KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricketers reckon the national team’s historic victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final has given a new identity to the country’s cricket besides re-establishing its status as one of the world’s best outfits.
Pace bowling icon Waqar Younis said the 180-run victory in the final at The Oval will help Pakistan serve the cause of cricket at home where top-level international cricket has not been played for several years.
“This victory [in the Champions Trophy final against India] has come at a time when we were struggling, being the number eight team in the world, and it has infused a new confidence into the team,” Waqar said while talking to APP.
Ex-Test batsman Younis Khan who quit international cricket recently, termed Pakistan’s performance in the final “a rousing show of skills and talent of young players” and also praised the captaincy of Sarfraz.
“This triumph has made the entire nation proud and it has added to the respect and honour of Pakistan cricket and with this success the team has once again gained the status of one of the world’s best cricket sides,” Younis maintained.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the ex-Test skipper, described the Champions Trophy win “valuable”, noting Pakistan have achieved a title of this magnitude after twenty-five years after seizing the World Cup in Australia back in 1992.
“Pakistan displayed quality cricket in the final; all the players rose to the occasion and achieved a collective cause of attaining glory,” Misbah told APP.
Mohammad Yousuf, a former Test batsman known for his classy shots, said with no international cricket currently being played in Pakistan, this Champions Trophy victory will prove a great helping hand to the country.
“Definitely this success will go a long way in supporting Pakistan cricket at all levels. It has given a new name to our cricket and most importantly added respect to our country,” Yousuf said.
Our Sports Reporter from Lahore adds:
Giving credit to the youngsters for the overwhelming victory against India in the Champions Trophy final, former Test captain Zaheer Abbas said the team with the induction of talented new faces will become a fighting squad in the future with ability to win more laurels for the country.
“I would like to appreciate the youngsters’ performance, particularly that of Fakhar, Hasan and Shadab, who despite competing in their first mega event, played crucial roles in the title-winning campaign,” said Zaheer while talking to Dawn on Monday.
“Fakhar’s knock was a treat to watch and helped Pakistan set a difficult target for India. Then the way young bowlers Hasan and Shadab bowled to help Amir, who had already dented Indian batting, put the Indians batsmen under massive pressure from which they could never come out.”
Zaheer added, “The Indians played with a negative approach as their bowlers started to bowl Fakhar Zaman on the leg-side considering he is weak in that area. At that stage, I realised India are playing with negative mindset,” Zaheer stated.
“Yes Fakhar looks a bit weak on leg-side but when he got settled he played some strokes towards mid-wicket area too. Fakhar, who plays his shots aggressively like Sharjeel Khan, looks bold enough to come down the pitch,” he pointed out.
Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2017
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