Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
They played no IPL. And courtesy, political turbulence and intermittent incendiary bombings, suicide attacks, constant threat and internal social turmoil , no one played them. In fact, after the Lahore terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers, they became cricket's pariah---social outcasts, ostracized, quarantined from the rest of the cricketing community. In fact, even the prospect of playing them in neutral territories became intimidating; what if Pakistan would carry or export trouble wherever they went?
The ICC black-listed them from being co-hosts of the next World Cup in 2011 , and practically everyone agreed, understandably so. But yesterday, when the uncontainable Shahid Afridi hit the winning runs, and Pakistan, against all odds and even non-cricket related adversarial forces, captured the tag of world champions, I felt that almost no one grudged them their much-deserved , poignant victory. I for one rooted for them ( and so did several I know) ever since MSD and his over-rated and over-fatigued bunch bit the dust in a whirlwind of conspiracy and controversy theories. Continue reading below
Pakistan's victory was literally as if by some divine intervention poetic justice was being effectuated. It was in simple terms, a triumph of spirit, courage and simplicity. No tall talk, no marketing hype, no super-star status, no tags, nothing. No one even mentioned that just two years ago, they were one stroke away from winning the championships in South Africa. The runner -up team was dismissed and swatted away with the same swift execution with which US President Barack Obama sent a fly to the heavens.
Prior to the T20 World Cup, they practiced amongst themselves, a Pakistan A and B teams to get in some shape before shipping out for the world cup carnival. By contrast, virtually every team had at least some players who were in the IPL, supposedly match-fit , physically exercised and mentally prepared. If you heard the so-called experts, those with both receding hairlines and a few with new-found progressive growth, you would have believed that Pakistan was the favorite whipping boy team of the championships. Talented of course, but most considered them to be merely in the race, as if to provide the usual juices of in-fighting story for the scribes and some slapstick cricket for their followers in London.
Most had the following rankings in mind as potential favorites; India, South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies in that same order . Pakistan and to a lesser extent Sri Lanka were considered rank flukes , just there to provide some shock results for analysts and the ilk to do some meaningless study of run-rates . Some people never learn; in T20 there can never be favorites, folks. In T20 it is a deadly sin to believe good luck to be good play, please note.
Paradoxically enough, it was the Asian neighbors , the modest outsiders who contested the finals, and neither made a big deal about it either. In Pakistan's moment of victory, there was no insane, juvenile madness of the Sreesanth kind, or the unrestrained agro of the Harbhajan Singh type either. In the light of the woebegone situation back home, it was hardly surprising that already some are comparing the T20 victory to the 1992 World Cup success under the inimitable Imran Khan. Notwithstanding the usual assessments , Pakistan's conquest is truly incredible and heartwarming . But compare Pakistan's unexpected triumph with India's unanticipated collapse, and you will know how much we in India over-rate our "brand India cricket" or foolishly believe in our press and electronic-media created "infallibilities of our boys".
Just look at the mindless mismanagement of Indian cricket by the IPL and BCCI , their myopic goals, their autocratic excesses, shameless personal glorification, unending greed, and power-obsessed political games, and you will know what I mean. When some of us had forewarned long ago that such atrocious levels of senseless cricket will have disastrous repercussions, no one even heeded or cared , thinking we are being over-circumspect or plain conservative. Actually, it is plain horse-sense.
MSDs team and India has paid a price because Indian cricket is run by avaricious mercenaries, who have corrupted the entire system by throwing crumbs indiscriminately for all vested stakeholders. Therefore, now you have to deal with a huge domineering establishment where they set their own rules, and others obediently comply. A dissenting voice is now like a sole silent cry, mostly ignored , and contemptuously chucked out. Therefore, no one protests.
Of course, MSD will never say it is fatigue and injuries ( unlike coach Gary Kirsten ) that did India in , because he cannot go against his lord and masters in IPL , can he?? We should also not forget the slimy habits of the constantly- desperate- for- breaking- scurrilous- gossip, the omnipresent paparazzi that is the Indian cricket media. I reiterate , the interminable heckling of MSD on his opener's shoulder-injury revealed the Indian media as nothing more than an ignoramus pompous bunch on some silly one upmanship trip.
Finally, the unassuming Younis Khan, the captain of the ship, who quietly disappeared into the shadows, relinquishing his role as T20 captain for a new player better suited for the future. I thought both on the field and off it, Khan showed extraordinary disposition, equanimity and the ability to take things as they come.
Even as the Indian media , sponsors , commentators, advertisers and the public went overboard over the melodramatic marketing ( Yeh Cup kahin nahi jaayega et al ) and the usual insane jamboree , Younis Khan , the winning skipper, with genuine indifference bordering on disdain termed the T20 as just " mere entertainment" and surprised everyone by saying goodbye at one of his pinnacle moments. That was greatness on display, humility and maturity personified.
I hope the IPL Commissioner, IPL and BCCI were listening to Younis Khan. Mostly they were not, I am sure, as they may have been busy contemplating an IPL in Pakistan . Imagine! Two world champion teams in T20 , unfriendly political neighbors in a sporty contest! The greedy have a justification for having the cake and eating it too. After all, why have the cake and not be able to eat it, right?
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