic of 10 sixes and 7 fours in an unbeaten innings of 109 that took him only 72 deliveries.
The magnificence of Razzaq's innings is demonstrated in the fact that he came to the crease in the 30th over with the score on 136-5 - Pakistan still needed another 151 runs in 20 overs with half the team back in the pavilion.
The best part though is the wizardry that Razzaq showed at the crease.
With 5 overs remaining, Pakistan required a near impossible 54 runs to win with 3 wickets in hand.
Out of the next 29 balls that were delivered, Razzaq faced all but 8 of them!
Out of the final 17 balls that were delivered, Razzaq faced all but 1 of them!
Last night, Razzaq was a wizard at the crease. He toyed with the South Africans, hogged the strike, smashed boundaries and sixes with abandon, and did as he willed.
South Africa probably still don't know what struck them.
How many of you did not bother to watch Pakistan's chase, knowing that traditionally we are bad chasers?
How many of you turned the TV off when Afridi fell in the 30th over, knowing that there was no more hope?
I bet the majority did.
But the beauty of Pakistan cricket is in the fact that we can notch up victories from situations that seem impossible and when there is no hope left.
Those kind of victories have become rare in recent times, but when they happen, it feels really damn good.
As it did last night when Razzaq produced a dazzler out of no where.
The emotions that Razzaq showed at the end shows what this victory means to him and to Pakistan.
And it is those emotions that keep Pakistan cricket fans like me, and many of you, waiting for the men in green to show the world the beauty of Pakistan cricket.
Hey Q,
Razzaq really showed why Pakistan cricket is special.It has produced some tremendous cricketer in the past and still keeps doing it.
Only if,the administration and some of the players were clean.
Good post.
Cheers man,
Mayank Jhaveri
http://freehit-cricketanalysis.blogspot.com/
Abdul Razzak is the back bone of Pakistan Cricket.Salute for Razzak.
I couldn't agree more, I am a big fan of his. Please check out my tribute to Razzaq at http://thecricketmusings.blogspot.com/2011/01/razzaq-six-of-best.html
SHAHID AFRIDI used a bat borrowed from Waqar Younis to score the fastest century in a One-Day International.Get latest update on cricket world cup on my blog