Shame if Pak cricket is thrown into neglect
The torment was unmistakable in Younus Khan's appeal to the cricket world to come and play in Pakistan after the Twenty20 triumph.
This acquires an even more poignant dimension when you consider that Pakistan's three main players in this tournament -- the skipper himself, fast bowler Umar Gul and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi -- all hail from the North West Frontier where the terrorism-related problem is the most acute.
But while this fantastic victory spotlights the extraordinarily rich cricketing talent across the border, I can't see overseas teams making a beeline for Pakistan in a hurry. There are several major issues -- particularly after the attack on the Sri Lankan team earlier this year -- which have to be addressed by its government and people, and in which cricket plays only a minuscule part.
It would be a shame, of course, if Pakistan cricket is thrown into neglect and allowed to atrophy. Difficult as this may be, the ICC could revise its FTP itinerary to include more overseas tours by Pakistan till the situation in that country allows other teams to come there without fear. Matches on neutral venues may not be the best option to playing at home, but are better than nothing. The IPL should also allow a quick return of Pakistan players to the league.
But that's speculating the future in simplistic terms. For the moment, Pakistan's victory must be savoured for the panoramic sweep of its performances over the 16 days of the tournament and the emotional roller-coaster ride which took them from being outcasts to champions.
In batting and bowling, in terms of class and chutzpah, and for the sheer fact of winning the trophy, Younus Khan's team proved themselves not only the most enigmatic and entertaining, but also a cut above the rest.
That this format provides topsy-turvy results is by now well-known so Pakistan deserve even greater credit for consistency. Over two World Championships, teams from the sub-continent have proved themselves more adept at Twenty20 cricket, with Pakistan perhaps at the forefront having lost in the final in 2007 by a whisker and winning by many miles in 2009.
This tells us something of the talent that they possess, though this will hardly alleviate heartburn in teams like South Africa, Sri Lanka and especially India which were all rated much higher.
How this translated into their triumph is, of course, the more fascinating story. Pakistan, remember, were a team written off by most before the tournament began. The players had been short of international practice.
Younus Khan was a reluctant captain. There was bickering between the captain and chief selector (Abdul Qadir, who resigned mid-way through the tournament) over the choice of players. Several other players had expressed their desire to become captain, all of which which means that the Pakistan dressing room could not have been a very happy place to be in.
Some of this turmoil was reflected in the indifferent performances leading up to the Super Eights stage. The openers were struggling, the middle order was vulnerable, the bowling was patchy, the fielding was going to pieces and Afridi looked like a bad penny that had turned up again. Captain Younus Khan was in decent nick, but reduced to saying things like Twenty20 cricket was a bit of a joke.
What happened after Pakistan reached the Super Eights stage is, of course, a different story altogether. The inclusion of Abdul Razzak gave the team depth and balance in batting and bowling, Umar Gul suddenly became a devastating bowler, Afridi became a one-man demolition squad worth his weight in gold and Younus had turned from Hamlet into Alexander.
A triumph of superb talent and great team spirit or divine redemption for a country brought to ruination by terrorism? Who can argue against any of this. But all things considered, even in the new, new format, this remains a funny old game.