If there is one cricketer today who is an embodiment of the importance of second chances in life, it is Mohammad Amir. The 25-year-old probably bowled the spell of his life against India today, and that too, on the biggest stage imaginable.
From the minute he was handed the ball to open the innings, the man bowled with aggression, fire and determination. In five tight and testing overs, he managed to send three Indian top order batsmen back to the pavilion. Two of these batsmen are amongst the top run-getters of the tournament., and the third, unarguably the best limited overs batsman in the world right now.
He trapped Rohit Sharma leg-before-wicket in the third ball of the very first over, thereby sending a clear message to the Indian camp. The pitch, which seemed extremely flat when India were bowling, started to generate seam all of a sudden.
Then, India’s captain and chase-master took guard in the middle. India had a steep target of 339 to chase, but the Indian fans believed. They believed in the magnificence of their captain and his undying hunger to chase down humongous targets.
However, it was not to be. There was a certain man on the other side who wanted to be the hero today.
Amir hurled swinging deliveries in Kohli’s ‘corridor of uncertainty’, each of which would’ve gone on to hit the fourth stump. Kohli caved in the third bowl of Amir’s second over, and edged one to the slip cordon. However, Azhar Ali at first slip made a mess of it.
It seemed like Kohli would make use full of the reprieve, just like Fakhar Zaman had done in the first innings.
Amir, however, was not ready to give up just yet. He bowled a riveting delivery once again, and Kohli, in trying to flip it across to the leg side, edged it to Zaman at point. It was all over, the Indian captain walked back to the pavilion with a meagre score of 5.
India still had Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh at the crease. Dhawan, who is the ultimate ICC tournament performer, and Singh, who was the Player of the Tournament in two World Cup victories for India.
However, Sarfraz Ahmed tossed the ball to Amir, yet again.
The man was bowling his fifth over, and all the two left-handers needed to do was see him off for six more deliveries. It wasn’t to be though. Amir bowled a wide yorker to Dhawan, who nicked it to Sarfraz behind the wicket.
India’s batsman of the tournament and their best bet to ace this chase was back in the hut, with India struggling big time at 33 for 3.
On August 29 in 2010, Amir was banned from professional cricket for five long and painful years for spot-fixing. The cricketing community eventually forgot about him and his name was tainted.
Today, he was the pioneer in scripting one of the biggest victories in Pakistan’s cricketing history. Amir’s bowling figures in his opening spell read 3 for 16 in 6 overs, 2 of which were maidens.
Cricket is a beautifully funny sport, isn’t it?
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