Lahore: Pakistan’s media hailed the national cricket team’s historic T20 World Cup win over arch-rivals India, calling it a “beautiful day” for the sport in the country.
The Babar Azam-led Pakistan team fired on all cylinders to notch an emphatic 10-wicket victory and end India’s long-standing 12-match winning streak against them in the ICC World Cups.
“Pakistan make a mauka-ry of critics,” a headline in the ‘Dawn’ read, taking pot shots at a popular Indian TV advertisement that airs before matches involving the two sides.
“A beautiful day for Pakistan cricket’: Fans ecstatic as Green Shirts achieve historic win vs India,” another article on the same website said.
“In sports and everything, unless it’s a law or a principle, nothing lasts forever. Dominant teams, serial winners, unbeaten players — all eventually meet their match or are caught on their off day someday.
“For disappointed Pakistani fans to think their team would never beat India in a World Cup match was wrong. And for Indians fans to think their team would never lose to Pakistan in a World Cup fixture was also wrong.
India entered the tournament as firm favourites with many experts, pundits saying Pakistan’s team didn’t stand much of a chance against its neighbours given the past results.
“The Green Shirts were famous for their meltdowns against their arch-rivals in World Cup matches and had lost 12 straight matches to the Men in Blue,” said ‘The Dawn’.
“They were again heavy underdogs heading into the game, with few giving them a chance. But they flipped the script and inflicted a chastening 10-wicket defeat on India,” it added.
Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a (3/31) a menacing opening spell, getting rid of both Indian openers — KL Rahul (3) and Rohit Sharma (0) — before snaring Virat Kohli’s (57) coveted wicket at the death.
“Nation over the moon after Pakistan thrash India by 10 wickets,” ‘A Sports’ wrote.
“Pakistanis were waiting for a long time to watch their team beat arch-rivals India in a World Cup contest. It happened today…”
“The nation celebrated the victory with full joy followed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and ex-cricketer Imran Khan himself congratulating the Green Shirts for convincing achievement,” it added.
Babar (68 not out) and Mohammed Rizwan (79 not out) never gave Indian bowlers a chance, breaking the 29-year-old jinx, that started back in 1992, of losing to India at the World Cups.
“Pakistan change history, beat india in a World Cup match for the first time,” ‘ARY News’ wrote.
“Pakistan dismantled the Indian bowlers with openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan scoring unbeaten half-centuries and put on a 152-run winning partnership,” it added.
It was India’s maiden 10-wicket loss in T20 Internationals and Pakistan’s first win by such a margin, making the victory for the Men in Green all the more sweet.
“Babar, Rizwan star as Green shirts break India jinx with 10-wicket rout,” wrote ‘The Nation’.
“Pakistan made the world cup history after defeating arch-rival India by 10 wickets in the blockbuster match.