For Now It Is Time To Celebrate

At 74 for no loss, I was planning a celebration. Having dismissed Sri Lanka for 236, Pakistan was only 163 runs away from victory with all ten wickets in hand and over 38 overs to play. 14 overs later Pakistan stood at hopeless 137 for 6 with only Sarfaraz among the recognized batsmen left.
With disgust I called it a day. For me the match was over. Pakistan’s clueless, listless and hopeless middle order had crumbled yet again to set a stage for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
All my interest in the match was lost, and I turned my mind to the matters related to the country’s Panamised political scenario. There was not much there except for the fervent tributes of the ruling party’s programmed spokespersons to the magnanimous commitment of their leader and Pakistan’s Prime Minister to the highest traditions of democratic behaviour.
“Witness be thou O the skies of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif has acted in the footsteps of Hazrat Umar by offering to appear before the JIT, while he had the option to exercise immunity”, thundered an overcharged and overheated Talal Chaudhry.
Sharp anger rose in me and I had to exercise all my will power to fight down my desire to get transformed into a ‘flying punch’ and find the chin of the political hoodlum who had insulted the sensibilities of all Muslims by comparing a proven thug and thief with one of the most illustrious and inspiring personalities of Islam.
At around 10:30 pm, the TV screen flashed with an incredible news that Pakistan had thrown Sri Lanka out of the competition by registering an emphatic 3-wicket victory.
It was yet another proof of cricket being a game of glorious uncertainties.
Pakistan’s captain Sarfaraz whose will and nerves and luck had powered the victory was quick to express his own surprise: “I can’t believe we have won”.
Let us not forget here the heroic resolve of Mohammad Amir whose never-die spirit played a huge role in the incredible victory.
What about the glorious contribution of the debutant Fakhar Zaman, whose ‘charge’ had placed Pakistan in a position that there was no pressure of ‘overs running out’ on either Sarfaraz or Amir, in the final stages.
We can talk about the bad moments later. For now it is time to celebrate.
Well done Team Pakistan!