Sports
Why Pakistan’s squad at this year’s T20 world Cup feels like a team again
In 2015, Coke Studio released ‘Phir Se Game Uthadein’ — an anthem for the ODI World Cup set to happen the same year. It was inspired by Slogett and Carlone’s 1992 anthem ‘Who Rules the World’, the soundtrack to Pakistan’s first and most fabled major victory in cricket.
Produced by Strings and sung by Atif Aslam, the song proclaimed “Jeet ki daastaan, phir ho gi jawaan” to the same tune as “Who’s gonna be number one, who’s gonna take up the cup?”.
There is a dexterity required to mythologise something that has actually happened — Pakistan has done that with the 1992 World Cup. There must have been a time when the historical immediacy of the victory would lend itself as proof that it was real.
But ever since I can remember, the 1992 World Cup has been a pedestalised peak that seems harder and harder to re-mount as the years go by.
1992 is invoked in every metaphor for victory in Pakistan, sporting or otherwise. It is the incantation we chant when we are inviting good fortune, and the prayer we use to give shape to this imagined fortune.
We look for it every time we’re stuck in a quagmire mid-tournament (which is by and large a yearly occurrence).
The 2015 invocation was no different. The words josh and junoon were used, as they always are, those abstract ideals of hope and zeal and valour that never fully lend themselves in translations to other languages.
But what was perhaps most intriguing about this remake was the fact that a sad follow-up was shot.
After Pakistan was knocked out by Australia (because, of course), the TV and video advertisements that brandished all colours of waving flags a day before were replaced by clips of an imagined aftermath: hung faces in front of projector screens, the green stars and crescents painted on them going flaccid.
Empty rooftops with stray, limp pieces of confetti sadly billowing in the breeze. A sadder version of the song, essentially saying “we lost, but it’s okay.”
It’s not the reprise that particularly tickled my fancy, but the idea that a company producing a hype song for one of the decade’s most anticipated cricketing events had the foresight to produce a version for the sadder, but probably likelier outcome.
It’s not like it came as a shock — the campaign included the routine defeat to India, the fabled 1-4 collapse against the West Indies that the country woke up before dawn to witness, and of course, an immediately historicised dropped catch in the quarter final.
All of this is to say that Pakistan losing or ungracefully bowing out of a tournament isn’t necessarily an unfamiliar feeling. It is often anticipated, often met with a begrudging acknowledgement: “haan yaar, pata tha yehi hoga.”
And yet, I was thirteen years old during that particular World Cup, and while I do remember all the horrors in technicolour, I cannot help but remember the few gleaming specks of joy that somehow muscled their way out of them.
I remember a then 27-year-old Sarfaraz Ahmed playing perhaps the first iconic knock of his career against South Africa, falling short of a half-century by one run, and Pakistan winning a game that it probably shouldn’t have.
Across the world, as Wahab Riaz was bowling ball after ball of the spell of his life to Shane Watson, I remember loitering around my school’s staffroom during the quarter final, asking the one teacher who would indulge my classmates and me by giving us an update on the score.
After each of these trips, we would trundle back to class and take a moment to collectively (mournfully) pray at our desks.
I remember realising properly for the first time in my life that all the stretched out, worn out, drawn out cliches about coming back to this team over and over again would be true for my whole life.
Cricket feels different now than it did back then — it’s faster and more saturated, with so many more places and people and things involved.
There is some form of a “World Cup” every year, and it feels difficult to truly feel what a looming World Cup feels like when one is around the corner every month.
Much more recently, the constant uncertainty around cricket has been cause for further disillusionment — a Champions Trophy which was supposed to happen entirely at home not having been so, disappointing showings in 2023 and 2024, and an Asia Cup truncated with political puppet shows.
Going into the T20 World Cup, Pakistan is once again at the centre of what looks like a less-than-ideal unfolding: Pakistan has boycotted the match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh against ICC’s inconsistent treatment across teams.
As a result of the hybrid-model compromise with India in 2024, which promised neutral venues for both teams in the case of an ICC tournament in either one, Pakistan will be playing its group matches in Colombo, with Sri Lanka being cohosts for the tournament.
Of course, we have a long history with our good friend Colombo in the rain, and with a fluctuating percentage of rain in the forecast, the possibility of any of Pakistan’s games being washed out is not zero. There is no margin for error. The realistic thing would be to not hope too much.
And yet, one can’t help but feel like that after a while; the Pakistan side showing up to this World Cup feels like a team again.
Salman Ali Agha’s success at number 3 has unlocked a vein of potential for Pakistan — while his T20 strike rate is around 122, at this position, he has averaged 37 and struck at a solid 168, especially in the recent series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
Batting aside, Agha has amassed T20 series wins against South Africa, Australia, West Indies and Bangladesh, in addition to two tri-series wins and leading Pakistan to be the finalists in the Asia Cup.
As we speak, Saim Ayub is the world’s number one all-rounder in T20 cricket, and Usman Tariq, with his perfectly legal action, has provided Pakistan’s bowling line-up with a contested but undeniable innovation.
The spin arsenal of Saim, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Shadab Khan and Muhammad Nawaz has shaped up to be one of the most promising in the tournament, if the statement 3-0 win against Australia was any indication.
All histories up till now have shown that Pakistan’s form before a tournament is just about as untrustworthy as Pakistan’s performances during one — but against all my wisdom, I am compelled to hope.
Of course, cricket is currently at the mercy of administrative mishaps and Pakistan fans are at the mercy of the Pakistan cricket team. But sometimes it is good to remember that not even the most illustrious of wisdoms and an undeniable breadth of knowledge does not absolve us of this reality: when Pakistan plays cricket, we will be tuning in.
Hopefully, this time, the sadder songs will remain in the archives.
Header image: Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh (L) during the third T20 international cricket match between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 1. — AFP
KARACHI: A series of spectacular goals provided the highlights as the group stage of the National Challenge Cup concluded on Sunday, with Mamsons, Pakistan Air Force, Wapda, Pakistan Army and SA Gardens securing places in the quarter-finals.
The standout moments came from Wapda’s Ali Raza, who struck an acrobatic overhead kick, and Pakistan Army’s Mohammad Rafay, whose first-time volley from a corner drew applause.
In Group ‘A’, Mamsons held Pakistan Navy to a goalless draw at the KPT Stadium to finish top of the group. Navy, needing a win to qualify, dominated possession and forced Mamsons goalkeeper Usman Ali into two early saves but failed to convert their chances. Mamsons defended resolutely in the second half to deny Navy the breakthrough.
Mamsons will face Group ‘B’ runners-up Khan Research Laboratories in the quarter-finals.
Wapda topped Group ‘B’ with a commanding 5-0 win over Hazara Coal at the KMC Stadium. Ali Raza scored a hat-trick, netting twice inside the opening six minutes before producing a stunning overhead kick from a corner. Mohammad Adeel added a third just before the interval, Ahmed Faheem struck after the restart, and Ali completed his treble in the 53rd minute. Wapda will meet Pakistan Air Force in the last eight.
Pakistan Army finished top of Group ‘C’ after defeating International Supply Company at the KPT Stadium. Rafay opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a well-taken volley. Army missed a chance to double their lead when Afzaal’s penalty was saved by Akhtar Ali, but Subhan Karim sealed the win with a breakaway goal in the 61st minute. Army now face Nimso.
In Group ‘D’, 10-man SA Gardens edged Nimso 1-0 at the KMC Stadium to claim top spot. Despite Ali Khan Niazi’s early dismissal, Shahzeb Nawaz headed home the winner in the 53rd minute. SA Gardens will take on International Supply Company in the quarter-finals.
Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026
LIVERPOOL: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to give his side a 2-1 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, narrowing the gap with Premier League leaders Arsenal to six points and breathing new life into the title race.
The Norwegian’s 21st league goal of the season capped a thrilling comeback after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free kick put Liverpool ahead in the 74th minute, only for Bernardo Silva to equalise late before Haaland’s decisive spot-kick.
City were staring at a nine-point deficit, but the victory keeps Pep Guardiola’s side in contention while Liverpool slumped to sixth place, now 11 points behind City, while Szoboszlai also saw red for denying Haaland a late goal-scoring opportunity.
The visitors dominated the early possession to silence the Anfield crowd, with Haaland nearly opening the scoring in the second minute when Silva played him through, but goalkeeper Alisson sprinted off his line to smother the attempt.
City’s January signing Marc Guehi received a hostile reception from the Liverpool crowd, with boos ringing out when he touched the ball — a pointed reminder of his failed summer transfer move to Anfield from Crystal Palace.
But the England defender kept his composure, snuffing out dangerous chances for Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool failed to get a shot on target in the first half.
Towards the end of the opening period, Salah screamed for a penalty after Silva tugged at him during a set piece as the Egyptian fell over attempting a shot.
However, neither the referee nor VAR spotted a foul, leaving the teams deadlocked at the break.
Having been second-best in the first half, Liverpool emerged transformed after the restart, firing four shots in 11 minutes as the Anfield crowd found their voice.
Ekitike missed two chances while Szoboszlai tested City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, before the Hungarian midfielder’s moment of magic arrived with a swerving free kick that sailed past the Italian, who could only watch as it found the net.
But City’s response was swift as they equalised 10 minutes later when Haaland headed a cross over the defence for Silva to score from the edge of the six-yard box.
The decisive moment came in added time when Matheus Nunes was brought down in the penalty area by Alisson after being put through on the right flank, allowing Haaland to step up and silence the crowd with his first goal at Anfield.
In a chaotic finale, Rayan Cherki appeared to score from the halfway line after Alisson ventured upfield, with Haaland and Szoboszlai sprinting and tussling with each other as the ball crept over the line.
VAR disallowed the goal, however, while Szoboszlai was sent off for tugging Haaland’s shirt, with Cherki blasting the resulting free-kick into the crowd before the final whistle.
In a late game on Saturday, Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck in the 85th-minute for a 3-2
victory at Newcastle United in a see-saw contest, with the win moving Keith Andrews’ side up to seventh.
Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026
KOLKATA: Italy open their ICC T20 World Cup mission with a Group ‘C’ match against Scotland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.
Italy, who have clinched FIFA World Cup four times, will be the lowest-ranked team in the global T20 cricket competition where the European team will be making their debut.
“How did we get to the World Cup? In Italy we say ‘miracolo Italiano’, an ‘Italian miracle’,” said Riccardo Maggio, development officer with the Italian Cricket Federation.
Maggio has spent a lifetime helping cricket grow on the fringes of the football-obsessed nation.
“We’re coming to the [T20] World Cup, and believe me, we’re not coming just once for appearance,” he said. “Passion and the Italian way of doing things make us the miracle that we are.”
Italy beat Scotland in the qualifiers and facing them again on Monday would be a “huge honour”, said skipper Wayne Madsen.
“Captaining Italy is not something I take lightly,” the South Africa-born Madsen, 42, who has played English county cricket, told AFP.
Italy in other group-stage matches also face England, the West Indies and Nepal.
The 56-year-old Maggio played for Italy in a six-wicket victory over an England Cricket Board XI in 1998, a match that the ICC said “shocked” cricket.
“I was on the field that day and we had to play out of our skins,” he said, voice trembling.
“And now we’re playing England at the World Cup. I’m sorry, but I’m going to cry.”
Italy’s federation says it has about 1,800 players and around 100 clubs. “Football will always be huge in Italy, that’s just the reality,” Madsen said, adding that playing in the World Cup will be a “massive” boost. “When people see Italy competing on a global stage, it sparks interest and belief,” he said.
Cricket actually has a long history in Italy. In 1793, English naval hero Horatio Nelson “organised the first-ever recorded game in Naples”, according to the ICC, most likely to keep his sailors out of trouble while in port. An Italian English-born colonel, Francis Maceroni, then took the game to Naples in the 1810s.
The Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club was founded in 1893 at the British consulate, aiming to play cricket in summer and football in winter. It became the country’s oldest football club, with Genoa winning Serie A nine times.
“It’s still called ‘Genoa Cricket and Football Club’,” Maggio noted.
AC Milan, according to its club history, was founded as the “Milan Football and Cricket Club” in 1899.
“We have Italians from Australia, Italians from South Africa, the Asian-Italian community, Italians from Italy,” Maggio said.
Madsen will complete an unusual World Cup double on Monday – playing in two different sports for two countries. He played at the field hockey World Cup for his native South Africa, but holds an Italian passport now through his ancestry.Former South Africa T20 international J.J. Smuts, who is now Italian through marriage, is also in the squad.
Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026
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