From The Pavilion

Pakistan – The T20 World Cup Champions!
Congratulations to all of you!
Our long wait is finally over — Pakistan has lifted the T20 World Cup trophy. This historic moment fills every Pakistani heart with pride.
We began our campaign with a solid victory against England, and fittingly, we ended it in triumph with another hard-fought and thrilling win against the same opponents. What a journey it has been!
Two very important and memorable things happened during this World Cup campaign that deserve special mention.
✴First major highlight was the return of our highly experienced and skilled former National Manager and Assistant, Muhammad Usama Khan (a Doctor in the making). During His short holiday break, he rejoined the team and proved to be a decisive factor behind Pakistan’s first-ever World Cup triumph in FTP history.
✴Secondly, the inclusion of two wildcard entries in our World Cup squad proved to be a masterstroke.
Anil Rouf, A master find by Nadeem khan, who was added to the 30-man squad just two days before the squad submission deadline due to his finisher Talent.
Mazhar Ramzan, who was not part of the final agreed 20 until the very last moment and was included by the head coach based on his vast experience and skills.
Both players rose to the occasion, delivered when it mattered the most, and turned out to be true saviours for Pakistan — emerging as some of the best performers of the entire campaign.
This victory is a testament to teamwork, belief, timely decisions, and the unwavering commitment of everyone involved. My real Life friend Nadeem khan being my assistant too was a great help.
Here a detailed, game-by-game review of this incredible campaign is being posted
Once again, congratulations Pakistan — this is just the beginning!

Result: Pakistan won by 32 runs
Pitch: Slow
Weather: Cloudy
Pakistan started their T20 World Cup campaign in perfect fashion with a confident win over England.
After winning the toss, Pakistan posted 145/4 in 20 overs. Tom Facchine anchored the innings with a calm and composed 72 (62), while wildcard inclusion Anil Rouf provided the late fireworks with a blistering 47 off 30, pushing Pakistan to a competitive total.
In reply, Pakistan’s bowlers completely dominated England. Mazhar Ramzan, another last-minute inclusion in the squad, delivered a match-winning spell of 4/13 in 3 overs, breaking the backbone of England’s batting. Support came from Sir Derya Akmal (3 wickets) and tight bowling from W. Akram and S. Naved.
England were bowled out for 113 in 16.5 overs.
A perfect start, immediate impact from wildcard picks, and a clear statement from Pakistan in the opening match.

Result: Pakistan won by 1 run
Pitch: Uneven
Weather: Cloudy
Pakistan survived a massive scare to register a thrilling 1-run victory over Zimbabwe in one of the tensest matches of the tournament.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 141 all out. Shujaat Hussain led the innings with an excellent 70 off 48, while UI-Hassan supported well with 35. On a difficult, uneven pitch, scoring was never easy and wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Zimbabwe fought hard in the chase. S. Coetzee (49)* and van Straaten (35) kept them in the hunt till the very end. However, Pakistan held their nerve under pressure. S. Naved led the bowling with early breakthroughs, while Mazhar Ramzan picked up a key wicket and was involved in crucial moments in the field and defended 13 runs in last over.
Zimbabwe finished on 140/7, falling one run short.
A nervy win on a tricky surface, but an important reminder of Pakistan’s ability to hold their composure in high-pressure situations.

Result: Pakistan won by 14 runs
Pitch: Dry
Weather: Cloudy
Pakistan continued their strong World Cup run with a controlled 14-run victory over Sri Lanka.
Batting first, Pakistan posted a competitive 150/5. UI-Hassan played a superb anchoring role with 53 off 41*, while T. Imran (35) and J. Fayyaz (25) provided useful support on a dry surface that offered something for bowlers.
Defending the total, Pakistan’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance. Sir Deya Akmal led the attack brilliantly, while C. Cataracts and M. Iftekhar picked up key wickets to keep Sri Lanka under constant pressure.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 136 in 19.3 overs, never quite able to build a decisive partnership.
Another solid all-round performance from Pakistan, showing control, depth, and consistency as the tournament progressed.

Result: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Pitch: Flat
Weather: Sunny
On a flat surface at Duff Arena, Pakistan made a bold tactical call by going in without a specialist all-rounder, opting instead for five pure bowlers. The decision aimed to strengthen bowling options on a batting-friendly pitch but had an impact on the balance of the side.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 192/7. J. Fayyaz led the way with a fluent 60 off 45, while Jalal Yaqoob (49 off 24) and Anil Rouf (39 off 21)* provided explosive middle and late-innings acceleration.
However, the lack of extra batting depth was felt in the final overs, as South Africa managed to slow Pakistan’s scoring rate towards the end of the innings, preventing the total from going even higher on such a flat wicket.
In reply, South Africa paced their chase well and eventually reached 193/6 on final ball of the innings, winning by 4 wickets despite Pakistan’s efforts with the ball.
A narrow defeat, but an important tactical lesson learned ahead of the knockout stages.

Result: UAE won by 5 runs
Pitch: Flat
Weather: Sunny
On another flat, batting-friendly surface, Pakistan were involved in a high-scoring thriller but fell just short against UAE.
Bowling first, Pakistan struggled to contain UAE’s aggressive batting. A. Saad played a sensational knock of 82 off 42, while Y. Fattah (41)* and K. Rahim (34)* powered UAE to a massive 226/4.
In reply, Pakistan produced a heroic chase. Shujaat Hussain was outstanding with a breathtaking 113 off 55*, and Luqman Fayyaz matched him blow for blow with a stunning 99 off 57. The pair dragged Pakistan back into the contest almost single-handedly.
Despite the incredible effort, Pakistan finished on 221/4, falling just 5 runs short in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament.
A narrow loss, but a huge confidence boost for Pakistan’s batting firepower heading into the decisive stages.
Thats wraps up group stage!

Despite the setbacks, Pakistan’s superior NRR, consistent batting performances, and ability to stay competitive in tight games ensured their place in the knockouts.
Momentum, belief, and lessons learned — Pakistan moved into the Semi-Final battle ready for the biggest challenge yet.

Result: Pakistan won by 2 wickets
Venue: The Bunker
Pitch: Hard
Weather: Sunny
In a tense semi-final clash, Pakistan held their nerve to defeat Ireland by 2 wickets and book a place in the World Cup T20 Final.
Ireland, batting first on a hard surface, posted a competitive 182 all out. N. O’Brien (40) and O. Byrne (36)* provided resistance, but Pakistan’s bowlers kept striking at key moments. M. Iftikhar and B. Arsalan were instrumental in breaking partnerships, while wickets were shared across the attack.
Pakistan’s chase started badly. In a big run chase, Pakistan were 51/4 in 7.1 overs, with early wickets putting the team under serious pressure and the match slipping away.
That’s when the two saviours of Pakistan stepped up.
Luqman Fayyaz (73 off 40) and Anil Rouf (43 off 27) formed a crucial counter-attacking partnership, absorbing pressure and then shifting momentum back in Pakistan’s favor with intelligent stroke play and timely aggression.
Their stand brought Pakistan firmly back into the contest. Despite late wickets adding more tension, Pakistan held their nerve and crossed the line at 183/8 in 19.5 overs, winning by 2 wickets.
A match-winning partnership, nerves of steel, and a performance worthy of a World Cup semi-final

Result: Pakistan won by 10 runs
Venue: Marvellous CG
Pitch: Flat
Weather: Cloudy
Pakistan saved their best for the biggest stage and delivered a performance worthy of World Cup Champions.
Batting first on a flat surface, Pakistan produced a powerful batting display to post a massive 207/5. S. Tahir led the charge with a blistering 65 off 37, while K. Hassan (56)* firepowered the innings beautifully. Valuable contributions from UI-Hassan and Jalal Yaqoob ensured Pakistan crossed the 200 mark — a total that put England under constant pressure.
England began the chase in commanding fashion and mastered the first 10 overs, scoring freely and staying well ahead of the required rate. However, Pakistan stayed calm and did not panic.
The match turned in the last 10 overs, and especially in the final 4 overs, where Pakistan’s bowlers showed exceptional discipline and nerve. Tight lines and timely wickets completely shifted momentum. Mazhar Ramzan and C. Cataracts played key roles in closing out the innings.
England finished on 197/8, falling 10 runs short of the target.
A perfect example of Pakistan’s tournament journey — explosive batting, tactical awareness, and ice-cold execution under pressure.
Champions of the World. Pakistan Zindabad

Champions of the World T20
This World Cup triumph was powered by outstanding individual brilliance and collective belief.
Luqman Fayyaz finished as the top run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 207 runs in just 4 games, closely followed by Shujaat Hussain, who piled up 206 runs in 4 matches, delivering consistently at the highest level.
With the ball, Mohsin Iftikhar led Pakistan’s attack with distinction, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker of the World Cup with 10 wickets in 5 games, providing crucial breakthroughs throughout the campaign.
And finally, the impact of the wildcard decisions cannot be overstated. Anil Rouf delivered match-winning performances with the bat when Pakistan needed them most, while Mazhar Ramzan and Sir Derya Akmal proved invaluable with decisive spells and composure in pressure situations — both turning bold selection calls into championship-winning moves.
From group-stage survival to knockout heroics and a legendary final, this was a journey defined by courage, trust, and execution.
Pakistan Zindabad | World Cup Champions

Congratulations on making history. A long wait but it only made the moment more special!

Now for a cup streak ;P