Chaos is Pakistan’s biggest ally, for the umpteenth time as we get contest this competition has been destined for.
Plan C (Chaos) does the trick for Pakistan, not for the first time.
It seems that Shaheen Shah Afridi is a low-value wicket. In fact, he is so low-value that, in a match that is objectively high-value, Pakistan didn’t even employ him with the bat against India on Sunday. It was so cheap that even Bangladesh, who had been perfect in the field up until that point, seemed to temporarily forget it was still a wicket worth getting and let up two very easy chances that Afridi presented.
However, the worth of the batters Pakistan did put store by had also been minimal. After a strong two-game run of getting off the mark, Saim Ayub received his fourth Asia Cup duck after Sahibzada Farhan had cut Taskin to the backward-point fielder within the first ten balls of the innings.
Hasan Ali had now run to the middle, thankfully not to bat, but you could never be too sure because Pakistan would keep changing their order throughout the tournament. As though being 5 for 2 inside ten deliveries was part of Pakistan’s Plan B, he delivered Fakhar Zaman a drink and a message.
What Hasan said is unknown, but it didn’t appear to have improved Fakhar’s performance all that much. His reckless hacks would only connect with the arid air during his brief, tormented time at the crease, where he would attempt to attack Bangladesh’s quicks.
The 35-year-old Rishad Hossain was like the old family stalwart who had persevered to the end and earned the right to give up by the time he arrived to bowl following the powerplay. His 100th T20I innings would also be his slowest in games where he has faced at least that many balls, as a tired slog off his 20th delivery was long-off. By the end of the powerplay, there had been 24 dot balls, which was the most for any team in the whole tournament.
Even though every team aspires to be in such position, it is stated that a two-goal advantage is the most perilous scenario in sports. This is because momentum seems to be more important in an athletic competition, such as a tug-of-war, where the direction of travel is more important than the precise location of each line.
Even if Nurul Hasan’s small goose-step to the left had been timed correctly to allow the ball to stick in his grasp, Bangladesh would still be in the lead with Pakistan 51 for 5 after 11 overs. However, it doesn’t. Afridi’s crude smear shoots up into the Ring of Fire lighting three balls later. Once more, Mahedi Hasan puts it down.
Afridi has made contact with two balls that are sent hurtling out of Dubai in a matter of overs. The two-goal advantage no longer appears to be as solid.
Instead of organised achievement, Pakistan’s ultimate ambition has always been chaotic grandeur. Overwhelmed by their own string of historic victories, Pakistan struts through the rest of the innings in a way that belies their current situation or the convoluted path they walked to get here. This is just Pakistan’s most recent development in a tournament that has become almost inevitable for them.
He continued seeing this type of match as Pakistan finished their innings: 6-9 score 89 runs in 60 balls, with the final nine overs yielding 84, the second-highest total in the Super Fours thus far.
Pakistan allowed Bangladesh to get dangerously close when they were down to their final two players, fumbling a catch before giving up 21 runs in ten balls. It leaves the chase a mathematical possibility right down to the last two deliveries. However, it appears that the universe is unable to contain the competition that this rivalry was most likely designed to provide as often as possible.
Even though a final between India and Pakistan was predetermined by God, the tournament needed Pakistan at its imperfect, human best to get there. Even though there have been many losses in Pakistani cricket over the years, the few fans who remained to dance to “Dil Dil Pakistan” on a steamy night in Dubai served as a reminder that the sport is still far from being worthless.