Tags:
Journalism of Courage
First three overs, the match was over. The one-way course became noticeable with all escape routes sealed for India, the defending champions. At the end of the Pakistan innings — they had 131 on the board — the verdict became even clearer.
Later, South Africa beat Pakistan by 12 runs to win the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong Sixes title for the second time. They had won the title during the fourth edition in 1995. The Safs’ win was worth $100,000.
India lost to Pakistan by 48 runs and later beat the West Indies in a cliffhanger by two wickets to finish third and take home $36,000. Sunil Joshi’s three sixes in the last over clinched it for India in the third-place match.
Skipper Robin Singh admitted that it was quite an onslaught from the Pakistanis. “I have never seen anything like that before,” he admitted.
The architects of Pakistan’s victory were Imran Nazir (28), Yasir Arafat (31) and Hassan Raza (32). The latter two scored 17 sixes in all for the huge total, and retired thereafter.
India could not quite get the momentum needed as all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi departed after making just eight and Sanjay Bangar painstakingly made 30. Veteran Robin Singh was also not much use on the day as India managed just 84/2.
The Indian bowers were the worst culprits — giving away too many runs, too early. Bangar conceded 26 runs, Sunil Joshi went for 34 and Robin Singh 35. The recipe for Pak win was complete.
“It was an amazing batting performance from Yasir Arafat (five consecutive sixes) and Hassan Raza. Our plan was to put 100 plus in our innings, that is what I told our guys to aim for,” said a happy Imran Nazir.
