Remembering June 18, 2017 when Pakistan won Champions Trophy

ISLAMABAD: A Year ago On this day on June 18, 2017, Pakistan made history when it clinched the Champions Trophy title for the first time since its inception from 1998 by thrashing defending champions India by a huge gap of 180 runs.

In the final, Pakistan posted the tournament’s highest total of 338 runs for the loss of four wickets in 50 overs.  The openers Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman provided a 128 runs partnership to the first wicket. Azhar smashed 59 runs off 71 balls including six 4s and a six till he got run out in the 22nd over of Ravichandran Ashwin.

Then came in Babar Azam and provided a 72 runs partnership with Fakhar on the second wickets till Fakhar’s wicket fell when Pakistan reached 200 runs. He was taken by Ravindra Jadeja on Hardik Pandya’s ball in 33.1 overs. Fakhar made his first international hundred (114 runs on 106 balls) hitting twelve 4s and three sixes. Shoaib Malik scored 12 runs off 16 balls until he got out by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in 39.4 over when Pakistan was three runs short on 250.

Pakistan fourth wicket fell when Babar tried to hit a boundary by went unlucky as he was taken by Yuvraj Singh in the 42nd over. He got out on 46 runs on 52 balls hitting four 4s. He was bowled by Kedar Jadhav.

Later Muhammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim gave a 71 run partnership to Pakistan. Pakistan achieved the 300 landmark with Hafeez hitting a six in 45.2 overs. Hafeez (57 not out on 37 balls) and Imad on (25 not out on 21 balls) remained unbeaten. Hafeez played brilliantly smashing a quick 57 with four 4s and three 6s. Imad also batted well hitting a four and a six. Pakistan scored runs with 6.76 runs average per over.

India started poorly with Rohit Sharma going on a duck. He got lbw by Muhammad Amir in the first over.  Amir rocked once again by dismissing Indian skipper Virat Kohli in his second over. He was taken by Shadab Khan. Kohli went on 5 runs. He was earlier dropped by Azhar Ali on first slip. Amir took his third wicket of Shikar Dhawan who was taken by Sarfraz Ahmed on 21 runs.

Pakistan got its next breakthrough by Shadab Khan. India was struggling on 54 runs when Yuvraj Singh got lbw on Shadab’s balls. The umpire did not give Yuvraj out but the decision was reviewed by Pakistan as Shadab was confident and Yuvraj had to leave the ground. He went back scoring 22 runs.

India kept stumbling and lost its fifth wicket of MS Dhoni in the 13th over. Dhoni’s catch was taken by Imad in Hasan Ali’s over. Dhoni went on 4 runs. Shadab took its second wicket sending away Kedar Jadhav back to pavilion in the 16th over. He was taken by Sarfraz when India was on 72 runs.

The highest hitter for India Hardik Pandya got run out in the 26th over scoring 76 runs on just 43 balls including four 4s and six 6s. At that time India lost its seventh wicket on 152 runs.

Junaid Khan took his first and India’s eighth wicket of Ravindra Jadeja in 27.3 overs. He was taken by Babar. India lost its ninth wicket as Ravichandran Ashwin went home scoring 1 run. He was taken by Sarfraz on Hasan ball.

India lost its last wicket of Bumrah in 30.3 on 158 runs. He was taken by Sarfraz who came forward and claimed the catch making Pakistan win the Champions Trophy. It was the third wicket for Hasan.

Remembering the day, the ICC tweeted: #OnThisDay, a year ago, Pakistan won #CT17. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also tweeted: #OnThisDay in 2017: Pakistan an eighth-ranked team created history by winning #CT17.

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