Jubilant Pakistan fans dance in streets
JUBILANT photographs of Pakistan cricket fans dancing in the streets were plastered all over national newspapers yesterday after their eighth-ranked team produced a thrilling win against archrivals India in the Champions Trophy final.
Pakistan inflicted a massive 180-run defeat upon title-holders and favourites India at the Oval in London on Sunday to win the tournament featuring the world’s top eight one-day international nations.
The victory was splashed across major newspapers, with leading English daily Dawn proclaiming: “Pakistan breaks jinx, trounce India in dream final.”
While the country’s largest paper, the Urdu-daily Jang, announced: “Pakistan Champions, trounced Indian team.”
Pakistan made 338 for four, with the cornerstone being opener Fakhar Zaman’s 114, his maiden ODI hundred.
Mohammad Amir reduced India to 33 for three by dismissing their top three, with Rohit Sharma out for a duck and opposing skipper Virat Kohli, the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman, falling for just five.
India eventually collapsed to 158 all out as they suffered their heaviest defeat in terms of runs in 129 ODIs against Pakistan.
Banks, government and other organisations ran full-page advertisements congratulating the team for their historic win.
In an editorial titled “Victory is sweet”, the Express Tribune said: “When you are an underdog in a high-octane tournament final and your highly regarded opponent is the defending champion, hardly anyone has any expectations of you -except of course your cricketmad 200 million plus compatriots.”
The News, in a piece headlined “Champions”, said: “When Pakistan was thrashed by India in its opening match of the Champions Trophy, the obituaries were already being written.
“But if there is one thing you can say about the Pakistan cricket team, it is that it exists to confound everyone.”
In India, almost all print media went easy on Kohli and his team, crediting Pakistan’s performance, though the frontpage of the Hindustan Times screamed “Obliterated at the Oval: India humiliated by Pak.”
The Times of India proclaimed: “The Unpredictables Rise Again.”
Former India captain Ravi Shastri said: “The better team won.”
Cricket-mad Indian fans resorted to humour to sweep away the disappointment. – AFP