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Anwar Ali displays the brighter dimension of Pakistan’s unpredictability during 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka at Colombo

Anwar Ali and gang reminded us that unpredictability is a two sided coin.

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Anwar Ali's blitz helped Pakistan to cleen sweep the T20I series © AFP
Anwar Ali’s blitz helped Pakistan to clean sweep the T20I series © AFP

Every international team is associated with one predominant trait which may be of positive or negative in nature. The current Pakistani side is widely associated with the trait of unpredictability which by nature is neutral, but tends to be viewed as a negative trait. Anwar Ali, who is more renowned for his bowling abilities, played a blitz of a knock to steal victory from the jaws of defeat against Sri Lanka during the second T20I at Colombo. After watching this knock, Rishad D’Souza feels Ali and Pakistan reinforced the fact that unpredictability has a brighter side to it as well.

With Pakistan tottering at 40 for five after some inspired bowling from the Sri Lankans, only the most optimistic Pakistani fan and the most pessimistic Sri Lankan supporter thought that Pakistan could go on to chase a stiff target of 173 from there, given the asking rate had climbed to about 11. The Sri Lankans bowled really well and the opening spell from Binura Fernando was impressive in particular. READ: Anwar Ali plays blinder as Pakistan win by 1 wicket to clinch T20I series 2-0

Any other team, would have probably given up hopes after 40 for five. But, Pakistan still had Shahid ‘Lala’ Afridi in their dugout and he is probably the king in the kingdom called unpredictability especially as far as he prowess with the bat is concerned. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka today was one of those days where Afridi was going to torment bowlers.

And so he did, he unleashed himself brutally on the clueless bowlers, a lot of whom were yet to experience such an occurrence first hand. He devoured everything that came his way. One can’t help but suspect that he was a little riled up because Fernando stole his celebration after each of his wickets and was hence spurred to prove who the real king was.

However, Afridi’s knock ended – agonisingly for Pakistan and triumphantly for Sri Lanka – five runs short of his half century and with Pakistan still a long way away from the required target. After clean bowling him Shehan Jayasuriya set of like a wild bird and he made no attempt to hide how much relief Sri Lanka felt at his wicket.

By this stage the most optimistic Pakistani follower satisfied his ego by reminding himself that Pakistan were the undoubted champions through the series and the pessimistic Sri Lankan fan was upset about why his team had not put in such a complete performance throughout the series.

Everyone had accepted that it was over for Pakistan, conveniently forgetting the tag they are most renowned for. Not many predicted the tail enders to take it away from there, with Pakistan still needing to knock away about 65 runs at 11 runs per over. Anwar Ali had other plans though.

There was no time to set his eye in, he had to pounce on every ball that came his way and today it paid off. Apart from Lasith Malinga, who was captaining Sri Lanka in absence of an injured Angelo Mathews, no other bowler was markedly poor. But, Ali was in a different mood, every time he attempted to strike a boundary, it came off and it came off well.

As his innings progressed rapidly, hopes of a Pakistan win grew in strength and by the end of his innings with a 17-ball 46, Pakistan were well within reach. They lost a couple of wickets thereafter though and were left with about seven runs to achieve at run a ball with just one wicket to spare.

With six runs needed, it came down to the final over, which was bowled by the man who had earlier imitated Lala Afridi. Sri Lanka required him to have that opportunity to perform his plagiarised celebration just once more. His first ball was a nicely disguised slower one to Mohammad Irfan. Irfan somehow managed to get hold of it to get it away for a single. The next ball was another slower one in the slot for Imad Wasim to hit and he took the opportunity to launch it over long on to seal victory.

Anwar and gang reminded us that unpredictability is a two sided coin and this time they came out on the brighter side of it.

(Rishad D’Souza, a reporter with CricketCountry, gave up hopes of playing Test cricket after a poor gully-cricket career. He now reports on the sport. You can follow @RDcric on Twitter)

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