England has once again won the Ashes, against all odds. Though they were playing a significantly less strengthened Ozzie team this time around, yet however weak Australia is, they are still a strong enough threat with the likes of Ponting and Haden in the ranks. BBC: "After losing 5-0 in Australia in 2007, victory in The Oval sun was reminiscent of England's famous 2005 Ashes win. Australia resumed on 80-0 needing a further 466 for a world record win but twice lost two wickets in two overs." (Victorious England regain Ashes)
Afridi proved it once again that his batting and bowling successes in T20 World Cup were not a fluke.
Completing his third consecutive 50 in the T20 Internationals, he proved again that he's the king in this format of the game. Though this innings was not as impressive as the previous two, but Afridi is a treat to watch no matter what kind of form is he in.
This shortest form of the game seems to come natural to Pakistan team as all the excitment that makes them unpredictable in other formats of the game comes together to create an atmosphere where Pakistan thrives.
Though Afridi was the most successful in terms of accumulated runs, the other Pakistani batsmen made valuable contributions. Imran Nazir was the main spearhead in the first few overs after Kamran Akmal departed on the first ball of the innings. He showed no restraint or pressure as the situation might have seemed to ask for, and went on with his natural stroke making.
Umar Akmal was also a good partner to have for Afridi in the middle of the innings, they had a partnership of 66 together. Umar scored at more than a run a ball rate and scored 30 Runs.
Abd-ur-Razzaq showed his metal with quick scoring at the death, and reached 25 without getting out. Last over by Lasith Malinga was not an easy one to negotiate with for Razzaq who would have taken the score even higher had he been able to connect his bat to a couple of more balls.
Today's match against Sri Lanka was also the first match as a captain for Shahid Afridi and his team did him proud. Every one chipped in their share as Afridi lead from the front and finished the series on a high note even though their performance in Test and first three one dayers was nothing short of dismal
Musharraf is living in Britain these days as most Pakistani leaders do once out of power, following suit to the 2 ex prime ministers Nawaz and Benazir as well as Altaf Hussain, leader of the third biggest party in Pakistan, Mutahida Qaumi Movement. This probably goes to prove that the 62 year old nation has not been able to shed the skin of their colonial past completely and their colonial masters as still their masters in freedom. Maybe Musharraf is banking his hopes on the fact that the two previously ousted prime ministers were able to make a successful come back to some level of power with the help of their colonial masters of course. Though Benazir Bhutto perished in her quest for third term in the office by hands of the rampant terrorist, her other half was able to masterfully encash her death in terms of votes and rise to power. Nawaz Shareef was also able to negotiate his come back to pakistani politics despite all attempts by Musharraf to keep him out of the country and out of office in turn, but the dictator tactics failed miserably in the face of popular public opinion. Nawaz who was expelled from the country masterfully by Musharraf, now enjoys power in the most populous province in the country while Musharraf has fell into a trap of his own making. so "What you wish for others, comes true for you".
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