Razzaq makes us proud!

We all saw it last night. We all saw why Pakistan cricket is so special.

Most of the special wins that Pakistan have achieved during their cricketing history have been at the result of outstanding individual performances.

Yes, it is a team game and Australia and South Africa have time and again shown how a good team effort can bring you wins consistently.

For Pakistan, however, it has always been about the Imran Khans, Javed Miandads, Wasim Akrams, Waqar Younis’, Shoaib Akhtars, Inzamam Ul Haqs, Saeed Anwars, and Shahid Afridis that have brought them victories single handedly.

And last night Abdul Razzaq did exactly that!

He single handedly destroyed South Africa's bowling attack to notch up a brilliant match winning century that led Pakistan to victory by a mere one wicket with only one ball to spare. The belligerence of Razzaq's innings is demonstrated by the statistic of 10 sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten innings of 109 that took him only 72 deliveries. The magnificence of Razzaq's innings is demonstrated in the fact that he came to the crease in the 30th over with the score on 136-5. Pakistan still needed another 151 runs in 20 overs with half the team back in the pavilion.

The best part is the wizardry that Razzaq showed at the crease. With 5 overs remaining, Pakistan required a near impossible 54 runs to win with 3 wickets in hand. Out of the next 29 balls that were delivered, Razzaq faced all but 8 of them!

Out of the final 17 balls that were delivered, Razzaq faced all but 1 of them!

Last night, Razzaq was a wizard at the crease. He toyed with the South Africans, hogged the strike, smashed boundaries and sixes with abandon, and did as he willed.

South Africa probably still don't know what struck them. How many of you did not bother to watch Pakistan's chase, knowing that traditionally we are bad chasers?

How many of you turned the TV off when Afridi fell in the 30th over, knowing that there was no more hope?

I bet the majority did.

But the beauty of Pakistan cricket is in the fact that we can notch up victories from situations that seem impossible and when there is no hope left. Those victories have become rare in recent times, but when they happen, it really feels damn good. As it did last night when Razzaq produced a dazzler out of no where. The emotions that Razzaq showed at the end of the match show what this victory means to him and to Pakistan.

And it is those emotions that keep Pakistan cricket fans like me, and many of you, waiting for the men in green to show the world the beauty of Pakistan cricket.

This post was originally published here