2024-07-14 20:50:54
London: It was 18 years ago, the Indian cricket team went on a tour of Pakistan in 2006. A test match was being played in Karachi and Team India came on the field to bowl first. Indian team captain Rahul Dravid handed over the first over to Irfan Pathan. Everything was normal on the first three balls, but what Irfan Pathan did on the last ball was recorded in history. Irfan took a hat-trick in the first over by dismissing Salman Butt, Younis and then Mohammad Yusuf consecutively. Irfan’s ball was swaying in Karachi like a twisting snake.
Now after 18 years, something similar has been seen again. In the final of World Champions Legends played at Edgbaston, London, Irfan Pathan clean bowled Younis Khan with his curly inswing. Even after cricket retirement, the same sharpness was seen in Irfan Pathan’s bowling as the 21-year-old curly-haired young fast bowler of India did in Karachi. The way Younis was bowled by Irfan, he himself must be remembering the Karachi Test 18 years back. It is a coincidence that Younis was the captain in the Karachi Test as well and he was also captaining Pakistan in the World Champions League.
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Pakistan scored 156 runs in the final
In the final of World Champions Legends, Pakistan captain Younis Khan decided to bat first after winning the toss. However, his decision did not prove to be effective. The Pakistani team lost its wickets at regular intervals in front of the Indian bowlers. Shoaib Malik scored the highest 41 runs for the team. Apart from this, Kamran Akmal contributed 24 and Maqsood contributed 21 runs. On the other hand, Arunit Singh took the maximum three wickets from India’s side.
Chasing a target of 157 runs set by Pakistan, India Legends won the match by 5 wickets with 5 balls to spare thanks to brilliant knocks from Ambati Rayudu (50), Gurkeerat Singh Mann (34) and Yusuf Pathan.