Over the last decade and a half, almost every good team has won a world-level tournament. Australia has won all the World Cups and finally won the Champions Trophy. South Africa has a Champion's Trophy too, their only non-choker time. Perennial underdogs New Zealand and West Indies also took home the Champion's Trophy once each. India and Sri Lanka have one and half titles each, winning the 2007 World T20 and the 1996 World Cup respectively, and sharing a Champion's Trophy due to rained off finals.
That leaves Pakistan. Well actually, England too, but come on, seriously, England? England? Hah! They haven't even made it to any finals. Which leaves us with Pakistan. They choked in the 99 World Cup finals, and suffered a heartbreaking loss in the 2007 T20 finals against us. This time, their team looks balanced, strong and inspired, and the whole whiny fake ball-tampering rerun initiated by the bad loser Vettori is likely to have pumped them up. And I don't know, it just feels in my gut as if it is Pakistan's turn. I sure hope so. Here's wishing for a Pakistan triumph.