Pakistan’s Dominating Victory over Sri Lanka to Clinch 2009 T20 World Cup
Pakistan’s exhilarating win against Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20 final at Lord’s not only showcased Afridi’s brilliance but also offered a glimmer of hope and unity for the nation during tumultuous times.
Shahid Afridi’s mature innings of 54 runs played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s victory, highlighting his presence on the cricket field.
Sri Lanka 138 for 6 (Sangakkara 64*, Mathews 35*, Razzaq 3-20) lost to Pakistan 139 for 2 (Afridi 54*, Akmal 37) by eight wickets.
Pakistan, who gave their country something to cherish in these difficult times, won’t care that the ICC World Twenty20 wasn’t concluded with an exciting final. Pakistan had control of the match from the moment they lost the tournament’s highest scorer, Tillakaratne Dilshan, in the first over.
In front of a sea of ecstatic Pakistani fans, Younis Khan lifted the trophy in what he later declared would be his final Twenty20 international. Shahid Afridi, who turned out to be their trump card, led his team home in the 19th over with an undefeated 54.
Although Pakistan won’t be playing at home for some time, their attendance at this event has strengthened the argument that England may serve as a stand-in for their native country. The crowd began to cheer as Abdul Razzaq, one of the team’s great individual comeback stories, took three crucial wickets in his opening burst to leave Sri Lanka on 32 for 4. Despite Kumar Sangakkara’s greatest efforts, they never looked back.
Every now and then when the needed rate increased, the strain increased, but Afridi was there to help, delivering one of his most polished innings. In the 14th over, he struck Muttiah Muralitharan for six and four balls in a row, a well-planned attack on a vital bowler. When Sangakkara gambled on one of his poorer bowling connections in the 18th over, he swung a massive six over midwicket off Isuru Udana, sealing the trophy’s destiny. He then backed that up with another boundary off a high full toss.
After Kamran Akmal had provided the top-order early momentum, Shoaib Malik contributed with 24 off 22 balls in a 76-run stand that ended the contest. When Ajantha Mendis went for his most expensive period of the competition, the batters understood they didn’t have to take many chances and they played him better than any other team.
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Pakistan’s transformation from complete outsiders to champions is an incredible feat for a squad that needed a big victory over the Netherlands to even be able to compete in the group stages. They could not have produced a more comprehensive performance for a final, though, and they have peaked at the ideal moment. Two years earlier in Johannesburg, they lost by five runs, but this time there was no error.
Aggressive tactics took Sri Lanka, who have been the epitome of consistency, off guard. Pakistan were at the top of their game from the outset in an electrifying environment, as 17-year-old Mohammad Aamer defied his youth with a game-changing first over.
He deliberately bowled short to Dilshan, who was clearly uncomfortable with the approach. Dilshan attempted to grab the initiative on the fifth ball, but he was only able to pick out the man who was on the edge of the circle with a scoop over short fine-leg. During the tournament, he had essentially middled every attempt at the shot; what an unfortunate moment for it to go awry.
Pakistan were encouraged and Sri Lanka was unsettled by the departure of the tournament’s top run scorer. Razzaq took his first wicket in the second over as Jehan Mubarak, who had been moved to No. 3, came down the pitch and got a leading edge into the covers.
Shortly after Sanath Jayasuriya hinted he could organize a turnaround, Sri Lanka staged a comeback. With a strong short-arm pull, he hit Razzaq for six using his leg side preference. He then collected four more balls, but the response was fleeting as an inside edge struck the stumps. After failing to follow through, Razzaq was flat on his face when he was dismissed, but Sri Lanka appeared wobbly. Younis Khan launched an offensive, and his choice to post a wide slip paid off handsomely as Mahela Jayawardene hit the ball precisely at ankle height for Misbah-ul-Haq.
After being given another chance to compete at the international level, Razzaq was taking his cricket to a new level. Although he was not in the starting lineup, Yasir Arafat’s injury, which led to the substitution, now appeared to be a fortunate break.
Younis resorted to his spinners as Sri Lanka had little choice but to play it safe after losing four wickets during the Powerplay. In the face of Sri Lanka’s difficulties, Sangakkara embodied composure since he knew that a respectable total depended on him. Despite the issues that surrounding him, he skillfully timed his innings and reached fifty off 44 balls. However, he did not find support until Angelo Mathews joined him.
With 59 runs in the last five overs, Sri Lanka’s assault had the potential to turn 138 into a game. However, since Akmal and Shahzaid Hasan played intelligently, early wickets were crucial and they didn’t materialize. Although Lasith Malinga’s accuracy and Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan’s sorcery have been entertaining us for the past few weeks, they were unable to perform the necessary magic spell on this occasion.
When Afridi and Malik hugged in the middle of the pitch following the winning play, it was evident how much this triumph meant to Pakistan. They were in dire need of this victory, and maybe that determination made the difference. Although the nation will need to rebuild over the next several challenging years, this victory should instill optimism for a better future.
