Islamabad’s win a triumph of experience

Dubai: Islamabad United’s triumph as the first champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) proved that even in Twenty20 cricket, experience counts and sheer youthful exuberance alone cannot win tournaments.

It was 38-year-old Brad Haddin’s unbeaten 61 and 32-year-old Dwayne Smith’s 73 runs that ensured Islamabad a six-wicket win in the finals over Quetta Gladiators on Tuesday night at the Dubai International stadium. Interestingly, the winning run was hit by their 41-year-old captain Misbah-ul Haq.

The triumph was an answer to many who believed that ageing players should not be playing nor leading a side in Twenty20 cricket despite their class. Misbah, after lifting the trophy, said: “In crunch situations like in a tournament final where you have to chase 174 runs, it cannot be done without an experienced line-up. It is important to have a mixture of experience and youth in the team and we had it.”

Haq then went on to narrate how experience had helped him in Twenty20 cricket. “I first played T20 in 2007 and by then, I was well-experienced as a cricketer. I was 33 years old by then and I had lot of first class experience and in a crunch situation it is experience that comes handy.

Haq then went on to hail his team’s 35-year-old pacer bowler Mohammad Sami, who has often been ignored recently due to his age. “Sami is experienced and though he may not have performed well some time back, in the Bangladesh Premier League tournament and domestic tournaments and in the PSL he has proved to be a mature bowler. We had other experienced bowlers in Mohammad Irfan, Andre Russell and Samuel Badree. If you look at our batting line-up too, we had Smith who is well experienced in T20 as he plays all around the world. Players like Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif played their role well and finished the matches.”

Misbah stressed on the experience and age factor so much that he was even asked whether he should be leading the Pakistan team in the Twenty20 World Cup instead of Shahid Afridi as he has proved to be the best. “I believe we should not change the captain. We all need to support the captain. In fact, the PSL will give a big boost to our players. They have got some excellent practice in the T20 format and it will prove very beneficial for the Asia Cup and the World Cup. I am confident that our captain will win the World Cup. My full support is for him.”

Legendary pacer Wasim Akram, who as mentor of the Islamabad team, agreed that his team has proved that Twenty20 is not only a young man’s game. “Everyone thought T20 was a young man’s game, but the way Smith and Haddin have played through the tournament was amazing,” said Akram, who went on hail his team’s head coach Dean Jones. “Thanks to Deano (Jones nickname) he’s been really good and a great mentor,” added Akram.

Responding to Akram’s remark, Jones said: “Akram’s an all-time great since I’ve been playing. I think we have a great squad and someone or the other put his hand up in every match and performed.”

Brief scores

Islamabad United bt Quetta Gladiators by six wickets. Quetta 174 for 7 in 20 overs (Ahmad Shehzad 64, Kumar Sangakkara 55, Mohammad Irfan 2 for 25, Andre Russell 3 for 36) Islamabad 175 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Dwayne Smith 73, Brad Haddin 61n.o).