"Some play PSL, some play BBL"- Irfan Pathan And Yusuf Pathan blast Pakistan and Australia after winning World Championship of Legends
Published - 14 Jul 2024, 12:45 PM | Updated - 24 Aug 2024, 05:30 AM
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The India Champions emerged victorious in the highly anticipated World Championship of Legends 2024 (WCL 2024) final, defeating the Pakistan Champions by five wickets in Birmingham on July 13 to become the champions of the inaugural edition of the tournament.
This win was a testament to the exceptional performances of the India Champions’ players and the strategic leadership of the legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. After the match, Irfan Pathan hailed Ambati Rayudu (50 runs off 30 balls) for delivering an outstanding batting performance to play a crucial role in the team's WCL 2024 win.
Pathan Brothers share emotions on winning WCL 2024
The former all-rounder also lauded the bowling unit of the India Champions for rising to the occasion, putting up a remarkable display to restrict the Pakistan Champions to 156/6 in Birmingham. The bowlers, led by Irfan, executed their plans with precision, maintaining tight lines and lengths that made scoring difficult for the opposition.
Their collective effort was instrumental in setting up the platform for the batters to successfully chase down the target. Pathan gave huge credit to Yuvraj for leading the India Champions to the WCL 2024 triumph. He mentioned that Yuvraj's clear communication and tactical acumen were evident in the way he utilized his players, assigning specific roles and ensuring they executed their tasks to perfection.
He also revealed how Yuvraj told Yusuf Pathan to just focus on hitting sixes in the WCL 2024 final, and that’s what he did, smashing three sixes and one four during his match-winning cameo of 30 runs off 16 balls against the Pakistan Champions in Birmingham.
Irfan Pathan hails Yuvraj Singh's captaincy after WCL 2024 victory
Irfan Pathan said in a video shared by WCL on Instagram: “Well, look, for today, you have to say that Ambati Rayudu, the way he played, was outstanding, and the way we bowled was outstanding as well. The way Senior Pathan hit those crucial runs was very important. So yes, you know, when you're playing cricket, being a cricketer as a part-time cricketer, right, when you play that role, it's tough.
And because, you know, some of the players are from Australia, some are from Pakistan, some play PSL, and some play BBL. So, when you have to compete against them, it's slightly tough. But, you know, credit goes to Yuvraj Singh as well, because Yuvraj assembled a team, and when he spoke to me, when he spoke to Bhai, when he spoke to each and every player, he told each and every one what exactly needed to be done. And he said, I don't want your bowling; I want you to hit sixes, and this is your job, but today, give me three overs.”
We were brilliant in all three departments: Yusuf Pathan
On the other hand, Yusuf Pathan said, “Yeah, it is a good feeling, but it was tough. I played according to the demands of the situation. Feeling well that we won the final. The match against South Africa was very crucial for us. We didn't have a great outing earlier, but we always played good cricket in the knockouts. So, we were brilliant in all three departments. I'm very happy to see such a crowd coming to support us here. It was a great feeling that a huge number of fans came to watch the former cricketers play.”
Meanwhile, Pathan also expressed emotions about winning the trophy in front of his wife and child. The victory was not just a professional milestone for Pathan but also a profoundly personal moment that he cherished.
The former all-rounder said that his wife had missed many of his key performances when he was playing for India but finally had the chance to witness his brilliance in the WCL. Pathan further mentioned that it was an exciting and memorable experience for his son as well.
He added, “My kids were there yesterday when I was playing against Australia, so he was there on the balcony, and he said, Daddy, you took a wicket as well. You hit four sixes in a row. How did you do that?”
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