Misbah-ul-Haq Hopes Pakistan Doesn’t Go Overboard With Celebrations After Breaking World Cup Jinx Against India

Misbah-ul-Haq, former Pakistan captain and coach, and current Pakistan skipper Babar Azam were among the ones who cautioned the Pakistan players of not going “overboard” with their celebrations following the historic win over India as it was only the first match of the team’s T20 World Cup campaign.

Misbah-ul-Haq, who was forced to resign as head coach of the national team one month before the 2021 World T20 Cup, said the Pakistan players must remain focused on winning the mega-event after beating India for the first time in a World Cup. Misbah-ul-Haq played 75 tests, 162 ODIs, and 39 T20 internationals in his international career.

Misbah-ul-Haq Hopes Pakistan Doesn’t Go Overboard With Celebrations After Breaking Jinx Of Losing In World Cups

In Match 1 of Group 1 of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan brought to an end India’s near-three-decade domination of them in the world stage in the most convincing fashion, embarrassing their arch-rivals by 10 wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The law of averages had to catch up with India sooner or later after having won seven ODI and five T20 World Cup games since they first met at Sydney in 1992.

Speaking on the a sports Channel with Waqar Younis who also resigned as bowling coach before the tournament, Misbah-ul-Haq said: “I just hope we don’t go overboard with the celebrations and forget we have more matches to play and win in the World Cup.”

Misbah-ul-Haq said that the team had displayed perfect discipline and executed its plans to perfection to beat India by 10 wickets.

“Now the task is to ensure we continue to play with the same discipline with every player fulfilling his role as he did against India if we are to win the tournament, “Misbah-ul-Haq added.

Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis resigned soon after the team returned from the West Indies. A few days after, former captain and commentator Ramiz Raja took charge as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman on September 13. Waqar Younis also noted that it was a tendency in Pakistan cricket that celebrations tended to go overboard. Waqar Younis and Misbah-ul-Haq both had a year still left in their tenures, having taken charge in September 2019.

“This is only the first match and we are still to play against other tough opposition. If we beat India today it does not mean we should take it for granted we can also beat New Zealand, Afghanistan for that we will have to continue the hard work.”

Babar Azam made the same impassioned plea to his players in a video released by the PCB soon after winning the match against India.

“Let’s celebrate, let us go back to the hotel and enjoy this moment with our families but don’t forget this match is now over and we must get back on track to prepare for the other matches of the tournament,” Babar said to his players.

Babar Azam said that after beating India, there would be more expectations from the team now, and to live up to them, the players will have to work harder.

“I want every player to celebrate this moment tonight but then go back to realizing what his role is in the team and what is expected of him in the remaining matches. We have not just come here to win against India, we have come here to win the World Cup, always remember that, ” Babar said.

Pakistan team’s interim head coach, Saqlain Mushtaq, also reminded the players that now teams will come stronger at Pakistan after the win over India.

“We must all do soul searching and think about what we did right today to win the match in such a fashion and to also think and keep working on the weak areas where we still need to continue to do work to remove them. It is about honest self-assessment,” he said.

Saqlain Mushtaq also said that the players must not get carried away with the celebrations after the win over India as cricket was a cruel sport, and every match was a new one. Former Pakistan opener, Mohsin Khan said that winning the toss had been vital for Pakistan and Babar Azam took the right decision to chase down a total as dew would remain a big factor for teams in the tournament.

Aaqib Javed And Rashid Latif Impressed With Pakistan’s Win

Former Test pacer Aaqib Javed said that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s burst of two wickets with the new ball and Hasan Ali’s one wicket put India on the back foot, and they never recovered after that.

“I liked the way the bowlers displayed so much discipline and game awareness today. Haris Rauf used the slower balls to great advantage, ” he said.

Aaqib Javed, a 1992 World Cup-winning squad member, said that it was good to see the Pakistan players showing so much self-belief and confidence.

“India is a top side and to beat them by 10-wickets is amazing. Don’t rule out a rematch with them perhaps in the final, ” he said.

Pakistan’s former wicketkeeper-batsman and captain Rashid Latif lauded the thorough professional attitude and performance of the players.

“Everything went according to plan today starting with the toss. I don’t think any other team which loses its head coach and bowling coach just before a World Cup can perform like this. This can only be done by Pakistan which produces remarkable cricket when least expected,” Latif said.

Pakistan’s former Test pacer Umar Gul said he did not doubt that India would make a strong comeback in their remaining matches.

“They are a very strong side and they will be smarting after this defeat. Expect them to come back strongly.”

Pakistan embarrassed their arch-rivals by 10 wickets in the Super 12 match. Babar Azam stroked his way to 68 while his opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan, smashed 79 as the Indian bowlers struggled to contain the two batters.