The Rousing Jazba

Hammad Shakil

Everything had gone horribly wrong. It was supposed to. I mean, seriously? What were you looking for? After all, you expect all but an upsetting contest when a misplaced group of misfits is made to stand and hover against a squad of arguably the richest cricketers in the world, monetarily as surely well as statistically. The fury and the folly had transformed solely into the latter, the promised son, the potential captain touted by some had gone for plenty. Not for plenty. He made a land his own where no one ever had set foot before. A land the only problem with which is that there is no sign of life around 10.03 kms of its radius, you see what I did there? June 04, 2017; Pakistan had been bundled out for 164 in pursuit of DLS set 289 off 41 overs by India. Pakistan were taken to the cleaners in the last 4 overs of India innings. Indian batsmen didn’t just hit Pakistan bowlers out of the park that day, with every shot did they register and reserve an advance seat for the Pakistan squad to return home. And Pakistan appeared to have kindly accepted the offer, falling in clusters perhaps keeping in mind the packing to go back home. But 3 days later, something did change…

…and Pakistan seemed to have found some new zeal, a new jazba, and that came at the expense of their once laadla (most favoured) and prodigal child’s omission from the CT17 after bowing down to an ankle injury amidst his game-changing, for wrong reasons of course, spell vs India. He was replaced by a person who was averaging 42 with the ball in Tests since the start of 2014, and 66 in ODIs at an economy of 6.6, who nowhere was close to the bowler bamboozling the massive Indian line-up in 2012-13.

In Junaid Khan, Pakistan found their much needed renaissance which though on that particular day, seemed just a fluke, much like the one in WC 2015. Pakistan bowlers hurled everything they had in their armours on South Africa, skittling through every shred of gale at Edgbaston, closing the SA innings at a mere 219/8. Hasan Ali happened of course, to replicate – albeit to much lesser class and context, he might agree too – Wasim Akram’s 2-in-2 in WC 92 final, to dismiss JP Duminy and Wayne Parnell off successive deliveries, swirling the curtains hugely in Pakistan’s favour. Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan produced arguably the finest death bowling of the tournament. The job was still unfinished. You never know with Pakistan which Pakistan would turn up on a particular day. Fakhar Zaman, roped in in place of Ahmed Shehzad, conveniently continued from where Sharjeel Khan had left.      

June 12, 2017; Sri Lanka are cruising at 161 for 3, or at least they think they are. Junaid Khan and Mohammad Amir enter the class, take the test and the equation simply detroys to 167 for 7. Junaid Khan finishes with his most economical 10-over spell since 2011, first 3-for since 2013 and most maidens ever. Lakmal and co. hit their way to reach a below par 236, but there is never a below par target with Pakistan, is there? Fakhar Zaman provides Pakistan with the second fastest 50 by any Pakistan batsman in CT history ever, and the fastest by any non-Sharjeel opener since 2007. Pakistan are well on course to chase the target at 74/0, and later 92/1. Come on it’s a Pakistan chase. You can’t do it that easy. That’s very un-Pakistani thing to have. After a little while, the un-Pakistan hangover seems to have vanished and Pakistan find themselves at 162/7 with 75 more to get a ticket to semi-finals.

Sarfraz Ahmad, the captain. Mohammad Amir, well he really needs no word to describe him. The chase continues. Mohammad Amir shows you can bat on this pitch if you’re stable enough. Meanwhile, Sarfraz rides his luck. He literally offers a chance to Thisara Perera on a golden plate only for Perera to throw up on the plate. Mohammad Amir continues to stand his ground. Sarfraz survives another chance – albeit a much more difficult one – and slowly steers Pakistan towards the target. Most possibly playing his last major event, Lasith Malinga goes all in and sees those Sarfraz’s catches go down off his bowling. Sri Lanka didn’t just drop those chances. They dug a well. No, they dug a six-feet-under hole in the ground and buried all their chances inside it with deepest of cares.

Pakistan go through. Pakistan are about to play their 4^th semi-final in the history of CT. They never win it. They never go beyond the semis. This time was just a fluke they even qualified for the CT. No way they can outthink, let alone outbat, outbowl or outfield the resurgent England under Eoin Morgan who are known for posting beyond 300 runs in each game for fun really, just toiling and playing with the bowlers. Pakistan win the toss. Okay. Good. Bat first pls, post a few runs, 550 maybe? Give yourselves a chance. No. They bowl first with an attack minus Mohammad Amir, who is missing the game with a back spasm.

If the game against South Africa was their renaissance, this semi surely proved to be their belle époque. Sure, Pakistan being Pakistan, dropped a few chances, but held onto much more important ones, displaying a fine mixture of pace and spin bowling on a used and slow pitch, reducing England from 128/2 to all out for 211. FOR REAL. England were bowled out for a hundred runs less than their average first innings score since the last WC. It was as if England had been eating Biryani continuously and you just served them with a half-cooked plate of beans.

If any team could bottle the chase from this position, it was Pakistan. If any team could have a shot at defending this total, again your money must be on Pakistan. Pakistan batted as if they were persons similar in looks you see faltering everyday but there was something different today (doppelgangers from Earth-2 maybe? Clones I guess?), I mean, you don’t often see your batsmen going at almost run-a-ball in such a game, your openers partnering for the second highest opening stand for Pakistan in England ever to go with the highest opening stand in CT history for Pakistan. Pakistan chased with ease, no fuss and furore was created like the last game (games?), there was, as some would say, a “gush of brilliance” and there was a complete, very un-Pakistani clinical performance by Pakistan.        

Just when “cornered tigers” started to sound like a worn out and overly used cliché, Pakistan found their niche. They rose like phoenix from the ashes… Okay. Enough with the metaphors. Just go. Dance. Hashtag Dil Dil Pakistan!