Pakistan Win the T20 World Cup
News, Pakistan, World Twenty20 | June 21, 2009 at 1:11 pmPakistan have won the second edition of the ICC World T20 by beating Sri Lanka in a rather lop-sided finals at the Mecca of cricket, Lord’s.
No body expected Pakistan to let alone reach the semis leave alone the finals and the thought of winning the cup. But only, the situation is telling a different tale in Lord’s at the moment. Batting first, after Sangakkara won the toss, Pakistan managed to restrict Lankan lions for 138/6 in twenty overs.
Sri Lanka batted first and got to 138/6 in their twenty overs after having had a bad start, but were upstaged by an excellent inning by Shahid Afridi, who smashed an unbeaten 54 runs off 40 deliveries, while Shoaib Malik amply supported him with 24 runs. Afridi’s 1/20 and the half century won him the Man-of-the-match award.
Sri Lanka needed early wickets to get better of the Pakistanis, but Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan did their best to ward off the challenge. The first wicket added 48 in seven overs, before Jayasuriya got rid of Akmal, while Hasan left soon after at 63 in the tenth over.
However, it was all one-way traffic due to some really surprising cricket from Afridi, who looked rather matured with his batting in the middle.
It must be remembered that Pakistan had lost the finals of the last ICC World T20 tournament to India, and has come back well to win it for their country.
Pakistan Winning Moments right from Lord’s:
Pakistan deservingly win the WC after the heartbreak two years back against India. It was left to the boom boom man Afridi who once again came out trumps with a magnificent all-round display. You can imagine the joy it would have brought back home in the strife torn country. Everyone would be going mad with joy and delirium forgetting their troubles for a couple of hours atleast. It was a fitting end to a fabulous tournament on a sun drenched day at Lord’s, Pakistan are the Lord’s of T20 Cricket at the Mecca of Cricket. |
| It was the perfect script anyone could write after all that went on three months back, Pak v SL in the WC final and fittingly it was Pakistan who thrilled everyone with their brave display. One should feel for SL though, they won 6 matches on the trot in this WC and could not deliver the knock-out blow. Still it was a gutsy effort from the Islanders when defending a below par target. |
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Younis Khan: It was fantastic, we are underdogs and there was less pressure. All credit goes to the team and the nation. Before the tournament we had match winners like Akmal, Afridi and myself, also Misbah, at that time I was not sure with the combination, then Razzaq came on and also Shahzaib, suddenly we have the momentum going. Team like us we need a good start, and suddenly we turned it on. On asked about a lot of planning from Pak today, that’s why I dont have a lot of hair. Sometimes you do silly things and sometimes brave things, if we restrict them to 140 or 150 it was chaseable. Afridi knows he is a match winner and the last two innings he was fantastic. I was always talking to him. Wherever I go in Pakistan or if I’m travelling everyone says please took the captaincy, I dont think I’m a good captain, but sometimes I’m very brave and I think the captain should be brave. At the moment now I will be a happy man. Whenever I finish my career, this is the achievement. After Imran Khan we have not won a major event like the WC. This is the gift from us to the nation and for a nation like us we need it, it is the right time and it will be very cheerful for all people. |
Sangakkara: Very proud of my team, cant ask for a better team to play with or lead. I think we are going to build a really good team going forward from here. We failed to assess the conditions, it is really tough for a bowling unit to keep on defending totals right through the tournament when we could have scored 20 more. But you take what you get and we will learn from this, grow stronger and come back next year. Ours is the best bowling unit in the World at the moment and we look forward to more battles with Pakistan in the future. Toughen ourselves both physically and mentally. In the formative years they slip through the cracks of formal coaching, they play a lot of tennis ball and beach cricket(on asked how a small island like SL produce such unorthodox cricketers). They develop something unique and luckily that is their own. We have got a lot of talent hunting coaches who have gone around and brought them in allowing their uniqueness to flourish. |
Dilshan: I played good cricket last 3 weeks, unfortunately did not click today. I normally play the pull shot well, but never expected the short stuff in the first over. Shot selection is a little bit wrong and that went wrong. About the Dilscoop, first tried the paddle and then thought it is a good shot to introduce in the T20 format. Then practised it in the bowling machine, I have confidence in playing that shot. Really a good feeling to play with Sanath in the top order. |
Afridi: I want to congratulate all my nation and my team. My ankle is fine, I dont feel anything after this victory. Younis gives me good confidence, I wanted to bat at number three and he said go and play your game and dont worry about any single thing. The guys motivate themselves. T20 is all about enjoyment and entertainment. For the last 2-3 years I’m really bowling well. |
Tillakaratne Dilshan is the Man of the Series. He is also the leading run-getter of the tournament with 317 runs. |
Shahid Afridi is the Man of the Match for his all-round performance. |
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This is like a dream come tru.. Congrats to Pakistan Cricket team and all lovers of pakistan cricket ..
Pakistan Cricket Team has made us proud today…
Pakistan showed they can overcome any difficult situation, we may not have had the best start in the tournament, but we came through as the best team, beating those that were undefeated. Well done to all the team, much deserved…Im really happy.
Congratulations to each and every Pakistani for an unexpected victory.
Pakistan Zindabad!!! Great Win by a Great Team. After Imran Khan, Younis Khan gave us another wonderful gift…thanks!!!
Congrats to all Pakistani’s on this great Win !!!
Great job Pakistan second time is the charm congrats to every Pakistani and Cricket lover.
Congrats Pakistan, you have done wonders. Long Live Pakistan
[...] Sri Lanka batted first and got to 138/6 in their twenty overs after having had a bad start, but were upstaged by an excellent inniRead more at http://www.cricfever.com/pakistan-win-the-t20-world-cup/ [...]
HAMARA PAKISTAN JEET HI GAYA. ALLALHA NE SABKI MURAD PURI KAR DI.
Pakistan played very well. India was out of game before semis. We can only be satisfied that one of the Asian country won this title again.
Shahid Afridi played exceptionally well. I love Afridi.
Well, Great Achievement by Pakistan.
Khuda Hafiz
It was an awesome match. Pakistan was unbelievable. They won against Sri Lanka by 8 wickets. They became World Twenty20 champions. Shahid Afridi was brilliant and was given the award for Man of the Match. Dilshan was awarded with Man of the Series.
Im a pakistani
and i prayed that pakistan will win n my dream came true Its great achievement for pakistan
AFRIDI IS EVRY 1 FAVOURITE PLAYER
Thankyou