Many were left in shock, some wondered in disbelief but cricket played its own game yesterday. Pakistan clinched the Twenty20 World Cup in England much to the dismay of many. I personally wasn't too surprised though. They were finalists at the previous tournament so why weren't they considered a good team or a favourite? Was it because they weren't getting a chance to play any cricket due to the turmoil in their country? They have brilliant batsman, and Afridi who must have smiled from ear to ear when this format of the game was introduced. Cricket, however, seems to be a game where the 'law of averages' comes in to play. No one can be consistently good and there has to be a point where one fails. Sri Lanka were having a brilliant run with their top batsmen( Dilshan and Jayasuriya, Jayawardene) getting runs in previous games. They had to fail at some point of time and it was their misfortune that it had to be in the final. Pakistan lost early in the tournament and that seemed to be their wake up call and a boost to their efforts on the field. No batsman can carry on scoring a large amount of runs match after match. Afridi saved his best for the last and let others get them to the final. Sri Lanka were on a high having remained unbeaten through out the tournament, right until the final. They were lucky that Sangakkara found form and took them to a respectable and defendable total. Another thought that arises is the captains decision in the 18th over as he handed the ball to little known Udana. Was he saving his best (Mendis, Malinga) for the last? He didnt even get there. When Udana came onto bowl, the match was tightly poised and I feel Sri Lanka had the upper hand with Pakistan needing almost 9 an over to win. Had Mendis or Malinga bowled, I'm surely positive they wouldn't have given more than 8-10 runs and that would have doubled the pressure on the Pakistanis who would have had to go hell for leather in the last over. Now, The captain, will have a long time to think, 'what if'. No one can say what would have happened had one of the other two bowled but then he also had an experienced veteran like Jayasuriya who he could have tossed the ball to. All said and done Sri Lanka will still be licking their wounds after a playing a fabulous tournament and Pakistan will be jubilant having suffered defeat in the last final and also to boost cricket in their country.
