England ki team Pakistan pressure handle karne gayi thi, lekin wahan jaakar khud hi pressure cooker ban gayi! World Cup preparation ka sapna lekar aaye Harry Brook aur unki paltan ab dead-rubber khelne par majboor hain. Jab aap haari hui baazi ko jeetne ke bajaye jeeti hui baazi haarne mein master ban jao, toh result yahi hota hai. Lahore aur Rawalpindi mein jo tamasha hua hai, usne England ki ODI image ko dhool chatwa di hai.
The Guru Story
Kahaani shuru hoti hai un do matches se jahan England ne "choke" karne ki nayi definition likhi. Pehle Sri Lanka ke khilaaf 430 chase karte waqt unhe 24 for 2 par rok diya, phir haar gaye. Phir Pakistan ke khilaaf 242 defend karte waqt unhe 154 for 9 par la khada kiya, aur wahan bhi surrender kar diya! History mein kisi team ne itne winning positions se matches nahi gawaye jitne England ne pichle ek hafte mein kar dikhaya hai.
Lekin asli maza toh tournament hosts ne diya. Pakistan ko sirf Sri Lanka ko harana tha taaki England ke liye umeed baki rahe, lekin Gaddafi Stadium mein unka "Kudrat ka Nizam" aisa bigda ki poori team 110 runs par dher ho gayi. Dilshan Madushanka ki ghumti ballo ne Pakistan ki batting ki pol khol di. Ab halat ye hai ki Thursday ka match sirf ek formality hai kyunki Sri Lanka pehle hi Final mein pohoch chuki hai.
England ke liye ye series kisi nightmare se kam nahi rahi. Jos Buttler aur Jofra Archer ki gair-maujoodgi mein team bikhar gayi hai. Brendon McCullum ka white-ball coach banna abhi tak koi chamatkar nahi dikha paya hai. Dusri taraf Kusal Mendis ki team ne quietly apna kaam kar diya hai aur ab wo Final ki taiyari kar rahe hain.
Analysis & Numbers
- England ne Pakistan ki dharti par lagatar 6 ODI matches hare hain, unki aakhri jeet yahan 2005 mein aayi thi.
- Joe Root apna landmark 200th ODI is Final mein khelna chahte the, lekin ab unhe Australia tour tak intezar karna hoga.
- Dasun Shanaka ne England ke khilaaf 50 balls mein 97 runs banakar dikha diya ki unke andar abhi cricket baki hai.
- Dunith Wellalage ko apne 50 ODI wickets poore karne ke liye sirf 2 aur shikaar chahiye.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
England ki team Test mein toh entertain karti hai, lekin ODI mein unka system crash ho chuka hai. Pakistan ki pitch par 110 par all out hona tournament hosts ki aukaat dikhata hai, wahi England ka winning position se match harna unki mental weakness hai. Sri Lanka is clearly the better side right now, aur Thursday ko wo experimental bench strength ke saath bhi England ki khichdi bana sakte hain. England ke liye ye consolation win lene ka aakhri mauka hai, warna Australia tour par beizzati pakki hai.
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