ISLAMABAD (AP) The 600 people of the Dawoodi bohra community were supposed to be gathering to have food together in a hall soon after breaking a 15 1/2 -hour fast on Sunday.
For them, and for millions of people across Pakistan, the taste of victory was sweet.
”You can expect anything from only one cricket team in the world and that is Pakistan,” Ali Abbas Mandosarwala, who was at the center with his wife, two sons and a daughter, said as India was bowled out for 158 and lost the final by a margin of 180 runs.
”Honestly I wasn’t expecting Pakistan to go beyond the group stage,” he added, reflecting on the unpredictable nature of the national team, ”but the young players have shown there’s nothing impossible in this world.” Communities gathered around TV screens throughout the country on Sunday night to share the moment as Pakistan won its first ever Champions Trophy, just weeks after being written off following a loss in the tournament’s opening match – also against India.
Led by Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive 114 off 106 balls, Pakistan scored 338-4 at The Oval in London after India won the toss and surprisingly opted to field first.
The national media on Monday heaped praise on the team.
”India couldn’t even make half of the score, whole team booked in 30.3 overs,” the Daily Jang said.
It was a stunning turnaround for Pakistan, which was ranked eighth in the eight-team competition and lost its opening group match against India by 124 runs.
Ali, the right-arm seamer, took 13 wickets to win the player-of-the-tournament award ”All hail the champs,” the English-language Express Tribune headlined its lead front page story.
The News said Pakistan ”sizzled at the sun-baked Oval” to record their first major victory in the 50-over format since winning the World Cup in 1992.