There was no highlight for Pakistan in any major sport during 2019. This was the year when the Cricket World Cup was staged in the UK.....
SPORTS ROUNDUP
Never before has it been as difficult for me to write a sports round up as it is this year; not that there’s nothing interesting happening in the world of sports but because of what is happening to this industry in Pakistan.
There was no highlight for Pakistan in any major sport during 2019. This was the year when the Cricket World Cup was staged in the UK. In all fairness, Pakistan never had a chance especially the way they were crushed in the ODI series by England right before the mega event. They didn’t look like the Pakistan team the world is accustomed to seeing at the World Cups.
IT CAME HOME!
The trial and test formula of the PCB had backfired against the Aussies earlier in the year when they were convincingly beaten in the UAE in limited overs format. The Cricket World Cup was looking like a three horse race with India, Australia and England all fully prepared to lift the illustrious trophy.
Pakistans campaign started in the worst possible manner when they were thoroughly outclassed by the West Indies. They were not expected to get rolled over so easily against the Windies; this was, rather, an ‘easier’ opponent and their next match was against the host who had just a few days back trounced them effortlessly. But, on the big day, Pakistan team swept aside the English to give their campaign a fresh start.
Their game against Sri Lanka was washed off giving a point each to both teams; this was again a winnable contest so dropping points here seemed fatal and eventually it proved to be so.
Pakistan continued losing run in the World Cups, which is getting embarrassing every time we play India at the mega event, when they faced their arch rivals and their campaign looked all but over.
Sandwiched between the washed out game against Sri Lanka and the defeat to India was another loss at the hands of the Aussies. In order to get to the semifinals, Team Green was required to beat all their next opponents and hope other results went their way, which was paramount to a sporting miracle and if one team even at their lowest of lows can pull off a miracle in the world of cricket it is Pakistan.
Sarfaraz’s men went on an astonishing run of victories and were looking like a top four team. Unfortunately, however, others didn’t do their part for that miracle to actually happen and Pakistan failed to qualify for the semis.
India was partly culpable for Pakistan failing to reach the knockout stage as they gave away a game that they could have easily won; and it knocked Pakistan out of the tournament. Karma struck back when Kohli’s men lost a seemingly winnable last four match to the Kiwis. England outclassed Australia to book a place in the final.
The final, except for the New Zealand fans and their team, was an absolute treat for sports enthusiasts. For the first time ever the match was decided by a super over and thanks to their star all-rounder Ben Stokes England finally managed to lift the World Cup on their home turf.
Ben Stokes carried his limited over form to the Test format as they faced Australia in the Ashes Test series in England.
World Champion England, in spite of having the likes of Stokes and Root in their rank, was unable to dethrone Australia as they retained the Ashes; the series was drawn 2-2. This was an ideal case of an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object. That immovable object namely Steven Smith scored a massive 774 runs during the series in which he missed one game due to injury.
One positive to come out for Pakistan cricket in 2019 was the return of international cricket. The PCB was able to convince Sri Lanka to play a T20 series in Pakistan. Unfortunately an under strength Sri Lanka visited Pakistan and still managed to beat the host in their own den. Sarfaraz paid the price for the team’s dismal performances and he was relieved from his duties as national team captain from all formats of the game. Mickey Arthur’s contract wasn’t extended either as Misbah-ul-Haq took over as the Head Coach and Chief Selector of Pakistan Cricket Team.
The decision hasn’t gone down very well with cricket fans in Pakistan and their frustration was further compounded when Pakistan expectedly got pummeled Down Under by Australia. Currently the Test team looks pathetic especially in the bowling department with no real experienced fast bowler to lead the lineup. Muhammad Amir’s decision to retire from red ball cricket felt like a stab in the back of an already feeble team.
The year will end with Test cricket returning to Pakistan after a decade, Pakistan hosts Sri Lanka in a 2-match Test Series. Babar Azam was a bright spark for the team in 2019 and he cemented his spot among the best batsmen in the world. Babar at the moment is the highest ranked T20I batsman in world cricket.
Goals Galore
Being a Pakistan cricket and Manchester United fan isn’t a very healthy combination these days. It isn’t pleasing on the eyes seeing your arch enemies in sports India and Liverpool gaining strength day by day.
Liverpool with the services of arguably the best coach in the world JŸrgen Klopp, won the UEFA Champions League having failed at the last hurdle in 2018. Pep Guardiola led the high flying Manchester City to a second EPL title in as many years. For Manchester United the 2018-19 season didn’t end very well as they finished the Premier League season outside of the Champions League places.
Solskjaer continues to be the main man at Old Trafford while Jose Mourinho has replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs, oh the irony!
Barcelona were crowned the champions of Spain while Bayern Munich and Juventus won domestic titles respectively in Germany and Italy. If there ever was doubt whether Messi is still as good as he was in the years gone by, those doubts were brushed aside when the Argentinian maestro was awarded the Ballon d’Or for a record 6th time in his career. He is now leading Cristiano Ronaldo 6-5.
Ronaldo also enjoyed success in 2019 with Juventus and Portugal, who won the first ever UEFA Nations League competition. Brazil emerged victorious at the 2019 Copa America and Algeria were crowned champions at the African Cup of Nations while the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup was won by the USA.
The Aces
Novak Djokovic who was recently crowned Men’s Player of the Decade in Tennis won two of the four Grand Slams in 2019 - the Australian Open and Wimbledon. The other two, French and US Open, were won by Rafael Nadal. Nadal has now won the French Open a record 12 times!
Women Tennis saw four different players claim the four Grand Slam titles. Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open, French Open title was claimed by Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep emerged victorious at Wimbledon while Bianca Andreescu took the US Open crown.
Elsewhere
Two major international sporting events took place in the last quarter of 2019. The IAAF World Athletics Championships at Doha were dominated by the United States. In Japan the Springboks, South Africa national rugby team, claimed their 3rd Rugby World Cup; they are tied now with the All Blacks (New Zealand).
The year 2019 came as a breeze of fresh air for the fans of Tiger Woods; the legendary golfer turned back the clock and clinched the Masters in the month of April. For professional boxing also, 2019 was a very eventful year, as the World Heavyweight title changed hands not once but twice. The then undefeated champion Anthony Joshua in a major upset lost his title to Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden on June 1. Just six months later, however, Joshua reclaimed his title when he defeated Ruiz in Riyadh on December 7.
In Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton cemented his status as one of the finest drivers in F1 history as he won the World Championship Drivers’ trophy for the sixth time in his career. He is now just one behind the great Michael Schumacher. Hamilton’s Mercedes team collected the constructors’ trophy.
Faded Stars
A sports round up can never be completed without remembering the sports stars who once entertained fans with their talents and are no more with us. The most notable Pakistan cricket star who passed away in 2019 was the great Abdul Qadir. Qadir gave life to the art of leg spin in the 80s and was an inspiration to the next generation of leg spinners that included Mushtaq Ahmed, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble. One of England’s greatest fast bowlers Bob Willis died on December 4, he was 70. Other prominent cricket personalities that left us in 2019 include former Pakistan player Akhtar Sarfaraz (43), umpire Riazuddin (60), Australian spinner Bruce Yardley (71) and West Indian batsman Seymour Nurse (85).
Jose Antonio Reyes, who was part of the famous Arsenal “Invincibles” squad that won the 2004 Premier League title without a single defeat, was killed in a car accident. Reyes who also played for Real Madrid was only 35. Earlier in the year Cardiff City’s Emiliano Sala lost his life in an air crash. Sala was signed by Cardiff City just one month before his death for a club record fee, but, before even appearing in his first practice session the Argentinian forward met his untimely end; he was 28.
Can you wait for 2020?
There is so much in store for sports fans in the year 2020. The Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo then there are other major sporting events lined up as well like the T20 World Cup in Australia, the UEFA Euro 2020 which will take place in 12 different cities across Europe to mark the 60th anniversary of the European Championship competition. The 2020 SAFF Championship which was planned to be organized in Pakistan will be held in Bangladesh.
So many wonderful memories will be created, so many hearts will be broken in the world of sports next year just like 2019 and the years before - that is what sports is all about, it is after all a love affair!
