The World Cup 2015 had its share of ups and downs, but the finalists have been more or less on the expected lines, as many had predicted a final between the hosts.
However, with the result of the second semifinal, Indians and Pakistanis may largely find themselves on the same page – ironically.
Both teams entered the grand event with very little hopes from their fans – Pakistan with a depleted team and the Indians with a poor show in the One Day series.
While India was at it from the first game against Pakistan, Pakistan too, revived the memories of the 1992 World Cup especially after trumping South Africa. So much so that fans in both countries started feeling like the dream of lifting the cup may actually have a chance to materialise, until they met one of the hosts.
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Shahid Afridi rubs Kohli's back after his throw hit the batsman during Pakistan's match with India. —Reuters |
Australia and South Africa are the world's most powerful teams and had been always difficult to overcome historically. This time, both India and Pakistan, luckily, sailed past the Proteas comfortably, which, in general, can be considered a milestone in both these nations.
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The Indians were all set for the World Cup win celebrations, hoping they will get past the Kangaroos. They could not. Neither could Pakistan.
Another most striking similarity was the absence of an effective and efficient all-rounder in both these teams – Yuvraj for one and Hafeez for the other.
Both have been proven match-winners for their countries, with Yuvraj single-handedly destroying the Australians in the last World Cup, scoring a fifty and taking three wickets. Why both of these were not included in the squad remains a question for the selection committees to answer.
Current all-rounders Shahid Afridi remained mercurial as ever and Jadeja failed to fire altogether with either bat or ball.
Playing against a country like Australia is an acid test in itself and when you do not have the experience of such all-rounders, the team is destined to falter.
In spite of the defeat to Australia, Pakistan will have the sweet memory of the bold and terrifying spell of Wahab, which restored the entire nation's faith in pace bowling; the cherry on top being that it came against the Australians.
India, however, did not have much to take home from their game with the Aussies.
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As a heartbroken fan, and like many others in both countries, it will be extremely difficult – nay, impossible to see the Kangaroos lifting the cup again.
I have no doubt that both Indians and Pakistanis who have bought tickets in the hope that their respective teams would have played the finals, will be seen dressed in black to support the Black Caps!
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