JEDDAH, 25 September 2007 — Indian expatriates across Saudi Arabia joined their compatriots in home country and elsewhere in the world to celebrate their team’s victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in Johannesburg last night.
Those taking part in Iftar offered prayers and additionally turned the fast-breaking occasion into a celebration to congratulate their Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team on their victory by five runs over Pakistan. They watched the final at home or at restaurants.
At a restaurant at Kababish, its manager had made elaborate arrangements to screen the final on two different TV sets — one for Pakistanis and the other for Indians. Sweet shops had a great difficulty meeting orders from Indian enthusiasts.
“We were hopeful of clinching the final in the last over, but the fate willed it otherwise,” a disappointed Pakistani, Imran Fazal, told Arab News. “We had placed orders for sweets and were quite hopeful,” said Fazal, a Kababish restaurant supervisor.
India’s young side produced sterling performances as they prevailed in a thrill-a-minute final of the championship.
Gautam Gambhir, Rudra Pratap Singh and Irfan Pathan came up with heroic efforts to help India score a last-over victory in the much-awaited clash between the archrivals and also had the satisfaction of bowling out their opposition with three deliveries to go.
George PutheenMadhom, president of Badminton Federation - Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province, said Dhoni’s tactics on the field yielded dividends for his team. R.P. Singh and Irfan Pathan deserved credit for taking crucial wickets when their team needed it most. Pakistani bowlers too performed well. “With six runs from four balls in the last over, it could have been anyone’s game. All in all, we enjoyed the game which was played in the true spirit,” he said.
With Pakistan needing 13 off the last over to be bowled by Joginder Sharma and just one wicket in hand and prolific Misbah-ul-Haq on strike, it was anybody’s game. “But like other Indian fans, I too got the jitters when Joginder bowled an ugly wide and then got hit for a straight six by Misbah,” he said.
“The Pakistanis demonstrated that they had no strategy while batting. When their batsmen were getting out, there were no tips for the successive players as to what they should do. There was no consultation among players or between the coach and the team in the course of the game. However, it was neck and neck and interesting,” Shahid Haider, regional account director, Team Y&R, Jeddah, said.
Pakistanis should have played with a plan like one plays a game of chess. Happily, the championship is with the subcontinent. “It was not Pakistan’s day. India did not win the match but Pakistan lost the match,” he said.
Sikander Farooqui, president of Eastern Province Cricket Association said: “I am happy that two of Asia’s teams figured in the final. There was no tension among players in today’s match, the kind of tension seen while playing against Australia or England. Everyone played for victory. Finally, cricket has won,” he said, adding that the T-20 format is good, exciting and entertaining. “Dhoni has to be praised for he remained sober and captained the team well throughout the tournament. Yuvraj Singh demonstrated an outstanding batting talent for limited overs matches, especially while playing earlier matches against England and Australia, and Sreesanth turned out to be a dependable bowler like R.P. Singh. “However, the team playing the best on the day won.”
Syed Zahid Ali, president, Madinah Cricket Association, said: Misbah’s last shot was good but it did not click. He was surprised to see Sreesanth placed there to take the decisive catch. “It looked luck was not with the Pakistanis. In the first five overs, it looked Pakistan would lose. Wickets were tumbling at regular intervals. However, congratulations to India as the inaugural trophy remains with Asia,” he said, adding that lots of positive things have emerged from this tournament, which is interesting but tends to be commercial. Some of the shots played in this tournament are simply not cricket known as the gentleman’s game. “The T-20 format is in keeping with modern day’s needs, as people want match results in a short time,” he added.
“It was the most thrilling final. After a long time, India have shown that they have great potential,” said Zahoor Siddique, an avid cricket fan and exhibitions director at Al-Harithy Co. for Exhibitions Ltd. “Indications of India winning the final were already there when they beat strong teams like South Africa and Australia in the tournament.”
In India, fans, who were glued to their television sets throughout the 3.5-hour game, set off firecrackers, danced and hugged each other as India won.
“They played well and made us all proud,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — who watched the game with family members while recovering from prostate surgery — was quoted as saying by his spokesman Sanjaya Baru. Manmohan also complimented Pakistan for its fine play, Baru added.
In a congratulatory message to Dhoni, President Pratibha Patil said: “The team played positive cricket and the victory is an inspiration for our youth.”
— With input from agencies
