Islamabad, Sep 25 (IANS) The Pakistani media Tuesday reacted with restraint to the loss to India in the final of the inaugural Twenty20 World Championships at Johannesburg, with one newspaper saying cricket was the winner and another lamenting: “What a heartbreak!”
There were analyses galore, with former Test captain Intikhab Alam decrying Misbahul Haq’s “stupid shot” in the last over that cost Pakistan the match, while Rashid Latif, another former skipper said the result shouldn’t have come as a surprise – but that there was still hope for the country.
This was in sharp contrast to the protests that erupted in cities like Karachi immediately after the match ended Monday night, with irate fans burning effigies of Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi to vent their ire at the loss.
“After a year that brought Pakistan cricket face to face with every controversy possible, Shoaib Malik’s young team came eyeball to eyeball with rivals India in a world cup final,” Dawn said in an article titled “Cricket is the winner”.
“That it was only Twenty20…mattered for nothing. What mattered was that Pakistan and India, the best-followed (cricket) nations in the world, had recovered from their Caribbean limbo dance,” it said.
The reference was to the inglorious exit of the two countries from the World Cup in the West Indies earlier this year when they failed to make it to the second round.
“Cricket in the two countries had never stooped lower but in Johannesburg it reached a height that nobody could have imagined,” Dawn said.
“When this form of cricket was conceived it seemed ideal for Pakistan’s mentality, particularly the batsmen who often play as if 20 overs are too long,” it added.
On the positive side, the newspaper said Pakistan’s bowlers had been the “stars” of the tournament.
“This harks back to Pakistan’s best era in world cricket when its bowlers were always capable of keeping the team in any match. The last few years have seen an unsettled bowling attack, unable to adhere to the basics of top-class bowling.
“With (new coach) Geoff Lawson’s arrival, the bowlers have rediscovered their radar and ensured Pakistan reached the final and created a winning position,” Dawn maintained.
“The target was straightforward in ideal batting conditions, and Pakistan must have thought the match was won at halftime. But India fought back with tight if unspectacular bowling and Pakistan’s batsmen lost the battle of minds,” it said.
“There is no shame in this defeat even though it might be at the hands of Pakistan’s biggest rivals. Malik and Lawson have revived Pakistan as a force in world cricket. It is an era begun with energy, passion, discipline and much excitement,” Dawn contended.
The News chose to carry only a match report headlined “What a heartbreak!”
Alam was unforgiving in his comments to Daily Times.
“Misbah put Pakistan almost close to victory but he played a reckless shot that helped India win. There were still three balls left and he should have played sensibly,” he contended.
“Pakistan made things difficult for themselves. Joginder Sharma was the weakest link. Misbah, who remained outstanding throughout the tournament, should have tackled him wisely,” Alam added.
He was of the opinion that Pakistan’s batting planning was very poor and that led to their defeat.
“I think Shahid Afridi should have opened the innings along with Imran Nazir. But the captain and coach sent Mohammad Hafeez instead. And Pakistan paid the price,” Alam pointed out.
According to Latif, “losing the final by a whisker shouldn’t come as much of a surprise”.
At the same time, there was hope as this country was “where the format of the game first emerged…and rare is the Pakistan player who hasn’t been playing such matches for years”.
In this context, he noted that till the late 1980s a Super Cup tournament held during Ramadan attracted the country’s top players like Sikandar Bakht, Mansoor Akhtar, Mohsin Khan, Saeed Anwar, Moin Khan “and myself”.
“This tournament and others like it have been instrumental in scouting players for Pakistan,” Latif wrote.
Dashing opener Saeed Anwar was also a product of the Super Cup and even now, current players like Younis, Shahid Afridi, Misbahul Haq and Naved Latif play in such tournaments “if they are free from other commitments”.
“This is the main reason why Pakistan have done so well and, importantly, why they have looked so comfortable in the format. That flair and unpredictability has been missing from Pakistan. Instead, they have been efficient and clinical, because they know exactly what they are doing,” Latif contended.