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What a performance from Pakistan against India in Final

The Day every Pakistani was proud of are Pakistani Cricket Team.

benjones 5 min read · 2 years ago

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Winning Moment

On Sunday, June 18, Pakistan defeated India in an incredible victory at the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2017 Final at The Oval in South London. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that in India and Pakistan, and amongst the South Asian diaspora abroad,all eyes were glued to their TV screens on Sunday—such is the popularity of cricket in the region, and the magnitude of an India-Pakistan clash.

It was a match for the history books as underdogs Pakistan battered favorites India, particularly given the colossal rivalry the two teams have long shared. It was an encounter that any sports lover would relish—even Indians like myself, devastated by the loss, could not deny that it was the sort of match that reminds us why sport is so special.

The last time the two countries faced each other in the final of an ICC event was 10 years ago at the 2007 World T20 in South Africa, when MS Dhoni led India to a memorable victory. Over the decade since then, India has won a World Cup and a Champions Trophy and has been the world’s best side in all formats. India’s Virat Kohli has become recognized as among the world’s greatest batsmen of all time. For the most part it’s been accolade after accolade, a sort of golden age for Indian cricket.

Sadly, Pakistani cricket suffered a steady decline in the same period. A devastating terrorist attack in 2009 in Lahore, on the Sri Lanka team bus brought an end to international cricket in the country. Pakistan then lost their captain and top two bowlers to long suspensions due to a spot-fixing scandal in 2010. They were the lowest ranked side going into this year’s Champions Trophy. Most thought they wouldn’t even make it past the group stage.