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Shahid Afridi's Reply to Virender Sehwag and Rishi Kapoor
Pakistan Vs India - 2017 Champions Trophy Final
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Reichsmarschall
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Zibago
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A monumental victory which should be cherished for long
By Shahid Afridi
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 98 T20Is between 1998 and 2016. He scored 1716 runs and took 48 wickets in Tests, scored 8064 runs and bagged 395 wickets in ODIs and scored 1405 runs and claimed 97 wickets in T20Is. He played in five World Cup, six World Twenty and five ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.
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It has been an ultra-quick turnaround from no-hopers to champions for the Pakistan players and the manner in which the team won the match was really impressive.
This is one victory that Pakistan fans will remember for long. It has been an ultra-quick turnaround from no-hopers to champions for the Pakistan players and the manner in which the team won the match was really impressive.
Rarely have I seen Pakistan deliver such a clinical performance in a tournament decider and annihilating hot favourite India came as a pleasant surprise. This Pakistan side has made me and the nation proud. I am simply overjoyed and over the moon on this astonishing success by Sarfraz Ahmed’s side.
Pakistan has unearthed new heroes in a span of 14 days. From Fakhar Zaman to Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan has shown the world its rich talent and pedigree. In Sarfraz, it now has a captain who can perhaps take the team to unprecedented glory in the years ahead.
From Fakhar Zaman to Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan has shown the world its rich talent and pedigree
Winning a world event final by 180 runs is as overwhelming as it gets. Remember, this is the same team that barely qualified for the tournament, started as the lowest-ranked team in the fray, and was handed a 124-run drubbing in the opening match by India.
The turnaround has left the world bewildered and has brought a wave of ecstasy and unbridled joy for Pakistanis all around the world. As soon as the game ended, celebrations mirroring the 1992 World Cup and 2009 World T20 wins began across the country.
The game today was all about Pakistan’s positivity and fearless approach. Fakhar and Azhar Ali fought through a torrid start, especially the southpaw, who survived after nicking a Jasprit Bumrah no-ball through to MS Dhoni.
Fakhar from there on blossomed and played a scintillating innings. I would rate his performance as arguably the greatest by a Pakistani in a world event final considering that this was only his fourth ODI and first ever against India.
I was hugely impressed by his courage despite getting hit in the head early in his innings and how he forgot that to build a most memorable innings.
Fakhar and Azhar established a wonderful base which was exploited efficiently by the batsman to follow
A lot of credit must be given to Azhar, who took the responsibility to score the runs early on in the innings when Fakhar looked troubled; the two also rotated the strike brilliantly which never allowed Indian bowlers to settle.
Fakhar and Azhar established a wonderful base which was exploited efficiently by Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim. A real positive for Pakistan was its batting against spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who looked rattled and clueless against the onslaught by the batsmen.
Chasing 339 was never going to be easy despite the pedigree of the Indian batting line-up. Today was the day when Mohammad Amir had to rise and perhaps redeem himself for good.
That’s exactly what the star performer did; his opening spell was an absolute delight to watch. Indians were relying heavily on their star studded top-order of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and Amir dismantled the trio in a sensational burst.
Amir’s deliveries to dismiss Sharma and Kohli were nothing short of pure magic, he toyed with the very best in the world
Amir’s deliveries to dismiss Sharma and Kohli were nothing short of pure magic, he toyed with the very best in the world before snaring Dhawan just when he started to launch a counter attack.
I felt that the game was as good as over when Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan sent Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh back and the formalities were duly completed despite an entertaining onslaught by Hardik Pandya.
Sarfraz’s joy at the fall of the last wicket showed us what the win meant to him. The whole team deserves to celebrate well beyond the Eid festival next week as the players richly deserve their victory.
The joyous scenes reminded me of our World T20 win in 2009 where I was lucky to play a match-winning role for my team in the semi-final and final.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has a team that can develop into one of the top three teams by the time the 2019 World Cup is played in England. This squad is built around exciting young talent and has an astute and passionate leader in Sarfraz.
The teams that might have taken Pakistan lightly in this event will never dare to repeat such a mistake again and whatever the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup may be like
The teams that might have taken Pakistan lightly in this event will never dare to repeat such a mistake again and whatever the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup may be like; Pakistan will be a serious contender for the trophy.
The Champions Trophy 2017 has been a memorable event and Pakistani fans will remember it for a very long time indeed. The fans, especially the youngsters who saw the team dethrone India, will be inspired to replicate the performances of their heroes in the years to come.
The 1992 World Cup win gave us a new generation of match winners and this win ranks very close to that, I am confident that Pakistan cricket is back on track and we will see this team reach some incredible highs in the years to come, especially if the team continues to play with the kind of passion and commitment displayed in this tournament.
Lastly, I would like to thank the ICC for giving me this opportunity of expressing my views and contributing as a Champions Trophy ambassador. I hope you enjoyed reading my views as much as I enjoyed penning them.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421024
Fakhar and Amir were brilliant
By Kumar Sangakkara
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara played 134 Tests, 404 ODIs and 56 T20Is from 2000-2015, scoring a total of 28,016 international runs with 63 centuries and 145 half-centuries. As a wicket-keeper, he accounted for 748 batsmen. Sangakkara won the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 and ICC World Twenty20 2014 with Sri Lanka, while he also played in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and 2011.
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Pakistan's two heroes - one raw and brave, the other experienced and highly-skilled.
Having won the toss and putting Pakistan in to bat, India could not ask for a better start to the ICC Champions Trophy final on a sun-blessed Sunday. Having played the best cricket of all the teams in the tournament, they had a phenomenal chasing prowess with a rock-solid top four and were high on confidence having annihilated Pakistan in the group stages.
However, two weeks is a long time in an international competition, and the Pakistan team that turned up in the final was completely different outfit to the one that plunged to defeat in its opening game. Firing red-hot after wins against Sri Lanka and England, they were in a rampant mood, energised with new belief.
Opener Fakhar Zaman, playing in just his fourth ODI, emphasised better than anyone this resurgent belief, fighting off pre-match nerves, inexperience and illness. Like many of his youthful colleagues, he did not carry the psychological scars of previous failures to arch-rivals India and it showed.
Zaman batted freely and aggressively. Mixing attacking boundary options and smart strike rotation, he anchored the Pakistan total with the most important innings of his life. Ably supported by Azhar Ali, and a telling cameo from Mohammed Hafeez, the final total of 338 was a daunting one. If captain Sarfraz Ahmed had come in earlier instead of Imad Wasim to lead the final charge, perhaps the total would have even gone beyond 350.
Mixing attacking boundary options and smart strike rotation, Fakhar Zaman anchored the Pakistan total with the most important innings of his life.
It was hard work for India’s bowlers, especially the spinners, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the stand-out bowler with a typically calm and clinical performance.
India's reply depended largely on the genius of Virat Kohli. Even though the Indian openers have been in outstanding form, Virat's ability to masterfully chase down totals has been the hall mark of Indian ODI success in the recent past.
Tragically for hundreds of millions of Indian fans, it was not going to be his day.
Mohammed Amir, returning after his back spasms, proved once again why he is one of the finest pace bowlers in the world right now by ripping the heart out of the Indian batting.
Amir’s opening spell was sensational. The in-swinging delivery to get Rohit Sharma was perfect and against Kohli he was undaunted by a dropped catch at first slip, nailing his man at backward point immediately after. A few overs later he found the outside edge of Shikar Dhawan with a probing, bouncing delivery.
India was a bit lacklustre in their chase once Virat Kohli was dismissed.
So on the day of the final, Pakistan found two heroes: one raw and brave, the other experienced and highly-skilled. Fakhar and Amir were brilliant.
India was a bit lacklustre in their chase once Kohli was dismissed. Yuvraj Singh seemed timid and slow. Hanging back to the fast bowlers as if expecting every delivery to be a bouncer and only showing intent to the slower spinners.
The dangerous Dhoni was bounced out and Jadeja failed to sacrifice himself to allow the incredibly exciting Hardik Pandya to take India towards an unlikely victory. Pandya showed the value of skill and youth, maybe something India’s selectors should consider when choosing a replacement for that all-important No 4 position occupied by Yuvraj.
The Pakistan captain and coach deserve huge credit for keeping the team together, encouraging them to dream the impossible and be brave enough to achieve it.
India, led brilliantly by Kohli, played outstanding cricket in the past two weeks. Kohli himself was a true champion and he combined with openers Rohit and Shikhar and a great bowling line-up to prove that they are force in any conditions. There can be no shame on them for losing the final.
Pakistan have reaped the rewards of their investment in youth. With Hassan Ali named the player of the tournament, a tactically sound captain, and a skilful although not explosive batting line up, they played in the final played a brand of passionate and brave cricket that they should be immensely proud of.
For India there should be no panic. They are a team with a fine leader playing great cricket. They have some very exciting young players, especially Hardik Pandya who has been a revelation. Maybe there is one batting position up for grabs, but aside from that they must focus on further development and improvement, sticking to the vision Kohli has for the side. © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2017. All rights reserved.
This content is available to use for all media free of charge, but please creditwww.icc.cricket.com through a hyperlink in the article or in full URL in print.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421045
‘Was most relieved man after Kohli got out,’ says Azhar Ali
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Pakistani batsman Azhar Ali stated that he was most relieved man on the ground after Kohli got out.
Azhar Ali dropped him on Muhammad Amir’s bowling just a delivery before in slips during final of Champions Trophy.
While talking on a private TV channel, the opener said that dropping any catch is a huge mistake but dropping Virat Kohli is may be the biggest as he is a great player and run chaser.
“He plays so smoothly that before you know, match will be out of your hand,” he said.
Ali further said that Kohli’s wicket tilted the match towards Pakistan and great bowling by Amir and others definitely ensured the victory for Pakistan.
Pakistan thrashed India in ICC Champions Trophy final by 180 runs on Sunday.
http://nation.com.pk/sports/21-Jun-2017/was-most-relieved-man-after-kohli-got-out-says-azhar-ali
Destiny’s child Pakistan peaked at the right time
By Michael Hussey
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and 2009 with Australia. Between 2004 and 2013, he represented his country in 79 Tests in which he scored 6235 runs, 185 ODIs in which he scored 5442 runs and 38 T20Is in which he scored 721 runs.
"The final was the first time that I have experienced a match between the two great rivals live, and the atmosphere at the ground was just electric," says Mike Hussey.
For so many fans around the world, it was a dream final in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 between India and Pakistan. It was reported that over a billion people were tuning into the contest at The Oval.
The final was the first time that I have experienced a match between the two great rivals live, and the atmosphere at the ground was just electric. There was no malice between the players nor between the fans of the two passionate cricket-loving countries. There just seemed to be a healthy respect for each other and the game was played in great spirit.
Pakistan was the underdog coming into the final but there was a feeling of destiny about it. Tournament play is all about peaking at the right time and after a poor start to the tournament, most pundits gave it no chance of winning. However, by the time it lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval, it was undoubtedly playing its best cricket. Huge congratulations need to go to Mickey Arthur, Sarfraz Ahmed, the support staff and players for showing great character and turning the team’s fortunes around.
The emergence of a couple of newer players in Hasan Ali and Fakhar Zaman, who scored a brilliant century in the final, is exciting for the future for Pakistan.
As the tournament ended, the reputations of some teams and players have grown and some have taken a hit. Unfortunately, from an Australian perspective, not much went right and the team was bundled out early. South Africa, too, unexpectedly, exited the tournament at the group stage after coming in as one of the favourites. It shows that the top teams in the world are very close and anyone can be beaten on a given day. This was shown with Pakistan, which came into the tournament ranked eighth and went all the way through to win the final. Its bowling attack was brilliant with Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan contributing well throughout the tournament but the emergence of a couple of newer players in Hasan Ali and Fakhar Zaman, who scored a brilliant century in the final, is exciting for the future for Pakistan.
England has shown plenty of improvement in the last two years and should come into the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 as one of the favourites. The fearless brand of cricket it is playing is exciting to watch and it have some real quality in the squad that should only get better in the future. Ben Stokes has emerged as one of, if not, the best all-rounders in the world.
India has a batting order that every team would be envious of, with Shikhar Dhawan’s love affair of batting in England continuing, but it also has a somewhat unheralded bowling attack that has been very effective. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah form a great combination who complement each other very well, and the spin options of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja keep the pressure on in the middle overs. There is a nice blend of youth and experience in this Indian team.
India has a batting order that every team would be envious of, with Shikhar Dhawan’s love affair of batting in England continuing
Some of the other players to really impress have been Tamim Iqbal from Bangladesh, Kusal Mendis from Sri Lanka and Kane Williamson from New Zealand, who all played some meaningful innings throughout the tournament. With the ball, Adam Milne from New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep and South African Imran Tahir picked up crucial wickets throughout the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
This Champions Trophy was an excellent tournament with some high quality one-day cricket played that has created plenty of interest around the world. I feel that a tournament like this should end the debate about the future of ODI cricket. This is a fantastic form of the game that the players love playing, and the supporters have shown that they still enjoy the spectacle of what one-day cricket can offer. One-day cricket caters to different types of players, such as the power hitters, players who work the ball and run hard, all-rounders, spinners, skilled and pace bowlers. The other thing about one-day cricket is that the game has a chance to ebb and flow more than in T20 cricket. If your team gets off to a bad start, there are opportunities to slowly change the momentum and get back into the match. I believe as long as the matches have context, then there is a place for all three forms of the game to survive and thrive in the future.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421030
Pakistan won Champions Trophy with style that's totally uninhibited
By Graeme Smith
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs and 33 T20Is between 2002 and 2014, scoring 9265, 6989 and 982 runs respectively. He captained South Africa in 109 Tests, 149 ODIs and 27 T20Is
The title win is great for Pakistan, their players and countrymen, says Smith
Fans and players alike will have been hoping for a dramatic, exhilarating final to top off any major tournament. It was a fairytale end to what has ended up being a watershed tournament for Pakistan cricket. As far as I’m concerned, it was a fantastic result for cricket, and a result that went in favour of the side that have played the most exciting brand of cricket at this tournament.
The 10-over spell at the start of India’s innings yesterday was simply electric, with Mohammad Amir showing his superb range of skills, as well as the passion that seems to underpin and permeate this Pakistan side’s approach.
Generally, throughout the tournament, the Pakistan bowling attack has been on the money in almost every game. They’re the only side that have made the ball talk consistently, with most other sides struggling to get the ball to swing with any kind of regularity.
Hassan Ali understandably takes the bowling plaudits with the golden ball, but in the likes of Amir and Junaid Khan, he’s been supported beautifully in all Pakistan’s games. You’d be hard pushed to find a more skillful seam bowling trio in world cricket at the moment, and as they’ve shown in the knock out games, they are very adept at putting sides under pressure.
The most impressive aspect of Pakistan’s play has been its mindset. The mindset and approach of different sides throughout the tournament has interested me, as I believe that to be the key factor in doing well in tournament cricket.
Hasan Ali has been brilliantly supported by Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan, giving Pakistan a strong seam bowling trio
To draw a comparison to the South Africa side and its tournament returns, it was almost visible that they were playing with its minds clouded by fear. That’s understandable to an extent, and it’s something that other South Africa teams have had to combat at tournaments previously. However, the disappointment is more intense this time around given the sheer quality throughout that squad and the form the side has shown in the past 12 months.
With two years until the next major 50-over tournament, again to be played in England, South Africa needs to ask some tough questions from itself and ensure that it is ready to approach the mental challenges of tournament cricket in a different fashion. With world cricket as close as it is at the moment, if your mindset and approach aren’t right, you’ll be found wanting as South Africa were this time around.
Pakistan, as I said in my review of the final, has played with a style that’s totally uninhibited. That belief in your ability as a side to go and execute your skills is so precious when you’ve got it, and it’s been great to see different players stand up for Pakistan throughout the tournament to see them over the line time and time again.
Fakhar Zaman undoubtedly comes out of this tournament having made a real name for himself in his first four international innings. Knocks of 31, 50, 57 and 114 in the final on Sunday have provided the top order with a stability it has so often lacked. It was a big call to bring him in after one game, but he’s done so much to change the dynamic of Pakistan’s Powerplay batting.
Although it was a costly mistake from Jasprit Bumrah, the opening bowler partnership between him and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was strong throughout the tournament
From an Indian point of view, the no-ball from Jasprit Bumrah will haunt him given the eventual outcome, but he and his opening partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar have done India proud throughout this tournament – contributing to what has been another strong tournament display from India.
Shikhar Dhawan has had a great tournament, and has been a consistent run-scorer since India landed in England. He’ll be mightily disappointed that his efforts haven’t seen India take the trophy home, but his performances have done much to cement his spot in the shorter formats.
I don’t think the organisers could have asked for a better showpiece for the game than yesterday’s final. The Oval may not see an atmosphere like that for a very long time, with the noise and colour contributing to a frenzied feel around the ground.
The win for Pakistan is great for the game of cricket, but most importantly for the Pakistan players and their countrymen at a time where there is still so much instability in their home country.
Well played Pakistan, deserved winners of another wonderful tournament that I personally have loved being an ambassador for. Roll on World Cup 2019. © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2017. All rights reserved.
This content is available to use for all media free of charge, but please creditwww.icc.cricket.com through a hyperlink in the article or in full URL in print.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421496
By Shahid Afridi
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 98 T20Is between 1998 and 2016. He scored 1716 runs and took 48 wickets in Tests, scored 8064 runs and bagged 395 wickets in ODIs and scored 1405 runs and claimed 97 wickets in T20Is. He played in five World Cup, six World Twenty and five ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.
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It has been an ultra-quick turnaround from no-hopers to champions for the Pakistan players and the manner in which the team won the match was really impressive.
This is one victory that Pakistan fans will remember for long. It has been an ultra-quick turnaround from no-hopers to champions for the Pakistan players and the manner in which the team won the match was really impressive.
Rarely have I seen Pakistan deliver such a clinical performance in a tournament decider and annihilating hot favourite India came as a pleasant surprise. This Pakistan side has made me and the nation proud. I am simply overjoyed and over the moon on this astonishing success by Sarfraz Ahmed’s side.
Pakistan has unearthed new heroes in a span of 14 days. From Fakhar Zaman to Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan has shown the world its rich talent and pedigree. In Sarfraz, it now has a captain who can perhaps take the team to unprecedented glory in the years ahead.
From Fakhar Zaman to Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan has shown the world its rich talent and pedigree
Winning a world event final by 180 runs is as overwhelming as it gets. Remember, this is the same team that barely qualified for the tournament, started as the lowest-ranked team in the fray, and was handed a 124-run drubbing in the opening match by India.
The turnaround has left the world bewildered and has brought a wave of ecstasy and unbridled joy for Pakistanis all around the world. As soon as the game ended, celebrations mirroring the 1992 World Cup and 2009 World T20 wins began across the country.
The game today was all about Pakistan’s positivity and fearless approach. Fakhar and Azhar Ali fought through a torrid start, especially the southpaw, who survived after nicking a Jasprit Bumrah no-ball through to MS Dhoni.
Fakhar from there on blossomed and played a scintillating innings. I would rate his performance as arguably the greatest by a Pakistani in a world event final considering that this was only his fourth ODI and first ever against India.
I was hugely impressed by his courage despite getting hit in the head early in his innings and how he forgot that to build a most memorable innings.
Fakhar and Azhar established a wonderful base which was exploited efficiently by the batsman to follow
A lot of credit must be given to Azhar, who took the responsibility to score the runs early on in the innings when Fakhar looked troubled; the two also rotated the strike brilliantly which never allowed Indian bowlers to settle.
Fakhar and Azhar established a wonderful base which was exploited efficiently by Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim. A real positive for Pakistan was its batting against spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who looked rattled and clueless against the onslaught by the batsmen.
Chasing 339 was never going to be easy despite the pedigree of the Indian batting line-up. Today was the day when Mohammad Amir had to rise and perhaps redeem himself for good.
That’s exactly what the star performer did; his opening spell was an absolute delight to watch. Indians were relying heavily on their star studded top-order of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and Amir dismantled the trio in a sensational burst.
Amir’s deliveries to dismiss Sharma and Kohli were nothing short of pure magic, he toyed with the very best in the world
Amir’s deliveries to dismiss Sharma and Kohli were nothing short of pure magic, he toyed with the very best in the world before snaring Dhawan just when he started to launch a counter attack.
I felt that the game was as good as over when Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan sent Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh back and the formalities were duly completed despite an entertaining onslaught by Hardik Pandya.
Sarfraz’s joy at the fall of the last wicket showed us what the win meant to him. The whole team deserves to celebrate well beyond the Eid festival next week as the players richly deserve their victory.
The joyous scenes reminded me of our World T20 win in 2009 where I was lucky to play a match-winning role for my team in the semi-final and final.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has a team that can develop into one of the top three teams by the time the 2019 World Cup is played in England. This squad is built around exciting young talent and has an astute and passionate leader in Sarfraz.
The teams that might have taken Pakistan lightly in this event will never dare to repeat such a mistake again and whatever the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup may be like
The teams that might have taken Pakistan lightly in this event will never dare to repeat such a mistake again and whatever the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup may be like; Pakistan will be a serious contender for the trophy.
The Champions Trophy 2017 has been a memorable event and Pakistani fans will remember it for a very long time indeed. The fans, especially the youngsters who saw the team dethrone India, will be inspired to replicate the performances of their heroes in the years to come.
The 1992 World Cup win gave us a new generation of match winners and this win ranks very close to that, I am confident that Pakistan cricket is back on track and we will see this team reach some incredible highs in the years to come, especially if the team continues to play with the kind of passion and commitment displayed in this tournament.
Lastly, I would like to thank the ICC for giving me this opportunity of expressing my views and contributing as a Champions Trophy ambassador. I hope you enjoyed reading my views as much as I enjoyed penning them.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421024
Fakhar and Amir were brilliant
By Kumar Sangakkara
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara played 134 Tests, 404 ODIs and 56 T20Is from 2000-2015, scoring a total of 28,016 international runs with 63 centuries and 145 half-centuries. As a wicket-keeper, he accounted for 748 batsmen. Sangakkara won the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 and ICC World Twenty20 2014 with Sri Lanka, while he also played in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and 2011.
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Pakistan's two heroes - one raw and brave, the other experienced and highly-skilled.
Having won the toss and putting Pakistan in to bat, India could not ask for a better start to the ICC Champions Trophy final on a sun-blessed Sunday. Having played the best cricket of all the teams in the tournament, they had a phenomenal chasing prowess with a rock-solid top four and were high on confidence having annihilated Pakistan in the group stages.
However, two weeks is a long time in an international competition, and the Pakistan team that turned up in the final was completely different outfit to the one that plunged to defeat in its opening game. Firing red-hot after wins against Sri Lanka and England, they were in a rampant mood, energised with new belief.
Opener Fakhar Zaman, playing in just his fourth ODI, emphasised better than anyone this resurgent belief, fighting off pre-match nerves, inexperience and illness. Like many of his youthful colleagues, he did not carry the psychological scars of previous failures to arch-rivals India and it showed.
Zaman batted freely and aggressively. Mixing attacking boundary options and smart strike rotation, he anchored the Pakistan total with the most important innings of his life. Ably supported by Azhar Ali, and a telling cameo from Mohammed Hafeez, the final total of 338 was a daunting one. If captain Sarfraz Ahmed had come in earlier instead of Imad Wasim to lead the final charge, perhaps the total would have even gone beyond 350.
Mixing attacking boundary options and smart strike rotation, Fakhar Zaman anchored the Pakistan total with the most important innings of his life.
It was hard work for India’s bowlers, especially the spinners, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the stand-out bowler with a typically calm and clinical performance.
India's reply depended largely on the genius of Virat Kohli. Even though the Indian openers have been in outstanding form, Virat's ability to masterfully chase down totals has been the hall mark of Indian ODI success in the recent past.
Tragically for hundreds of millions of Indian fans, it was not going to be his day.
Mohammed Amir, returning after his back spasms, proved once again why he is one of the finest pace bowlers in the world right now by ripping the heart out of the Indian batting.
Amir’s opening spell was sensational. The in-swinging delivery to get Rohit Sharma was perfect and against Kohli he was undaunted by a dropped catch at first slip, nailing his man at backward point immediately after. A few overs later he found the outside edge of Shikar Dhawan with a probing, bouncing delivery.
India was a bit lacklustre in their chase once Virat Kohli was dismissed.
So on the day of the final, Pakistan found two heroes: one raw and brave, the other experienced and highly-skilled. Fakhar and Amir were brilliant.
India was a bit lacklustre in their chase once Kohli was dismissed. Yuvraj Singh seemed timid and slow. Hanging back to the fast bowlers as if expecting every delivery to be a bouncer and only showing intent to the slower spinners.
The dangerous Dhoni was bounced out and Jadeja failed to sacrifice himself to allow the incredibly exciting Hardik Pandya to take India towards an unlikely victory. Pandya showed the value of skill and youth, maybe something India’s selectors should consider when choosing a replacement for that all-important No 4 position occupied by Yuvraj.
The Pakistan captain and coach deserve huge credit for keeping the team together, encouraging them to dream the impossible and be brave enough to achieve it.
India, led brilliantly by Kohli, played outstanding cricket in the past two weeks. Kohli himself was a true champion and he combined with openers Rohit and Shikhar and a great bowling line-up to prove that they are force in any conditions. There can be no shame on them for losing the final.
Pakistan have reaped the rewards of their investment in youth. With Hassan Ali named the player of the tournament, a tactically sound captain, and a skilful although not explosive batting line up, they played in the final played a brand of passionate and brave cricket that they should be immensely proud of.
For India there should be no panic. They are a team with a fine leader playing great cricket. They have some very exciting young players, especially Hardik Pandya who has been a revelation. Maybe there is one batting position up for grabs, but aside from that they must focus on further development and improvement, sticking to the vision Kohli has for the side. © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2017. All rights reserved.
This content is available to use for all media free of charge, but please creditwww.icc.cricket.com through a hyperlink in the article or in full URL in print.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421045
‘Was most relieved man after Kohli got out,’ says Azhar Ali
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Pakistani batsman Azhar Ali stated that he was most relieved man on the ground after Kohli got out.
Azhar Ali dropped him on Muhammad Amir’s bowling just a delivery before in slips during final of Champions Trophy.
While talking on a private TV channel, the opener said that dropping any catch is a huge mistake but dropping Virat Kohli is may be the biggest as he is a great player and run chaser.
“He plays so smoothly that before you know, match will be out of your hand,” he said.
Ali further said that Kohli’s wicket tilted the match towards Pakistan and great bowling by Amir and others definitely ensured the victory for Pakistan.
Pakistan thrashed India in ICC Champions Trophy final by 180 runs on Sunday.
http://nation.com.pk/sports/21-Jun-2017/was-most-relieved-man-after-kohli-got-out-says-azhar-ali
Destiny’s child Pakistan peaked at the right time
By Michael Hussey
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and 2009 with Australia. Between 2004 and 2013, he represented his country in 79 Tests in which he scored 6235 runs, 185 ODIs in which he scored 5442 runs and 38 T20Is in which he scored 721 runs.
"The final was the first time that I have experienced a match between the two great rivals live, and the atmosphere at the ground was just electric," says Mike Hussey.
For so many fans around the world, it was a dream final in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 between India and Pakistan. It was reported that over a billion people were tuning into the contest at The Oval.
The final was the first time that I have experienced a match between the two great rivals live, and the atmosphere at the ground was just electric. There was no malice between the players nor between the fans of the two passionate cricket-loving countries. There just seemed to be a healthy respect for each other and the game was played in great spirit.
Pakistan was the underdog coming into the final but there was a feeling of destiny about it. Tournament play is all about peaking at the right time and after a poor start to the tournament, most pundits gave it no chance of winning. However, by the time it lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval, it was undoubtedly playing its best cricket. Huge congratulations need to go to Mickey Arthur, Sarfraz Ahmed, the support staff and players for showing great character and turning the team’s fortunes around.
The emergence of a couple of newer players in Hasan Ali and Fakhar Zaman, who scored a brilliant century in the final, is exciting for the future for Pakistan.
As the tournament ended, the reputations of some teams and players have grown and some have taken a hit. Unfortunately, from an Australian perspective, not much went right and the team was bundled out early. South Africa, too, unexpectedly, exited the tournament at the group stage after coming in as one of the favourites. It shows that the top teams in the world are very close and anyone can be beaten on a given day. This was shown with Pakistan, which came into the tournament ranked eighth and went all the way through to win the final. Its bowling attack was brilliant with Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan contributing well throughout the tournament but the emergence of a couple of newer players in Hasan Ali and Fakhar Zaman, who scored a brilliant century in the final, is exciting for the future for Pakistan.
England has shown plenty of improvement in the last two years and should come into the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 as one of the favourites. The fearless brand of cricket it is playing is exciting to watch and it have some real quality in the squad that should only get better in the future. Ben Stokes has emerged as one of, if not, the best all-rounders in the world.
India has a batting order that every team would be envious of, with Shikhar Dhawan’s love affair of batting in England continuing, but it also has a somewhat unheralded bowling attack that has been very effective. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah form a great combination who complement each other very well, and the spin options of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja keep the pressure on in the middle overs. There is a nice blend of youth and experience in this Indian team.
India has a batting order that every team would be envious of, with Shikhar Dhawan’s love affair of batting in England continuing
Some of the other players to really impress have been Tamim Iqbal from Bangladesh, Kusal Mendis from Sri Lanka and Kane Williamson from New Zealand, who all played some meaningful innings throughout the tournament. With the ball, Adam Milne from New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep and South African Imran Tahir picked up crucial wickets throughout the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
This Champions Trophy was an excellent tournament with some high quality one-day cricket played that has created plenty of interest around the world. I feel that a tournament like this should end the debate about the future of ODI cricket. This is a fantastic form of the game that the players love playing, and the supporters have shown that they still enjoy the spectacle of what one-day cricket can offer. One-day cricket caters to different types of players, such as the power hitters, players who work the ball and run hard, all-rounders, spinners, skilled and pace bowlers. The other thing about one-day cricket is that the game has a chance to ebb and flow more than in T20 cricket. If your team gets off to a bad start, there are opportunities to slowly change the momentum and get back into the match. I believe as long as the matches have context, then there is a place for all three forms of the game to survive and thrive in the future.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421030
Pakistan won Champions Trophy with style that's totally uninhibited
By Graeme Smith
EXCLUSIVE COLUMNIST
Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs and 33 T20Is between 2002 and 2014, scoring 9265, 6989 and 982 runs respectively. He captained South Africa in 109 Tests, 149 ODIs and 27 T20Is
The title win is great for Pakistan, their players and countrymen, says Smith
Fans and players alike will have been hoping for a dramatic, exhilarating final to top off any major tournament. It was a fairytale end to what has ended up being a watershed tournament for Pakistan cricket. As far as I’m concerned, it was a fantastic result for cricket, and a result that went in favour of the side that have played the most exciting brand of cricket at this tournament.
The 10-over spell at the start of India’s innings yesterday was simply electric, with Mohammad Amir showing his superb range of skills, as well as the passion that seems to underpin and permeate this Pakistan side’s approach.
Generally, throughout the tournament, the Pakistan bowling attack has been on the money in almost every game. They’re the only side that have made the ball talk consistently, with most other sides struggling to get the ball to swing with any kind of regularity.
Hassan Ali understandably takes the bowling plaudits with the golden ball, but in the likes of Amir and Junaid Khan, he’s been supported beautifully in all Pakistan’s games. You’d be hard pushed to find a more skillful seam bowling trio in world cricket at the moment, and as they’ve shown in the knock out games, they are very adept at putting sides under pressure.
The most impressive aspect of Pakistan’s play has been its mindset. The mindset and approach of different sides throughout the tournament has interested me, as I believe that to be the key factor in doing well in tournament cricket.
Hasan Ali has been brilliantly supported by Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan, giving Pakistan a strong seam bowling trio
To draw a comparison to the South Africa side and its tournament returns, it was almost visible that they were playing with its minds clouded by fear. That’s understandable to an extent, and it’s something that other South Africa teams have had to combat at tournaments previously. However, the disappointment is more intense this time around given the sheer quality throughout that squad and the form the side has shown in the past 12 months.
With two years until the next major 50-over tournament, again to be played in England, South Africa needs to ask some tough questions from itself and ensure that it is ready to approach the mental challenges of tournament cricket in a different fashion. With world cricket as close as it is at the moment, if your mindset and approach aren’t right, you’ll be found wanting as South Africa were this time around.
Pakistan, as I said in my review of the final, has played with a style that’s totally uninhibited. That belief in your ability as a side to go and execute your skills is so precious when you’ve got it, and it’s been great to see different players stand up for Pakistan throughout the tournament to see them over the line time and time again.
Fakhar Zaman undoubtedly comes out of this tournament having made a real name for himself in his first four international innings. Knocks of 31, 50, 57 and 114 in the final on Sunday have provided the top order with a stability it has so often lacked. It was a big call to bring him in after one game, but he’s done so much to change the dynamic of Pakistan’s Powerplay batting.
Although it was a costly mistake from Jasprit Bumrah, the opening bowler partnership between him and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was strong throughout the tournament
From an Indian point of view, the no-ball from Jasprit Bumrah will haunt him given the eventual outcome, but he and his opening partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar have done India proud throughout this tournament – contributing to what has been another strong tournament display from India.
Shikhar Dhawan has had a great tournament, and has been a consistent run-scorer since India landed in England. He’ll be mightily disappointed that his efforts haven’t seen India take the trophy home, but his performances have done much to cement his spot in the shorter formats.
I don’t think the organisers could have asked for a better showpiece for the game than yesterday’s final. The Oval may not see an atmosphere like that for a very long time, with the noise and colour contributing to a frenzied feel around the ground.
The win for Pakistan is great for the game of cricket, but most importantly for the Pakistan players and their countrymen at a time where there is still so much instability in their home country.
Well played Pakistan, deserved winners of another wonderful tournament that I personally have loved being an ambassador for. Roll on World Cup 2019. © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2017. All rights reserved.
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https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/news/421496
t_for_talli
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Kitni jlan ho rahi hai beta, fact fact rehete hain aur wo ICC ranks me dikhte hain
Dil k khush rakhne ko ghalib yeh khayal acha hai .....
Khayal to hamare hamesha se acche rehete hain , bas kuch logon ko zyada chubh jaate hain
Reichsmarschall
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Kitni jlan ho rahi hai beta, fact fact rehete hain aur wo ICC ranks me dikhte hain
Khayal to hamare hamesha se acche rehete hain , bas kuch logon ko zyada chubh jaate hain
Areesh
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Jalan to tujhhai ho rahi hai 180 ki zalalat abhi tak bardashit nahi ho rahi tujhai.
Write those rankings on a piece of paper and then shove that paper up your as$.We Pakistani are proudly happy with that trophy and 180 runs margin.
Black Bird
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Aik bat log ignor kr rahy hain country ko Maa kaha jata hy baap ni. 2nd agr Baap bhe man Lia jay to bhe Pakistan 14th August ko bna Tha aur India 15th ko .matlb Pakistan India seeaik din to bara hy[emoji3] . Ab pata ni India main Beta Baap se phely kisy baida ho jata hy[emoji6]
frankenstein-2
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they are looking like donkeys.This is not scene of any Italian or Hollywood movie; these are our dashing legendary cricketers at Lord’s, UK in 1954
Farah Sohail
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monitor
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Pakistan Cricket Team Captain @SarfarazA_54 meet his disabled fan Fawad Haider at this hour of night (4:15 AM) & gifted his shirt to him.
Arsalan
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Amazing
This guy deserves to be respected.
can you share a link?
Hahahahahaha
yeh tu LOL ho gya bahi
