Pakistan’s unpredictable cricket team
The tag of unpredictability has been a hallmark of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 cricket. Pakistan has always been an unpredictable side. You never know what you are going to get from them. They are down and out, everybody feels they are gone, they comeback and really surprise
the opposition and the cricketing fraternity.
The only World Cup victory for Pakistan, in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in 1992, was a clear case of Pakistan playing unpredictably. Pakistan lost all of their first 3 league matches. A rain affected match against England earned them a single point in 4 matches. Everybody
ruled them out of the World Cup. The news papers in Australia, made headlines that Pakistan is going back to home.
Imran Khan came into the dressing room and said, “Don’t worry boys we are not out of this competition. It was just a lean patch for us in the tournament. We can still win this World Cup. We will win this world cup. All I need is, fight like tigers”.
Pakistan went on to win there next four matches. There last league match was against the Kiwis. Kiwis played all their matches at home and were a tough side to beat. They didn’t even lose a single game. Pakistan beat them convincingly, and reached the semi
finals.
It was again a face off against New Zealand in the semi final. Chasing a target of 262 against all the odds, they did beat http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754. Inzamam, out of nowhere stamped his authority in international cricket, scoring a 37 ball 60.
The final was looking good for Pakistan before it started. Most of them still ruled out Pakistan. A target of 250 runs looked easy for England. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292 spoiled there party, both with the bat and the ball. He made a quick fire 33 of 18 balls, and a match
winning spell of 3/49 that changed the game in Pakistan’s favour. They did it against all the odds.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup triumph carried the same legacy. First losing to England and then beating Holland made them reach the super 6 round on a healthy run rate basis. It was an embarrassing loss against Sri Lanka that put doubts on Pakistan reaching the
semi finals. Pakistan again beat New Zealand convincingly. Umar Gul took a world record performance of 5/6 as New Zealand was bowled out for 99.
Pakistan beat South Africa, the favourites to win the World Cup, in the semi finals. Shahid Afridi scored a 50 and took 2 wickets to seal the match. Nobody expected them to beat http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, but they did.
Pakistan beat http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in the final convincingly. A five ball duck to the tournaments highest run getter, Dilshan was the highlight of the match, courtesy Mohammad Amir. A target of 139 was never challenging. Pakistan eased their way to 139, a brilliant
54 not out by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 led the chase.
The current England series is no different for Pakistan. They were 2-0 down in the 5 match ODI series. Everybody thought that England is going to clinch the series at the Oval. Pakistani cricket team bounced back from nowhere and went on to make it a 2-2.
This is the Pakistan team. Nobody thought of them winning the next 2 matches, but they did by some brilliant individual and team performances.
Umar Gul, out of nowhere pulled off a sensational victory at the Oval, in the 3rd ODI. It was looking good for England. In the chase of 242, they were 201/5. Umar Gul reversed it big time, as England crumble to 218/10. They lost 5/17.
English team, looking to seal the series at Lord’s in the fourth ODI. Pakistan crawled to the score of 223/7 in 48 over. It was all looking good of England. A late assault led by Abdul Razzak of 42 runs in the last two over completely changed the complexion
of the match. A score which was looking like 235 was made 265 in the end. England chasing it down started off with a bang. An opening stand of 113 in 20 overs was broken by Saeed Ajmal’s off spinner. It was looking nice for them, but again Umar Gul and Shoaib
Akhtar stole the show. England lost their last five wickets for just 30 runs. Pakistan went on to win the match, and square the series.
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