Pakistan clinch maiden Champions Trophy title

Sport Correspondent: Pakistan clinched the maiden ICC Champions Trophy title beating India by 180 runs in the final match at Kennington Oval in London on Sunday.

Pakistan set a target of 339 runs, thanks to Fakhar Zaman's 114 runs off 106 balls, losing four wickets in allotted 50 overs, after they were put in batting first losing the toss.

In reply, India, with a blistering innings of 76 runs of Hardik Pandya, managed to register 158 runs losing all wickets in 30.3 overs.

Fakhar Zaman ignited the Champions Trophy final with a century in only his fourth one-day international to leave India needing a challenging 339 to successfully defend their title in what could be the most watched cricket match in history.

A staggering billion people were expected to tune in on television around the world to watch what became a dream all-Asian final at the Oval when Pakistan upset the odds by thrashing England in the semi finals.

The eighth ranked team out of eight in this tournament were again big underdogs, especially when defending champions India won the toss and elected to chase in front of the majority of their supporters in an Oval full-house.

But the unlikely figure of Fakhar gave Pakistan hope after overcoming the shakiest of starts to smash a thrilling, if agricultural, hundred to follow up his two half centuries in his first three one-day internationals in this tournament.

Fakhar, who gave up a career in the Pakistan navy at 27 to concentrate totally on cricket, could have been run out on just one and was then caught behind on three by captain Sarfraz Ahmed only to be reprieved by a Jasprit Bumrah no ball.


risingbd/Dhaka/June 18, 2017/A K Azad