Shaheen Afridi

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A 10-wicket win over India… a 10-wicket win, remember. A comprehensive win you ought to remember.

A triumph like no other! Let that sink in.

Hearts have sunk; meanwhile, on the other side of the border, they have melted with uncontrollable happiness. Smiles have vanished from the face of the Indians while they have lit up high voltage bulbs sufficient to light up Karachi and Lahore and even Peshawar, given sheer power output on the face of the Pakistanis.

Anything more?

Can we, please end the shenanigans and accept facts?

Pakistan entered their campaign opener against India on the back-foot. Were not even given proper consideration for putting up a strong fight to their neighbors.

Reason? Unlike double-faced people or schemers, the stats don’t lie.

Never before October 24, 2021 had Pakistan beaten India in a T20 world cup. That’s precisely when it all changed.

How?

The old wounds, think the 2016 loss in India, the finals of 2007 world cup had stayed on, even as Pakistan had the option of letting go of the hurt.

So was that the added impetus the sub-continental cricketing force needed to topple a team standing on significantly stronger footing?

Moreover, was the fact that India were and perhaps always are Pakistan’s ‘enemies’ the booster shot that Pakistan needed to immunize themselves against the virus called India’s positivity and stronger track record?

Any answer will do.

That’s because we all have our take. Except, we don’t. Not the most plausible ones, at least.

Pakistan won the highly anticipated and widely followed T20I against India more down to the fact that they handled themselves emotionally better than down to anything else.

The one who tackles pressure better usually wins. For once you are in emotional self control, your craft can do it for you.

It’s like once you have rested well, your mind is geared up better to embrace the rigor that the body ultimately performs.

It all then seems in perfect harmony.

It’s that simple. Not hard to understand. Pakistan, besides bowling well, accumulating dot balls, scoring fine runs, fluently even much to the despise of us Indian fans, handled themselves well.

The fact that they didn’t let the high pressure situation get to them and hamper their cricket, determined the fate of the match.

We must remember cricket, no matter what blazing advertisements, self vested interests and whimsical flights of imagination may suggest, is still a basic contest that warrants one to tick the right boxes.

Defending champions West Indies failed to tick any against England in their WC campaign opener and failed horribly so.

Last evening, India succeeded at getting some right. You could say, the running between the wickets. And, the rotation of the strike, what else?

Captain standing tall.

Nothing beyond. Even some doubtful umpiring calls couldn’t help India evade the fate.

But all of this, all the painstaking and yet, beautiful effort behind definitive fifties from the bats of Rizwan and Babar had a tale.

Not a point to prove, necessarily speaking.

Revenge, or setting the record straight, or seeking vengeance all seem to be strong emotional undercurrents that fuel the desire to succeed.

But often, staying true to one’s cricket, hence, basic craft, instead of ‘feelings’ that are nothing more than emoticons on your hand-held gadget, defines the nature of a contest.

India were always far too pepped as per the normal media depiction. You know, the big guys. The kings. The winners, even before a ball was bowled. How nice.

Now what?

Who’s had the last laugh? It’s that man called Babar who doesn’t think of himself as a king, one who conducts himself as also his team minus shenanigans. The leader of a team that was cornered, avoided by some international teams, welcomed by the West Indies and one that has now rubbed shoulders with a great opponent, one it has come to beat successfully – applying passion over aggression.

Never losing the smile or the willingness to compete honestly.

Kudos to Pakistan, come back strong India.