Pakistan put on a magnificent performance against India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and they won the tournament to win all major ICC events.
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The India vs Pakistan rivalry has a definite edge when it comes to cricket. Pakistan have a better head-to-head advantage against India in ODIs and Tests. But, when it comes to major ICC events, India hold a massive edge. Prior to 2019, they had won all six World Cup events. They were also undefeated in ICC World T20 events. It was only in the ICC Champions Trophy where Pakistan held the edge, having won both encounters in 2004 and 2009 in England and South Africa.
Yet, an overall head-to-head record of 2-11 for Pakistan against India in ICC events. The record became a major talking point and reached its heights in the 2015 ICC World Cup. The ‘Mauka Mauka’ chants for Pakistan became a major embarrassment for them. It was not made easier with comments from certain Indian cricketers who said India was the father and Pakistan was the son. The jingoism and the vicious trolling reached its heights heading into the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
Pakistan were happy with the small comfort of having had a better head-to-head record against India in the ICC Champions Trophy. But, India levelled that in the matter of two editions. India won in 2013 and in the league match of 2017 in grand style. With the loss to India, Pakistan were staring at elimination.
In a rain-interrupted match against South Africa, they managed to stay ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis method to win. In the match against Sri Lanka, they benefited from some dropped catches to enter the semi-final. India stormed into the final while Pakistan got the better of England at Cardiff to set up a mouth-watering final at The Oval.
There was a small print heading into the final. India had lost one game at The Oval as they failed to defend 322 against Sri Lanka. There was one more over-riding factor. The top three of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were dominating the batting while the rest of the batsmen had no exposure. There were murmurs as to what would happen if the top three failed. No one lost much sleep about it.
Pakistan were inserted into bat. Fakhar Zaman was caught behind off three by Jasprit Bumrah but the bowler had overstepped. Just like the 2016 ICC World T20 in which R Ashwin and Hardik Pandya’s no-balls cost India the semi-final against West Indies, this would prove to be a heavy letoff.
Fakhar Zaman showed his class and smashed a brilliant century. He was well supported by Azhar Ali as they shared a century partnership. Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez struck attractive cameos as Pakistan notched up 338/4. Hafeez notched up a fifty off just 37 balls and it was this knock which ensured Pakistan’s bowlers had something to defend against the might of the Indian batting.
Pakistan had a great record at The Oval for the last decade or so in both Tests and ODIs. With Rohit, Dhawan and Kohli in top form, it was no guarantee that the total could be defended. But, Mohammad Amir found his redemption moment. Six years ago at Lord’s, he was disgraced and banned for five years due to the spot-fixing scandal. Now, in 2017, he looked to give Pakistan the ultimate gift.
In his first over, he trapped Rohit Sharma LBW with an inswinger for 0. Pakistan had got the perfect start. The spell to Virat Kohli was sublime. In one delivery, Amir got some extra zip off the deck as Kohli edged the ball to slip. Azhar Ali dropped it and it seemed the stage was set for the chase master to unleash his magic. However, next ball, Amir produced magic. The ball was full and it held its line. Kohli looked to flick but got a leading edge that was taken at backward point.
The celebrations were a sight. Amir had broken the back of the Indian batting in one glorious spell. The crescendo was reached when Shikhar Dhawan edged a ball that bounced up a bit more from Amir to the keeper. Three of India’s best were gone. The initiative was with Pakistan. In that six-over spell, Amir’s 3/16 mirrored that of the greatness that Wasim Akram demonstrated in the 1992 World Cup against England in Melbourne.
When Hasan Ali dismissed MS Dhoni, Pakistan were on top. When Shadab Khan dismissed Yuvraj Singh and Kedar Jadhav, the match was well and truly over. However, the match saw the hitting prowess of Hardik Pandya. The right-hander took a toll on Pakistan’s spinners as he cleared the boundary with ease.
At one point, India’s hopes rose when Pandya was nearing a century. But, a miscommunication between Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja saw Pandya being run-out for 76. The game was sealed as the end neared. Hasan Ali mopped up the tail and Pakistan won by 180 runs to win the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time.
Thus, Pakistan became the fourth team after India, West Indies and Sri Lanka to win all three major ICC trophies. West Indies were the first team to win all three ICC trophies, followed by India and Sri Lanka in 2013 and 2014. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy had ensured Pakistan had a moment of glory in their rivalry against India.
However, in the 2019 ICC World Cup, India extended their head-to-head score against Pakistan to 7-0 in World Cups with a clinical display. But, on June 2017, Pakistan had finally broken a decade long hoodoo against India in ICC events.
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