This was it. The biggest game of cricket played since the last time these India and Pakistan met in the final of an ICC event. That was 10 years ago at the 2007 World T20 when a young captain led India to the title. MS Dhoni’s rise to god-like status began with that win in South Africa a decade ago. He was thrust into the captaincy and thrived under the pressure and scrutiny.
In that time India have been the world No 1 side in all formats, have won a World Cup and a Champions Trophy. MS Dhoni has been replaced as the most popular cricketer in the side by Virat Kohli, but he is still a colossus who was the most marketable face in India for much of that time.
That World T20 win kickstarted his career and the Indian Premier League’s popularity. Since winning that title in South Africa against Pakistan at the 2007 World T20, Indian cricket has gone from strength to strength. No one questions their supremacy either on or off the field.
For Pakistan the opposite is true. While that loss to India was not a catalyst for decline. things have only got worse since then. In 2009 a dreadful terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore saw an end to international cricket in the country and while there have been one or two attempts to bring it back, not least the Pakistan Super League final this year, it hasn’t truly returned and probably won’t anytime soon.
In 2010 the spot-fixing scandal in England saw Pakistan lose their captain and two best bowlers to lengthy suspensions. There was talk at that point of the team being suspended from the international game. That didn’t happen, but it was pretty close to the nadir of Pakistani cricket.
Misbah-ul-Haq led a renaissance in Test cricket, but things have been pretty woeful in white-ball cricket since then. Going into the Champions Trophy they were the lowest ranked side in the tournament and there was legitimate concerns that they would not qualify automatically for the 2019 World Cup.
Not even an outside chance
No one gave them a chance to make it out of the group stage. Against India in their opening game of the tournament they weren’t absolutely abysmal – they were much, much worse than that. They bowled badly, batted worse and were comical in the field. They lost by 124 runs, but in truth the gap between the two teams was even larger than that. Pakistan were a laughing stock.
Going into that game the team spoke of their “unpredictability”. They weren’t unpredictable in that game – they were just really bad. It was all set for yet another embarrassing moment for a team that looked completely devoid of confidence and ideas.
Then, things changed. They beat South Africa in a rain-affected match and got a nervy win against Sri Lanka to get into the semi-final against hosts and favourites, England. Still no one gave them a chance. They had made a semi-final but had shown no real form in doing so.
England were undefeated in the tournament and fresh from smashing Pakistan in an ODI bilateral series in 2016. It would be an easy win for England. Everyone said so, even the most passionate Pakistan supporter.
Then, something remarkable happened. All the mistakes that were so replete in the performance against India were gone. They batted brilliantly, bowled better and the only smile that they fielding elicited was one of joy and admiration. There was the odd mistake in the field, of course, but it was an intense and professional performance.
India were the opponents in the final – the game that everyone wanted, especially the advertisers. Ridiculous sums were being asked for to air a 30-second advert during the game. Now, the chatter was about hoping that Pakistan at least put up a fight against India, a team they had never beaten in an ICC knockout game.
Pakistan lost the toss and were put in to bat. Wouldn’t it be great if they could at least make 275 to make a game of it? Even if they made over 300 the Indian batting line up is so strong, they will still chase that down, right?
Wrong. On all counts.
Unpredictably brilliant
Fakhar Zaman made a brilliant 114 that was a delight to behold. He should have gone when he had just three runs but he was caught off a no-ball from Jasprit Bumrah. From there he hooked and pulled his way to a maiden ODI ton that let up a brilliant total of 338/4. For once, Pakistan had been actually been unpredictably brilliant rather than predictably awful. Even Mohammad Hafeez went at better than a run a ball for goodness sake!
Three early wickets from Mohammad Amir, one of those bowlers that was at the centre of those 2010 spot-fixing crimes, broke India. Even when Azhar Ali dropped a sitter to put down Virat Kohli the Indian skipper was caught the next ball at point by Shadab Khan.
The similar concerns about Pakistan throwing away a winning position existed until 18-year-old Shadab begged his captain to review an unsuccessful LBW shout against Yuvraj Singh. The kid had it spot on. India were 54/4. The next over, MS Dhoni was caught in the deep on the leg side and it was 54/5. There was no coming back from that, even when you are playing against Pakistan.
They bowled India out for 158 to win by 180 runs – a team they had been destroyed by two weeks ago. There are bad sports movies with more improbable turnarounds than this one.
Pakistan have won an ODI trophy for the first time in 25 years and they did it against India. I watched every ball of it and I can’t quite believe that it happened.
This win is why sport is great. This is why we watch.