Pakistan Refused To Lose

"They belong to a land which is accustomed to turmoil." Ian Bishop said it when Abdul Razzaq sealed a nerve wrecking Pakistan's victory against Sri Lanka with a Six in 2006 at Jaipur, India in ICC Champions trophy. If we look at the scorecard now, it seems like an ordinary ODI with a tight finish and we wonder why Ian got so excited to use these words that feel quite an extreme keeping the occasion in perspective. But it wasn't that match situation Ian was referring to, neither the Jaysuria's onslaught early on nor Afridi's 13 ball 1. It was the backdrop.

Inzamam was banned for four matches for "brining the game to disrespect" Younis Khan who was his natural successor being the vice-captain resigned from his job just 2 days before the start of tournament. Muhammad Yusaf was appointed captain just to be announced by Nasim Ahraf later that Younis will lead the Pakistan Squad. It wasn't just the captaincy circus, Pakistan's pace attack dou of Shoaib Aktar and Muhammad Asif failed the dope tests before start of the tournament. Pakistan's first match was against Sri Lanka and Pakistan came from way behind to win the match.

Many of Pakistan cricket's major events include Sri Lanka, be it Afridi's 37 balls 100, Gaddafi Stadium holding a world cup final or most infamous of all, a terrorist attack on Cricket team in Lahore. Pakistan cricket was stripped of its home and it took refuge in desert. A little over a year after Pakistan lost its respect in England as three of its players were jailed for corruption, and just when all seemed to be lost, we heard that 'Pakistan Cricket should be banned.'

Aftermath of these events gave Pakistan an anti-hero named Misbah-ul-Haq and he happily accepted the role of a scapegoat. He even took so much flake that he must have felt only sane man in an asylum. But one thing he made sure was resurgence. One step at a time, but he made it sure. He didn't lose any test series in Pakistan cricket newly adopted home. He times and again told everyone how hard is to be not able to return home.

The luck has hardly been poetic just to anyone and it wasn't with Misbah either. Cricket came home but only after he retired. On May 22nd, 2015 exactly after 2217 days of exile, cricket came home. Gaddafi Stadium was vibrating till it’s very foundations. And finally, Teams were lined up on the green outfield. It was the moment when it was hard to believe that how much a nation can love a game. And then Pakistan's national anthem started.

Right at that moment, it felt that there is something bigger than the game itself. It was the victory, a victory before even a single bowl was bowled. It was a victory before even the match started. Some say it was the victory of cricket. But it wasn't, it was Pakistan's victory, it was Pakistan's victory in cricket but before the game of cricket started. It was Pakistan’s victory in cricket against those who tried to take their first love away from them. National anthem never meant so clearly to people singing it. Cricket was never celebrated more. Game was never loved more.

Game after national anthem didn't matter much. The crowd cheered for everything. Zimbabwean batsmen were throwing our bowlers all over the place. Shoaib Malik nearly killed the match, but everything didn't matter because victory was already celebrated. A Victory from way behind. A victory when we were cornered. A victory when hope was lost and Suddenly Ian Bishop's words made a lot more sense. We do belong to a land which is accustomed to turmoil.

Pakistan Avengers

Pakistan's Avengers

Zimbabwe is about to cancel their tour to Pakistan, long awaited, prematurely celebrated, a rare glimpse of sun through the very long winters and Osman Samiuddin's An immense, nervy occasion is about to be taken from Pakistan. All we are going to be left with is desperation and feeling of a left alone unwanted son of a noble family. Enemies have taken a lot from us and they still are taking, so much so that killing people of the community that didn't give anything to Pakistan other than their devotion, love and finances.

Generation born before 2000's cricket is their first love for the most of them. Something they can't do anything about. It is not new either; this excoriating pain is hurting since 2009. We are constantly losing on this front to the enemy which we seem to unable to curb. It is like something invading your planet that you can't do much about. Taking the very thing you love from you with no remorse.

A dialogue from 2012 Avengers keep coming in my mind “You’re missing the point! There's no throne, there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it!" then I feel there is certain group who are fighting to give us back what we love and they are our Avengers. They are our heroes. The group of people we look at when we feel despair at its worst.

Misbah-ul- Haq is like Captain America, soldier from old time, not accustomed to the newer warfare but still wins. Well because even if he is not loved they all know who will tell them what to do when war is upon them. He hold back, then he hits, then again he holds back and again return to hit. His calculated hits and blocks frustrate his enemies and his calls to his troops make him win the fight.

Bruce Banner is ordinary man with reading glasses and knowledge and all, had he not the problem of being Hulk, he would have been teaching in a University and eventually dies on a hospital bed with few kids and grandkids around. Had Afridi not the problem of being Afridi, he would have ended his career in first class circle of Pakistan with mediocre record as leg spinner. But off course he is Afridi, when he is Bruce Banner he will get out on duck and give 60 odd runs in his bowling spell. Being otherwise, he will smash everything on the way. Harder they will come at him stronger he will get. 

Iron Man has Jarvis, Saeed Ajmal has dosra. You will be deceived  by an ordinary man with suit of armor and a Saeed Ajmal an off spinner. He gets around them, he encircles them, then he puts them in their misery and then he smiles and crack a joke about it. He gets his enemies for fun. He has so many weapons that you wonder if this is technology or magic.

Looks and muscles, fury filled eyes, a hammer in his hands, a man they didn't expected to be so forceful, so serious that they get the real feel of a battle. You think he is Thor. Ask Watson, he is Wahab Riaz. He was not hero of your first choice. He is there accidentally. For whatever reason he is there, he is pelting his hammers at them and then he is mimicking them because he is menacing.

Hafeez didn't have a special thing about him. He was just your sidekick to your M16, but then he developed on skills he had. He perfected those. Hawkeye did that with his arrow and bow. Hafeez did that with his bat and bowl. When he does what he does best, he looks extremely charming. He thinks sharp, so sharp that they may call him professor, he assesses his enemies, he holds his fire and then hit where it matters.