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Pakistan cricket has been known for its unpredictability both on and off the field. Even before the T20 world cup started, there was plenty of drama. The CEO resigned from the job, coaches left the job, new coaches were appointed, and then, of course, there was the squad selection which had a mix of opinions.
The Tables have Turned
However, things have taken a turn and now almost every Pakistani fan sitting in any corner of the world is satisfied with both the team, its performance, and its management. Let’s see why?
The Winning Streak
On 24th October, Pakistan defeated its arch-rivals for the first time in a T20 world cup. The shaheens totally outplayed them in every single department and bagged a 10 wicket win. People singing mauka mauka, friendly interaction between players from both sides of the border, Shoaib Akhtar’s video message to Harbhajan Singh, and a thousand memes were the highlights of the match.
Next up, on 26th October, the boys in green came face to face with the Kiwis who abandoned the tour of Pakistan at the last moment. The Pakistan cricket team didn’t spare them either and beat them too. Pakistani players using the words “safe” in their tweets for light banter, fans chanting “security, security” in the crowd, plus people using their humor to put a twist on the situation and relate to the team New Zealand left were the highlights of the match.
On 29th October, Pakistan won a thriller against Afghanistan. Asif Ali, the man who helped finish the game against NZ also proved instrumental against the men in blue. His four sixes in a row made Shaheen cross the line and solidified their place in the semis. Babar’s 50, Asif’s fiery performance, Shahid Afridi’s presence in the crowd were the highlights of the match.
In a nutshell, things have panned out great for both Pakistan cricket team and it’s individual players. The team won from two of the strongest teams in the group, it was also only the second time that boys in green started their T20 world cup journey with two wins. The third win has them not far away from the semis and now they don’t have to worry about who loses or wins because they aren’t dependent on anyone. Now Pakistan cricket has become the hot favorites and the team to be feared.
Players Excelling with Each Match
The performances also turned out pretty good for individual players. Haris Rauf went from 57th to 17th and Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed 12th position after staying at 23 for a significant time. The captain Babar has just become the number 2 ranked batsman in T20 and his partner Mohammad Rizwan has surpassed Kolhi to become number 4. The skipper of Pakistan cricket has also become the fastest captain to reach 1000 runs leaving behind the skipper of Indian cricket.
To add to the list, Shadab Khan has been bowling some great spells, Haris Rauf is no longer the run machine, and last but not least, Pakistan has found a finisher in Asif Ali. He was criticized heavily for his selection but now everyone is singing his praises.
Twitter Fights, on Screen Fights and Jealousies
However, last week also witnessed some unpleasant moments.
Mohammad Amir and Harbajan Singh fighting on Twitter wasn’t the interaction anyone wanted, especially after we saw great moments between the Pakistani and Indian players.
Coming after that, the host of PTV sports, Dr. Nauman misbehaving with the former speedster, Shoaib Akhtar had a lot of people fuming. His hosting rights were later taken away from him after the investigation.
Younis Khan and Tanvir Ahmed not being glad of Asif Ali thanking Misbah ul Haq for his support in a press conference wasn’t well-received by the public.
Current Team being a Breath of Fresh Air
With all sorts of disputes going on, the enthusiasts are extremely thankful for the bond between the current team. The presence of respect, admiration, healthy banter, and competition is something everyone approves of.
There’s this happiness and joy that all Pakistanis are feeling at this moment. The contentment just keeps multiplying after each win. Many say that they haven’t felt this great since the Champions trophy 2017 final. To describe this week, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that there have been a lot of glories and a few controversies.
