Not just my lips every part of my body prayed for dropped catch: Faheem Ashraf

Colombo: Faheem Ashraf admitted that there was a prayer not just on his lips but every inch of his body when Max O’Dowd put down his catch, a moment that proved decisive as he powered Pakistan to a last-over victory over the Netherlands with a blistering 29 off 11 balls in the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan needed 29 off 12 balls with three wickets in hand.

The all-rounder, who bats left-handed started with a six off seamer Logan van Beek but he mis-timed the second delivery as the aerial shot turned into a regulation catch at long off which O’Dowd dropped.

Ashraf made full use of the reprieve to smash 24 off that over including three sixes and a four to turn the game on its head and earn Pakistan much-needed full points.

“That feeling, at that time,it wasn’t only my lips that were praying, but every part of my body was praying for that catch to be dropped,” Ashraf said at the post match press conference.

Ashraf said that he never felt pressure even when the dot ball count increased as he knew that one good over was all that was required to turn the game in Pakistan’s favour.

“There were dot balls but we didn’t take much pressure. We thought we just needed one good over and the match would turn in our favour. Because of that, we kept our nerves in check and believed that even if we played till the last ball, we would win,” Ashraf replied that thoughts of losing the game wasn’t even entertained.

For Ashraf, more than happiness, winning a match for Pakistan gives him peace.

“You feel that the team was in such a bad situation, but you still won. The most peaceful feeling is that you have won the first match of the World Cup and you scored the winning runs. There is nothing more satisfying than that.”

Ashraf, who is a designated finisher in this team had also played a cameo against India at the Asia Cup albeit in a losing cause didn’t want get into the comparison whether this was his best knock.

“Whenever you play such an innings representing Pakistan, it is always memorable. I would say this will be memorable for me, but also for the entire Pakistan team because it is in the World Cup.

“Even if it wasn’t in the World Cup, but in any Pakistan series, it would still be memorable. Whenever you perform like this for your country, it always stays special for you.”