Can this guy bowl three dots in the last over of a narrow chase? That too in a T20 game.
He doesn’t even look like a fast bowler now. There was a time he would normally bowl at 150 kph. But now he is 37. Actually today he got 37. Now he walks like a lower order Zimbabwean batsman.
You know he failed to defend 15 in the last over of an important ODI game and Pakistan lost the series. And here, he has to save last 5 off last 6 in a T20 game.
Anwar Ali is facing him. He can hit the ball. On the other end stands Roussow, who is amongst the top scorers of the season.
Can Sami win it for Islamabad?
How many of us would think so?
He runs in. Anwar is ready to finish it on the first ball. He doesn't want to play the rest. Sami knows it. He bangs it short and drags Anwar towards his off stump. Anwar swings it hard and fails to meet the pace of ball. He is no deVilliers.
But he can finish it on the next one.
Next one is no different.
Now they need 5 off 4.
Third ball reflects a change of plan. Sami changes the line but keeps the length. Anwar desperately meets the ball and manages an awkward stroke. He rushes towards the other end. Mid-on gets the chance to run him out. But Badree doesn’t look interested.
It should’ve hurt Sami.
But he doesn’t even look at anyone. He thoughtfully walks towards Misbah. There is a chat. By the looks of it, it is safe to say that Misbah wants him to bowl almost the same stuff to Rossouw.
Roussow too has no cure for it. He swings it hard. And misses.
Now, nobody knows how much Quetta need off how many.
Sir Viv is shown on the big screen. He is smiling. But his face tells you that he knows it is one of those days. He is just trying to convince himself.
Sami is ready to bowl the fourth one. Suddenly Misbah calls him. A bit of chat there and we see Smith is being removed from Mid-on and sent to Long-on.
Why that?
What to follow?
Sami runs in and offers no width this time. Blocked in his own feet, Roussow strikes it towards the long on. There, Smith is quick in returning the throw but Anwar is not enough so. He is run out.
Quetta have cursed themselves. Sami has made it happen. The team that dominated the game in last two hours is on the brink now.
They need two off the last ball.
Can Roussow do it?
Nine out of ten times you’d say he can. Tenth time it'd be against Sami.
Sami runs in. Roussow knows he needs runs to win it. But the last five balls have shattered his nerves. Sami cramps him for room. Again he fails to adjust to pace and it goes straight to Misbah at mid on.
He collects it cleanly. Sami receives the throw at bowling end but he fumbles. So does Roussow. He knows he is over the line but he forgets that they aren’t yet. Perera keeps begging for the second.
But Roussow believes it’s over.
What were you expecting five minutes ago?
Misbah shouts loud for Sami. They rush in from the square. Sami is their hero of the night. He is the man on camera now. They all are behind him. He is smiling.
They defended two off the last ball.
They pulled off a magic.
And here, I am thinking why this cricketing brain played only 36 Tests and 87 ODIs for Pakistan in a career spanning 16 years?
He hasn’t retired yet. But another chance seems unlikely now.
He has missed many of those already.
He doesn’t even look like a fast bowler now. There was a time he would normally bowl at 150 kph. But now he is 37. Actually today he got 37. Now he walks like a lower order Zimbabwean batsman.
You know he failed to defend 15 in the last over of an important ODI game and Pakistan lost the series. And here, he has to save last 5 off last 6 in a T20 game.
Anwar Ali is facing him. He can hit the ball. On the other end stands Roussow, who is amongst the top scorers of the season.
Can Sami win it for Islamabad?
How many of us would think so?
He runs in. Anwar is ready to finish it on the first ball. He doesn't want to play the rest. Sami knows it. He bangs it short and drags Anwar towards his off stump. Anwar swings it hard and fails to meet the pace of ball. He is no deVilliers.
But he can finish it on the next one.
Next one is no different.
Now they need 5 off 4.
Third ball reflects a change of plan. Sami changes the line but keeps the length. Anwar desperately meets the ball and manages an awkward stroke. He rushes towards the other end. Mid-on gets the chance to run him out. But Badree doesn’t look interested.
It should’ve hurt Sami.
But he doesn’t even look at anyone. He thoughtfully walks towards Misbah. There is a chat. By the looks of it, it is safe to say that Misbah wants him to bowl almost the same stuff to Rossouw.
Roussow too has no cure for it. He swings it hard. And misses.
Now, nobody knows how much Quetta need off how many.
Sir Viv is shown on the big screen. He is smiling. But his face tells you that he knows it is one of those days. He is just trying to convince himself.
Sami is ready to bowl the fourth one. Suddenly Misbah calls him. A bit of chat there and we see Smith is being removed from Mid-on and sent to Long-on.
Why that?
What to follow?
Sami runs in and offers no width this time. Blocked in his own feet, Roussow strikes it towards the long on. There, Smith is quick in returning the throw but Anwar is not enough so. He is run out.
Quetta have cursed themselves. Sami has made it happen. The team that dominated the game in last two hours is on the brink now.
They need two off the last ball.
Can Roussow do it?
Nine out of ten times you’d say he can. Tenth time it'd be against Sami.
Sami runs in. Roussow knows he needs runs to win it. But the last five balls have shattered his nerves. Sami cramps him for room. Again he fails to adjust to pace and it goes straight to Misbah at mid on.
He collects it cleanly. Sami receives the throw at bowling end but he fumbles. So does Roussow. He knows he is over the line but he forgets that they aren’t yet. Perera keeps begging for the second.
But Roussow believes it’s over.
What were you expecting five minutes ago?
Misbah shouts loud for Sami. They rush in from the square. Sami is their hero of the night. He is the man on camera now. They all are behind him. He is smiling.
They defended two off the last ball.
They pulled off a magic.
And here, I am thinking why this cricketing brain played only 36 Tests and 87 ODIs for Pakistan in a career spanning 16 years?
He hasn’t retired yet. But another chance seems unlikely now.
He has missed many of those already.
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