It was an unlikely performance, on a very unlikely stage. But say what you may, this is the reality now. India was finally beaten by a resurgent Pakistan side for the first time in an ICC tournament. What makes this victory even more heartbreaking for Indian fans is the fact that this was a big stage; this was the final. When India and Pakistan took to the field on Sunday in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, not many would have predicted the result that finally came by the end of the evening. Pakistan beat India by a mammoth 180 runs as India were bowled out for a measly 158, chasing a gigantic 338 runs. This was also India's biggest loss in an ICC tournament.
Put to bat first by India, Pakistan was off to a blistering start. Young opener Fakhar Zaman held his own against a tried and tested Indian bowling attack and started playing fine shots very early on in his innings. He looked like the danger man from the word go. At the opposite end, he was ably supported by Azhar Ali who played his own brand of solid cricket. Jasprit Bumrah however, did clinch the wicket of Zaman early on; however, replays showed that Bumrah had overstepped the bowling crease. Zaman had been blessed with a lifeline; a price that India would heavily pay as events would turn out.
The young Pakistani, who was at one stage training for the Pakistan Navy, launched a severe attack on India’s lead spinners; Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, hitting them for boundaries all around the park. The openers looked in full swing and posted a mammoth 128 first wicket stand for the underdogs. The partnership came to an end after Ali was run out and this gave India a slim glimmer of hope. But Zaman kept his cool and played a cavalier inning of his own. He reached from 60 to 100 in just over 10 deliveries. He raised his first international century with a sweep to the fence at square leg. It was an ungainly shot but like the rest of his innings, hugely effective. India kept on taking wickets at regular intervals, however, Zaman was a tough nut to crack for them. He would eventually fall for 114 after a brilliant catch by Jadeja, but it was too little too late for the men in blue by then. There was a late attack by an unlikely Mohammad Hafeez who scored a 34-ball half-century as Pakistan ultimately posted a huge 338 runs for India to chase. This was by no means an easy target and the pressure it mounted on the Indian camp would soon manifest itself on the players.
(Image Courtesy: India Today)
Chasing, India had the worst of starts after Rohit Sharma fell on the third delivery to an incoming ball by Hasan Ali, the man who rattled India’s top order. Indian captain, Virat Kohli would soon follow suit and despite being gifted with a lifeline when he was dropped at the slips, lasted for just another ball after he closed the face of the bat early as the edge was grabbed at the point. The Indian captain and Zaman’s innings had this one thing in common. Both were presented with a lifeline, however, the southpaw went on to add another 111 runs from there. Dhawan followed Kohli at 21 and Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni were sent back to pavilion in the space of four balls.
(Image Courtesy: Reuters)
On a day when young guns fired, it was perhaps only Hardik Pandya who held his own in the Indian camp. The youngster launched a late comeback as he hammered six sixes in his 43-ball-76 to breathe new life in India’s run chase. His eventual runout, however, ended an 80 run partnership for the seventh wicket and ultimately killed the game off. India lost its last four wickets for six runs in 25 balls as Pakistan celebrated its first major ODI success since 1992 and first global trophy since the 2009 World T20.
(Featured Image Courtesy: Reuters)
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