Reverse swing: Semi – that was the final

Had someone said at the start of this World Cup that Pakistan would get to the semi-finals, you would have humoured them. Had they said Pakistan would be a finalist, you would have laughed. And had they said Pakistan would win the title, you would have worried about their mental condition and advised them to seek help. In fact, our beloved captain Shahid Afridi did promise us a semi-final spot. When he had made the claim, we dismissed it as hyperbole. We tried not to get our hopes up. But Afridi proved a man of his word and he delivered. Yes, a semi-final win in the cricket World Cup — and that, too, over archrivals India, no less — would have been phenomenal. But someone had to win and someone had to lose. That's the nature of sport, and you agree to the contract the moment you start enjoying its highs. Absorbing the sting of defeat is painful, but that's part of the risk. It is inevitable to engage in navel-gazing as we look back on the defeat in Mohali and the possibility of what might have been. Not in living memory had a cricket match been so hyped up. India's good fortune was to win the toss, which left Pakistan with the unfavourable task of chasing under lights. Still, there was hope. But our star seamer Umar Gul was badly off the boil that day and, in any case, a team that drops Sachin Tendulkar so many times does not really deserve to win. Add to that Pakistan's inability to develop a sustained batting partnership and their perplexing misjudgement regarding the tactical use of the batting powerplay, and it all amounts to a miserable outing for Afridi and his men. For a brief, flickering few overs, when Misbahul Haq and Umar Akmal were together, it seemed we might see a replay of that immortal semi-final from 1992 when Javed Miandad as the senior partner oversaw a rookie Inzamamul Haq bring victory to Pakistan against heavy odds. But this time it was not to be. Nevertheless, it is important to focus on the big picture, because there is certainly no shame in a semi-final exit. If anything, there are a number of encouraging features here. For the first time in over a decade, Pakistan negotiated the World Cup without drama or controversy. Unlike 1999, there was no capitulation; unlike 2003 and 2007, there was no premature exit; and unlike 2007, there was no scandal. And since in 1996 we had faltered in the quarter-finals, it is sensible to conclude that this was Pakistan's best World Cup showing since 1992. That is saying a lot. Several factors came together to enable this. Foremost, we must credit the captain-coach combination of Afridi and Waqar Younis, who planned the campaign to near-perfection. They kept the players to a tight work and practice schedule and motivated them according to circumstances. One must also commend the younger players, particularly Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, and Wahab Riaz, who stepped up at key moments. Of the seniors, Umar Gul and Mohammad Hafeez were brilliant. Sub-continental playing conditions helped Pakistan a great deal, as they helped the other Asian teams. It is no surprise that the day before the Mohali semi-final, the last three teams left standing were all sub-continental sides. Perhaps most important, the removal of the spot-fixers went a long way towards ensuring solid and honest performance on the field. As cricketing assets, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt were badly missed, but there is not much point ruing their absence. In fact the evidence shows their presence would have proved corrosive. The team was blessed to be rid of them. All said and done, full marks have to be given to the tournament itself. Its organisation was immaculate and the match schedule carefully orchestrated to grab interest at the outset and keep it sustained. The group compositions and knockout phase were also cleverly planned, with the flexibility in venue assignment turning out to be a boon for the home crowds of India and Sri Lanka. Most of all, this was a World Cup imprinted with the raucous and frenzied signature of the subcontinent. There was noise, colour, energy, and spirit. There were watershed moments for some momentous careers, as Australia's Ricky Ponting, England's Andrew Strauss, and South Africia's Graeme Smith relinquished captaincy after disappointment and defeat. In the theatre of play, there were upsets and thrills in just the right amount. Ireland's victory over England, England's tied group match with India, New Zealand's quarter-final win over South Africa, and Pakistan's quarter-final demolition of West Indies, are some of the matches that will live in the memory a long time. On the technical side, the Umpiring Decision Review System proved a roaring success, enhancing the delivery of justice to batsmen and bowlers alike, and affirming our faith in the game's best umpires, such as Australia's Simon Taufel and our very own Aleem Dar, who maintained a flawless record with the review system and made us proud. And contrary to widespread concerns, security problems — barring the self-limited stone-pelting incident on the West Indian team bus in Bangladesh — did not rear their ugly head. As I write this, the final between India and Sri Lanka is yet to be played. One must congratulate both finalists, for it can indeed be said that the tournament's two best teams were left to fight for the trophy. Sri Lanka look a superbly balanced side — fine attacking batsmen, a lethal strike bowler, mesmerising spinners, and an awesome captain who is also a world-class wicketkeeper-batsman. But you still have to fancy India's chances, who are riding a tidal wave of support and popularity. By the time you read this, India have probably become the first team to lift the cricket World Cup on home soil.