Indian whammy continues to haunt Pakistan

Lahore, Sep 26 (UNI) Pakistan greats bemoan their teams inablity to overcome the Indian jinx in crucial encounters as they lost to their arch-rival in the final of Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

India lifted the innaugural Twenty20 World Cup with a five-run victory over Pakistan and maintaining their clean slate of not losing a single match in every World Cup encounter.

''It's a repeat and it will hurt the fans and players alike for some time, but apart from that jinx both teams played superbly and cricket was the winner,'' the former Pakistan captain told media.

The victory in the finals was the second defeat, the first in the league phase, meeted out by India to their traditional rival in an enthraling encounter.

Akram, who had tipped Pakistan to beat India, said, ''It was a close game and the better team won, no regrets. It was only a game and people have to take it as a game and must appreciate the quality of cricket.'' The 41-year-old though blamed the Pakistani batsman Younis Khan and Player of the tournament Shahid Afridi's lack of application in the match.

''I would blame Pakistani batsmen Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi for their reckless strokes and in the end Misbah-ul Haq should have played a straight bat shot,'' said Wasim.

Wasim, though, praised both the teams for redemption following the World Cup debacle in the Caribbean early this year. ''Shoaib Malik has emerged as a great captain and the way he led the team from the front, I see Pakistan winning the World Cup in 2011,'' the left-arm pacer said.

''India have found Mahendra Singh Dhoni as their leader and eventually he will also lead in Test cricket. I see Indian cricket going up from here and it is a boost to Twenty20 because India has the market to lift any form of the game,'' he added.

Javed Miandad also blamed lack of planning for the defeat. ''We have maintained our losing streak to India in World Cup matches and I would blame poor planning for that.

Why did Malik not come in at number three instead of Kamran Akmal?'' the former captain said.

Intikhab Alam, manager of the World Cup winning team in 1992, said also echoed the same feelings and said that India holds a psychological edge over Pakistan in big games.

''The World Cup jinx continues and India seems to have an edge over us in all World Cup matches. But I am grateful to the Pakistan team for making the final a fitting one,'' the first Pakistan captain in the ODI said.

UNI