Pakistan were just one step away on November 13 last year, to not only lift their second T20 World Cup title, but also narrate a story before the entire Cricketing fraternity whilst equating it with the fantasy Pheonix bird which rises from its ashes.
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Taking nothing away from Pakistan, as the luck/fortune factor, is an essential for a team’s journey towards the top in competitive sports. However, when one is absolutely empty pocketed in order to book an airline seat berth and manages to win a lottery out of nowhere, eyebrows are bound to get raised.
With Pakistan requiring Netherlands to pull of the unprecedented – defeat South Africa for the first time in the history of the sport, not even an optimist of the highest order would have given them a chance.
But it happened, and suddenly with wins against Bangladesh and then versus New Zealand (in the semis), it seemed that the stars had aligned perfectly for a Pakistan World Cup triumph.
After scoring a paltry 137/8 before a strong English batting line-up in the final, and some decent spells of bowling to defend it later on, Pakistan had to stop England from scoring 41 runs off the final 30 deliveries.
Shaheen Afridi gets injured
With his two Overs still remaining to be bowled, Pakistan required an all out effort from their go-to man Shaheen Afridi to stand a chance to live their dream. However, he snapped post bowling the first delivery and was down on his knees (figuratively) with his recurring knee problem, so much so that he had to trudge off the field.
Result? England win the T20 World Cup 2022 title by 5 wickets and an Over to spare.
Shoaib Akhtar exclaims Shaheen Afridi lacked will power
The knees must have been going through some excruciating pain for him to leave the field of play, but former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes Shaheen should have carried on regardless, for the sake of his ‘country’.
Speaking on the Afridi knee injury during the final, Akhtar, during an interaction with Pakistan’s Suno TV, even went on to exclaim that had he been in the former’s place he would have happily given his life for his country.
As per the former quick, Afridi could not have gotten a better opportunity to become a superstar for his country, but he let that opportunity go.
“Ye tha vo moment jahan par aap superstar ban sakte the. Agar main hota, to main Pakistan ke liye mar jaata. Mai tod deta ghutna, ghutna jud jayega baad mein. Ye lamha vapas nahi aata. (This was the moment, where you could have become a superstar. Had I been in his place, I would have sacrificed by life for Pakistan’s sake. I wouldn’t care if my knee broke, it would have healed again. But, this moment would have never come back again),” remarked Akhtar.
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