Younus Khan dedicates T20 win to former coach
TRIUMPHANT Pakistan captain Younus Khan dedicated his team’s amazing T20 World Cup win to former coach Bob Woolmer.
Captain Younus watched his side complete a comfortable eight-wicket victory in yesterday’s final with eight balls to spare against Sri Lanka to lift their first major trophy since winning the 1992 World Cup in Australia.
Having restricted Sri Lanka’s powerful line-up to a modest 138 for six, with Abdul Razzaq claiming 3-20, Pakistan sealed their triumph after man-of-the-match Shahid Afridi hit an unbeaten 54 off 40 balls.
The win is Pakistan’s first international triumph since Imran Khan guided the team to World Cup triumph in 1992.
Younus, draped in a Pakistan flag, dedicated the final triumph to former coach Bob Woolmer, who died in unexpected circumstances in Jamaica during the 2007 World Cup.
“This final must be dedicated to Bob because he did a lot of good for us, especially my cricket,” said Younus. “He would be very proud if he was still alive.
“He was a father figure for us at that time. He was the guy who kept saying to the chairman and the selectors that Younus would be the next captain and because of him I have become a captain.”
The win was particularly poignant for Younus who announced his retirement from the T20 format moments after lifting the trophy.
“I am 34 and I am old now for this kind of cricket,” he said after the win.
“The good thing is we have some good youngsters like Shahzaib Hasan and Ahmad Shahzad so I am retiring from Twenty20 cricket. This was my last game.”
Disappointed Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, whose side have now lost in the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup, the final of the 2007 World Cup and in yesterday’s final, admitted they did not set a competitive enough target.
“The way we batted wasn’t the ideal start to our innings,” he said. “We were short of about 20 runs on that track. We tried our best with the total we had but when you don’t get early wickets in the first six overs it’s always an uphill task.
“We’ve had a great tournament and I’m very proud of the way the team have responded, the way they’ve played and the attitude they’ve shown. There are a lot of things to take from here but it’s heartbreaking when you lose a final and Pakistan outplayed us.”
