THE GREEN SHIRTS RULE
by SHAHED SADULLAH
Late on the afternoon of Sunday, the 21st June, 2009, if you happened to be in the vicinity of St John’s Wood in London, you could have been forgiven for thinking that Pakistan had perhaps mounted a successful invasion of the area and taken over the place. St John’s Wood is the area where the Lord’s cricket ground is located, the venue of Pakistan’s astounding triumph in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup. It was not a victory that was entirely expected, and therefore all the more sweet. More than once in this tournament Pakistan had been on the brink of extinction, where one below par performance would have seen them catching the next flight home. More than once Pakistan produced the goods when needed; more than once they rose to the occasion to give Pakistan’s campaign new hope. By the time they reached the semifinals, the momentum was going their way and it had become all but impossible to stop the Pakistani juggernaut. The might of 
South Africa, the favourites for the title, was blown away in the semifinals and Sri Lanka were never really in the final at all. Out of the 40 overs played in that final, Sri Lanka won but five of their final 20 overs. In the other 35 overs played in the match, it was Pakistan all the way.
There was some tension when Pakistan were left to get 26 in the final three overs, but if the overflowing Lord’s crowd, mostly consisting of Pakistani supporters, were starting to get the jitters, Afridi calmed them in the space of two balls. A six and a four of Udana all but took Pakistan home. The final rites were duly performed in the following over.
Most Pakistanis had not purchased tickets for the final, not expecting Pakistan to get that far; most Indians, confident of their team’s success, had done so and therefore many Indians fans were selling their tickets to Pakistanis on the Friday and Satruday before the final. They were not letting them go cheap though; one ticket was going for as much as £600, but the wary ones held on till a few moments before the start of the match when, to avoid the prospect of being left high and dry with the tickets, punters sold them for even £200. Even that was two and a half times the marked price.
As soon as the winning run was scored, the crowd, a heaving sea of green, erupted. But unlike the scenes seen of previous tours by Pakistani cricket teams, no one came on to the playing area thus allowing all to enjoy the victory. There were huge roars of acclaim for Afridi, Younis and Umar Gul as they came to receive their medals and the team then went on a lap of honour holding the World Cup high in a gesture that almost drove the crowd wild.
As events came to a conclusion inside the ground, the street parties began. People sporting the green shirt of Pakistan and waving the green flag carrying the crescent and star riding atop cars with horns blaring could be seen not just in the vicinity of St John’s Wood but in all areas with concentrations of Pakistanis - Southall, Walthamstow, Green Street, Ilford, Hounslow to name but a few of the areas of London. Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Leeds all witnessed similar scenes. The warm (by British standards) and sunny weather helped with many riding open top cars; cars with tops had their windows down, most with the green and white flag of Pakistan flowing out of the window. Loudspeakers gave out slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and ‘Allah hu Akbar’. Most said that it was a great thing for Pakistan, especially at this juncture given all the problems the country was facing and there was a realisation that this victory went so much
An Eye Witness Account Of The London Celebrations
by RAZIA SULTANA
As soon as Shahid Afridi played the winning stroke in the final of Twenty20 World Cup against Sri Lanka, the Pakistanis in eastern London took to the streets and chanted slogans like ‘Pakistan Zindabad and Pakistan Paindabad’.
Ilford Lane, Green Street and other such areas where quite a few Pakistanis reside, were echoing with the Pakistani national songs like ‘Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan’ and people were dancing to the drum beats. Nearly all eyes were brimming with tears of happiness at the brilliant win. Young girls were wearing green dresses and bangles to show solidarity with their Pakistani brothers.
The youngsters who were celebrating the memorable event said, “Pakistan’s victory has made us very proud and the world should now know that Pakistanis are not terrorists but a peace loving and friendly people.”
A large number of zealous youngsters took out a rally from Alfred Lane to the High Road with the Pakistan flag flying high and effigies of the Pakistani team in their hands. People at the rally were thankful to Allah for the Pakistan’s victory when the country needed it the most.
Pakistanis have once again shown the world that they have misunderstood us. UK-based Pakistanis distributed sweets and the atmosphere was filled with joy. There was a sense of celebration and thanksgiving. There was such a big crowd of jubilant people in Alfred and Green Lane that the police had to step in and block the roads. Even the UK-born Pakistanis were chanting slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad!” and “Cricket Team Zindabad!” while dancing merrily.
Many of the Pakistanis decorated their cars with the green flags while those standing alongside the roads kept chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad!’ and ‘Shahid Afridi Zindabad!’
Children and girls had beautifully painted the Pakistani flag’s design on their faces. Even the Englishmen and people from other communities joined in while clapping and cheering.
The sky was filled with magnificent fireworks making the atmosphere even more warm and cheerful. After the victory of the Pakistan cricket team, the celebrations had started and continued throughout the streets and roads of London in the traditional Pakistani manner. It continued throughout the night with men, women and the whole community in general participating in the celebrations. |
beyond cricket. As they celebrated, the Indians were seen slinking away rather sheepishly, hoping against hope that something would turn up to discredit the Pakistanis. The scenes were not unlike those shown in Britain on Pakistani TV channels of people celebrating in Pakistan, with the exception that perhaps more females were visible and quite a few of them were much more forthcoming than their sisters would be in Pakistan. One young lady quite unabashed held aloft her mobile telephone number begging Shahid Afrid to give her a call!
The well known British boxer of Pakistani origin, Amir Khan, who is due for a world title fight next month joined the celebrations. He was at Lords before the game started and had said what a great thing it would be for Pakistan if they could win. Asked who he would be backing, it did not take him long to say ‘Pakistan’.
But it was Shahid Afridi, the handsome Pathan who was the man of the hour. The world lay at his feet, for that is where he chose to put it with his amazing exploits. There have been outstanding performance on the cricket field, but nothing like this. He put Pakistan at the centre of media attention and for the first time in years, that focus was a positive one.
He also put himself very much at the centre of female attention. One excited and obviously adoring Pakistani girl exclaimed ‘Afridi Rocks’ and one felt sure that the Sri Lankan cricketers who were at the receiving end would be quite willing to sign that with their blood. He sure rocked them.
Too often in years gone by, Pakistani fans have celebrated not with but against others which has sometimes left an unpleasant taste in the mouth. There was none of that this time which could have been due to the fact that the final victory was against Sri Lanka, a country for which most Pakistanis have fond feelings, but one would like to think that it was also because this Pakistani community in the UK is now settling in and finding its place as a part of this multicultural society. That made the victory even more appreciable and enjoyable. So inclusive and good natured were the celebrations that quite a few normally stoic cops also joined in, although their movements made it clear that they were just not cut out for the bhangra. And everyone appreciated exactly what this meant to Pakistan, for its image not just as a cricketing power but as a nation and as a society which can come together, which can fight its way out of adversity, which can respond even when the chips are down and which, in spite of circumstances which may be described as adverse and discouraging, can produce excellence of the highest calibre and triumph – and then have the grace to include others in this triumph.
This World Cup triumph has done a lot for Pakistan both at home and abroad. The Pakistani nation and the Pakistani Diaspora owe a great deal to those boys who took the field at Lords on the afternoon of June 21.
