Pakistan’s recent victories in the T20 and ODI matches have made sceptics believe in the team again. While fighting to grasp their surprising victory, the team was able to put up a great show and make fans everywhere fall in love with this game all over again!
Here is a review of the two delightful matches in which our team made us proud and finally gave us a reason to celebrate.
Twenty20 international against South Africa
With hearts beating fast and hands held up in prayers, Pakistani cricket fans hoped that the cricket team would win the second T20 against South Africa in Cape Town. We had to endure six matches to see Pakistan finally win, and what a superb win that was.
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Pakistan's players celebrate the wicket of South Africa's Quinton de Kock during the second T20 International Cricket Match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Sahara Park Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on November 22, 2013. Photo: AFP[/caption]
After winning the toss, Mohammad Hafeez decided to bat, which was the first sensible thing he decided to do in a while. Things didn’t quite start as well as we had hoped for Pakistan, since they lost Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad in two early wickets. The third one in line was Hafeez, who has been completely out of form this year and, everybody thought that he would get out after making a few odd runs here and there.
Much to our surprise though, Hafeez did not give up that easily.
He played a captain’s knock of 63 runs, found the best partner in Umar Akmal, who made 64 from 37 balls and their partnership rounded up 102 runs from just 53 balls!
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Pakistan's Umar Akmal (L) and Mohammad Hafeez celebrate their 100 runs during the second T20 International Cricket Match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Sahara Park Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on November 22, 2013. Photo: AFP[/caption]
Both Hafeez and Akmal thrashed the Proteas bowlers, hitting them with consecutive boundaries. Hafeez, once again was bowled out by Dale Steyn, but this time Steyn just smiled gratefully because Hafeez had already done enough damage.
Shahid Afridi was sent in place of Sohaib Maqsood to finish the match with a boom, which he was unable to do. Afridi only made 13 runs from 14 balls. Pakistan’s total went up to 176, thanks to impressive half-centuries by the captain and Akmal.
During this match, Akmal reached 1,000 runs and became the second Pakistani to do so, after Hafeez. Akmal became the youngest player, at the age of 23, to achieve this feat beating David Warner’s record of 1,000 runs at the age of 25.
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Pakistan's Umar Akmal celebrates after scoring 50 runs during the second T20 International Cricket Match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Sahara Park Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on November 22, 2013. Photo: AFP[/caption]
Pakistan could have easily restricted South Africa, considering they have the best bowling attack in the world with Ajmal, Umar Gul and Afridi, the top T20 wicket-takers. South Africa started well, with Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla putting up a partnership of more than 50 runs, but Afridi managed to take three wickets in his first three overs. Ajmal took Amla’s wicket. Bilawal Bhatti, who bowled extremely well, is a good pick for Pakistan. He bowled yorkers, bouncers and had a good average of 4.05, but proved to be a tad unlucky when it came to taking wickets.
Junaid Khan was thrashed by JP Duminy, who took 19 runs in the second last over, leaving South Africa with 17 runs in the last over to win the match. Sohail Tanvir went in next. Knowing Tanvir’s record with bad averages, everybody thought that the match was over but he came out as a hero after bowling yorkers, giving four runs from the first five balls and a four from the last ball. As a result, Pakistan won by six runs, thus levelling the series by 1-1.
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Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir bowls during the second T20 International Cricket Match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Sahara Park Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on November 22, 2013. Photo: AFP[/caption]
It was a much deserved victory for Pakistan, as it ended their dreadful six match losing streak. Needless to say, this victory was unexpected for everyone, seeing the teams past record.
One-Day International (ODI) at Cape Town
Pakistan’s batting once again failed and they were 131/7. It looked as if they would not be able to get past 150 runs but who knew that debutants Anwar Ali and Bilawal Bhatti had something special up their sleeves. The dangerous Steyn and Morne Morkel managed to get three wickets each. Jacques Kallis, who returned to the ODIs after one and a half year, took two important wickets of Shehzad and Maqsood.
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Pakistan's Bilawal Bhatti (2nd L) celebrates the win with teammates during the first One day International (ODI) Cricket Match between Pakistan and South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on November 24, 2013. Photo: AFP[/caption]
Only two players snatched our victory from the jaws of defeat and they were both debutants. The two all-rounder players put up a partnership of 74 runs for eight wickets, taking Pakistan to 218/9 in 50 overs.
Finally, after five ODIs, Pakistan was able to bat all 50 overs.
Anwar Ali made a swashbuckling 43 runs, hitting six fours and remained unbeaten at the end of the innings. Bhatti made 39 valuable runs, hitting three fours and two sixes. But their work didn’t end there.
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Pakistan's Anwar Ali (R) celebrates after dismissing South Africa's David Miller during the first One Day International cricket match against South Africa in Cape Town, November 24, 2013. Photo: Reuters[/caption]
South Africa was in trouble from the very start with Junaid Khan taking the first wicket of Amla at the score of 12. Wickets kept falling at the right time for Pakistan and our dangerous pacemen and spinners didn’t let any batsmen settle. Pakistan’s meagre total looked more than enough as only Kallis and Duminy looked threatening. But that was also taken care of as Anwar removed both, Kallis and Miller. Ajmal also got two wickets and Bhatti took three. Bhatti finished the Proteas’ innings with a perfect yorker and took the last wicket of Morkel to seal the memorable win for the tourists.
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Pakistan's Anwar Ali (3rd L) celebrates with team-mates after dismissing South Africa's David Miller during the first One Day International cricket match against South Africa in Cape Town, November 24, 2013. Photo: Reuters[/caption]
Pakistan’s debutants shone in our 23 runs victory. They sent a strong message to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they need to employ more youngsters in the team to beat the powerful cricket teams of the world.
These two win’s were worthy of being noticed; after all, when our losses are highlighted so sensationally, it is only fair that our wins are highlighted as well.
All the best, team green!