They were disgraced, underestimated, underrated, even rejected. International teams refused to visit them, international leagues didn’t pick them.
Their coach resigned, their chairman was replaced. They aren’t overly paid cricketers, they don’t come from elite backgrounds.
But when the biggest international t20 tournament began, they shocked the world by exhibiting their true potential. The extraordinary performance show they put on forced their critiques to change their opinion about Pakistan cricket.
Like a lion set free, they hunted team after team and made it to the top of points table. They were first to reach the knockout round. In semifinal, they lost the toss but entered the ground in high spirits. They played well and gave us an electrifying game. But they lost, unfortunately they did.
When they were winning match after match, they displayed the best sportsmanship. From backing racially-targeted Indian bowler to visiting Namibian dressing room, they remained humble and did everything to lift the spirit of opposing team.
Now that they have lost, which is part of the game as much as winning is, it is upon us to lift their morale high. The eleven we see on the ground are eleven stories, eleven struggles, eleven battles we don’t get to see.
Pakistan cricket team wicketkeeper and opener Mohammad Rizwan spent 2 days in hospital right before the semifinal. After the match, he has once again been admitted to hospital as he hasn’t recovered yet. Rizwan wanted to play the semi-final against Australia at all costs and we all know how well he performed.
Haris Rauf played tape ball cricket and worked as part time salesman in Rawalpindi for years to make it to international cricket. Asif Ali tirelessly fought the extreme poverty and made a place in the national cricket team after many years of pushing, not just a few.
Our skipper Babar Azam’s mother, his mother who spent her entire life’s savings to buy him his first cricket bat, was on ventilator on the very day of match against India. She remained hospitalized during the first three games but Babar didn’t let it slip in his performance.
Hasan Ali, who “dropped the trophy”, is the highest wicket-taker in international matches this year. In 2017 Champions Trophy, he was declared the best player of the tournament. He gave many outstanding performances for Pakistan and we can’t discredit all of his contribution over a single dropped catch.
Pakistan played great cricket with a young team and a novice captain and made it to the top four where it was the only Asian team. This tournament was very instructive for Babar Azam and this experience will be very useful when he enters the title race on Australian soil 11 months later. Until then, we should treat our cricket team for victors they are and love them as they should be.
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