Cricket: Did Pakistan win finals by-chance? By default?

It was a historic win against India for Pakistan in Bangladesh. In a dramatic move, Pakistan beat India by 25 runs on 14 June in tri-series final as Pakistan batsmen Salman Butt and Younus Khan cracked centuries to help Pakistan post a challenging 315-3 in the triangular one-day series final against India in the match in the final tie of the Kitply Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Bangladesh. Pakistan, thrashed by India by a record 140 runs earlier in the tournament, however, raised their batting performance when it mattered most as both Younus and Butt put the attack to the sword during a 205-run stand for the second wicket.

Left-handed opener Butt scored 129 before retiring hurt and Younus hit 108 in a magnificent display of strokemaking on a flat track after their team had elected to bat in the day-night match. Younus, who failed to open his account in the previous two games, made amends in the big match, dominating the Indian attack with bold shots on both sides of the wicket. He was instrumental in stepping up the run-rate after Pakistan managed just 75 in the opening 20 overs. Younis too soon notched up his fourth ODI century, which came off 92 balls.

The openers were sluggish but gave a confident start with under fire Kamran Akmal took the charge initially. But when Irfan Pathan, called up by skipper Dhoni in the eight over in the place of Ishant, who hardly found his rhythm for bowling, justified captain's belief having Akmal there was relief in Indian camp of making progress in the finals. Unpredictable Pakistan , alas, roared in style as they piled up a gigantic 315 for three after having a dismal start.

Boys form Islamabad won both the finals match and the series, while Salman Butt is the Man of the Series and Younis Khan is the Man of the Match. The Pakistanis were the better side on the day and they edged out India in what was a fabulous game of cricket. The bowlers stuck to the plan all the time and the fact that the Pakistanis picked up wickets at regular intervals (at crucial stages) always kept them ahead in the hunt.

Indian bowlers, who were pretty disciplined earlier two matches broke down mentally. An upbeat Salman then gradually went on to complete his seventh century. A century against archrivals India is always feelings like sweet dream and the dream came true for both the batsmen. Salman Butt took the pride first. Younis took the same pride after just three overs pushing Ishant to fine-leg. His fourth century came in a more devastating way. He played a 99 ball-108 runs knock clattering eight fours and three huge sixes.

Salman seemed more confident after grabbing his century as he struck a six immediate after the century. After surviving from the catch, Salman Butt picked the pace and seemed to build a solid platform alongside Younis Khan. The duo reminded the 90's brand cricket when the side saw the first 20 overs before going onslaught. It was the same Pakistan side who dominated India at the same style in the last decade. Misbah-ul Haq and Butt started the boundary and over boundary galore in the stadium which brought up for the crazy Pakistani fans to a musical moment.

The duo however could not break Zaheer Abbbas and Mohsin Khan's record against India in 1982 for the second wicket but equaled the record after sharing 205 runs.

Salman Butt suddenly cramped his leg shin at that moment and forced to retire hurt when he was 129. On the way to his 136 balls knock the prominent opener smacked a dozen of boundaries and three sixes. Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik then pushed the innings to 315, their highest against India in Dhaka and a remarkable an memorable in recent cricket history of Pakistan after the hey days of Imran Khan and gave the bowlers a nice platform to match their bating spree.

A Word

Yes, the most unexpected of now and , perhaps , almost a miraculous thing has happened in Dhaka on Saturday, when India, pretty sure of clinching the finals and the series, lost to Pakistan, even though Pakistan did falter towards the end of its bating.

Shoaib Malik's prayer to win the toss came to a success as a sluggish wicket got turn later. Many Indians expected that the Indians were the more deserving of the two sides to win this Tri-nation series but the performance on the big stage counts the most. The Pakistani fans had much occasions to cheer up repeatedly though the scenario in the first 20 overs was not in their favor.

The outcome of the final match was PAK: 315/3 in 50 overs IND: 290/10 in 48.2 overs. This Pakistan's total 315 was always chaseable but the Indians just couldn't make it, in spite of the fact that Pakistan did offer a truly a pressure cooker situation at the end. Indian commentators asked Shoaib Malik to state that a win against India is always special and when it comes in a Final, nothing gets better than this.

Even then the chronic weakness of Pakistani players got exposed when they could not score well for the last 5 overs; In fact its anticipated as they crossed 300 mark that they would reach 330 plus every easily, but they could not go beyond 315.

Pakistan plundered 90 runs in the last 10 overs after Butt and Younus set the stage for the final onslaught. Pakistan played too slow and got only a few runs. As usual, towards the end of the match the Pakistani boys let only chances decide the fate of the game or, as if they lose self confidence and leave the matter to God.

There could be a few strong points or reasons for the thrilling end: Pakistan won the toss; Pakistan  elected to bat first in stead of fielding  in order to "chase" the target set by India: Pakistan would snot have chosen the target  if it had set 300 plus runs ; Pakistani batsmen wee in "form" and they bowled reasonably well. Then, the cricket mafia did not support India for a change; Bets. Those who betted on India have lost billions of dollars and those who chose Pakistan just for the fun of it have got paid handsomely, perhaps more than the cricketers would get. 

Indian media blamed complacence of Indian crackers for the rout. More than Pakistan, India faltered early in their chase and eventually folded for 290 in 48.2 overs, and, as an India electronic cries out,  "failed to climb the run-mountain as Pakistan shoved a 25-run defeat down India's throat to lift the cricket tri-series title" and " despite dominating the tournament with characteristic ruthlessness, the Indians failed when it mattered most and choked in the final to allow an under-pressure Pakistan avenge their league match defeat and run away with the silverware". Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (40 off 33 balls) in red hot form so far, could not quench the Indian thirst.

Pakistan would not have won if they opted for fielding or they lost the toss, in that case Indian would certainly have chosen to bat first. Indian media had no doubts that India would clinch the finals and had seemingly prepared the headlines accordingly to blast the news as :India thrash Pakistan" or Indian cricket glory onward march" Pakistan ends pathetically" or something like, but when match was turning to welcome Pakistani players, it looked to them as if after all costly advertisements for a Hindi masaala movie starring Aamir Khan for which crores of rupees have been spent , the cassette release was done in a full fanfare show spending more crores of ruppes, the screen shows Aitabh Bachhan in the lead cast. That was the kind of rude shock the Indian spectators and media felt watching the end of the match. Poor guys!

The Pakistani boys were the better unit this time, they bowled and fielded with a lot more discipline than their neighbors and as a result, they emerged champions in yet another final against India. Pakistan win by 25 runs and with this win, they win the Tri-Nation series.

But Musharraf has yet another short in arms that his boys have dome a marvelous job in Bangladesh defeating India that has just defeated the cricket world champions the Aussies in their now turf Australia and recently practice training with the help of leading cricketers drawn form the cricket world.

After all the excitement, elation and euphoria, the titillating and sensational IPL matches brought, India is shattered! Indian electronic media particularly relaying the latest scores on Tri-series were literally in tears that Pakistan was winning even before Indian stated its bating, making the listeners go on crying even louder. Why Indians are made to do that by the Indian media in sports. After all it is not a cross-border-war between Indian and Pakistan?

Media Threat

As a key strategy, Indian journalists and others quickly switch over to Pakistani scene when confronted with extremely uncomfortable questions about Indian genocide and brutality against Muslims in India and Kashmir. Many Indians simply say in Pakistan Muslims are no better or, there things are not very good either, or in Arab world Muslims are very bad guys, etc., but they never try to reason why Hindus are so arrogant, their media so irresponsible and governments so snit-Muslims. They think by being cunning they could divert the public attention from crucial anti-Islamic issue. Indians consider the defeat in Bangladesh at the hands of Pakistani tigers is historic and the result shame cannot be easily erased by Hindus who breathe anti-Islamic air. For other normal Hindus it does not matter at all, after all in games Indian cannot win all matches and  tournaments every where all the time. After all It is not Indian Muslims or Kashmiris the Indian teams face in sports ground.