"Nothing can get better then this" If you are a cricket lover, this would certainly be your thought for the cricket match lined up on this Sunday, India vs Pakistan, final of the ICC Champions Trophy, 2017. Whenever the two teams play against each other plenty of emotions flow on the day. Happiness and celebrations at one side of the LOC and grief and pain on the other. Firework shows at one side and TV crashing at the other.
Pakistan thumped host England in the first semifinal and India gave the same treatment to Bangladesh in the other. It would be safe to say that both teams cakewalked into the finals. Now, the two teams will face off in a final to get their hands to the second most coveted trophy of one day cricket after World Cup. This would be the fifth time these two teams will be playing each other in a Champions trophy tournament. They have already faced each other this year in a league match of group stages where India comprehensively took Pakistan down by 124 runs. India and Pakistan have levelled terms as far as champions trophy is concerned with 2 wins each for both team in their four matches. Here we will go in the memory lane and review all four clashes. It goes as:
1. Birmingham 2004: It was the 12th match of the tournament when the arch rivals faced each other to make the place in the semifinals. Pakistan won the toss and put India to bat. It was a real bad day in the field for India with Ganguly getting out for a duck in the 5th ball for the very first over of the innings shortly followed by Laxman. Dravid, 67 off 108 and Agarkar, 47 off 50 balls were only two players who could stay on the crease for a while and India could only manage 200 runs before they got all out in the penultimate ball of the innings. It was an easy target on any day in any match but this was India vs Pakistan and nothing comes easy in here. Pakistan too had a bad start with their opener Imran Farhat getting out for duck in the last ball of the first over of Pakistan's innings. It was not long and Shoaib Malik followed his opener and shortly Pakistan was reeling with its 3 wickets going down with just 27 runs on the board. Then two most dependable batters of Pakistan team Inzi and Yohana came to crease and steadied the ship for their team. Well made 41 by Inzi and 81 by Yohana made the target well approachable for their team. India chipped in with few more quick wickets but they were not enough and then a quick made 25 from Afridi in the end were enough for his team and Pakistan chased the target in the last over of their innings and won the match by 7 wickets.
Brief Scores - India 200 all out 49.5 ovrs Dravid 67(108), Naved 4/25
Pakistan 201/7 49.2 ovrs, Y Yohana 81(114), I Pathan 3/34
2. Centurion, 2009 - Once again the two teams were against each other in the group stages. It was the sixth match of the tournament and Pakistan won the toss once again, this time choosing to bat though. Pakistani batsmen started scoring at a brisk rate from the start. They lost few wickets and were 65/3 in the 14th over when Shoaib Malik and Y Yohana came to the crease and started playing with the emotions of Indian bowlers. Malik was little tentative in the start but Yosuf was easily playing his self and striking the ball in gaps for his singles and doubles. And then eventually both picked up pace and Malik and Yosuf score very well made 128 and 87 respectively. They took their teams total to 302 from their full 50 overs. Indian team chasing the huge target had the worst start they would have least expected and lost Sachin for just 8 runs. Gambhir and David started playing well and took the score to 90. And then suddenly Gambhir needlessly got run out for well made 57 and then few wickets went down quickly for India. Then Raina and Dravid tried to steer it down for India but Raina got out for 46 and then eventually Dravid got run out for hard fought 76 and it was just matter of time for Indian team after Dravid got out and they succumbed in the 45th over managing a total of just 248 runs and lost the match by 54 runs.
Brief Scores - Pakistan 302/9 50 Ovrs Shoaib Malik 128(126), Nehra 4/55
India 248 all out 44.5 Ovrs Dravid 76(103), Ajmal 2/31
3. Birmingham, 2013 - It was time for Indians to settle some old scores against the arch rivals and how well they did it. This was the second time both teams were playing a champions trophy match in Birmingham. First being the one in 2004 where Pakistan got on the top and emerged as winner. Not this time though where India comprehensively won the rain affected match. It was the 10th match and the tournament was in the group stages. India won the toss and put the opposition to bat first. India had dream start and picked opener Jamshed in just 3rd over when Bhuvneshwar got him out caught by Raina. With as many as 4 batsmen getting into their twenties but not consolidating on the starts and Asad getting out for 41, no Pakistan batsmen could make it big on the day and they got out for mighty score of 165 in 40th over. Rain affected the chase and Indian team got the revised target of 102 from 22 overs which they got in 20th over itself. Dhawan's 48 and Virat's 22* made things easier for India and they emerged as winners by 8 wickets. India eventually got to win the tournament that year winging the final against England.
Brief scores: Pakistan 165all out 39.4 overs, Asad 41(57), Bhuvneshwar 2/19
India: 102/2 19.1 overs (revised target 102 in 22 overs) Dhawan 48(41), Wahab Riaz 1/20
4. Birmingham 2017: The venue has got some history hosting India vs Pakistan, champions trophy matches. 3 out of 4 time they have met on this venue. This year it was the 4th match of the tournament and in Birmingham it was. This match was dominated by Indian team all over and they thrashed Pakistan in all departments. Pakistan won the toss and sent India to bat first. Decision backfired and India got a fantastic start with Rohit and Dhawan giving a 100 run stand for the first wicket. Rohit was very watchful in the start as he was short of match practice and took his time to settle down whereas Dhawan was in a hurry and playing shorts with ease. And slowly and steadily Rohit started showing signs of confidence and started hitting shorts from the middle of his bat. Pakistani bowlers were all over the place and had no idea where to bowl to both openers. Finally they got the wicket in 25th over getting Dhawan caught for 65 ball 68. Then came Captain Kohli and brought no relief to Pakistani bowlers. Rohit got out for well made 91 and made a way for Yuvraj Singh who showed signs of sublime form. He started playing his shots right from the start. Both Yuvraj and Kohli were now making mockery of the Pakistani bowling attack. Kohli 81(68) and Yuvraj 53(32) took India over 300 run mark. Yuvraj got out towards the end and India managed 319/3 in their 48 ovrs(rain halted the match and revised the total overs to 48). This target seemed way too much for Pakistan. Rain made a halt in the game and Pakistan's target was revised to 289 from 41 overs. They had a decent start with both openers taking the score to 47 runs when Ahmed Shezad got out to Bhuvneshwar trying to play a ball to leg side but only found himself trapped in front of wickets. Only achievement in the chase for Pakistan was Azar Ali getting to his 50. No other Pakistani batsman could make a mark and Indian bowling was way too good for the batting line up. Pakistan team could only manage 164 runs and got all out in 34th over and lost the match by 124 runs.
Brief score : India 319/3 48 overs, Rohit 91(119), Kohli 81(68), Yuvraj 53(32), Shadab 1/52
Pakistan 164 all out 33.4 overs, Azhar Ali 50(65), Umesh Yadav 3/30
It must be appreciated that Pakistan rolled up their sleeves and after the humiliating defeat to India they played some amazing cricket to take down Sri-Lanka, South Africa in group stages and then defeating top contenders England in semi final en-route to finals of the championship. It is very much assured that the final between both teams is going to be a nail bitter. India is the top contender to win the tournament and the defending champions as well and Pakistan has picked up the form and has already done an upset in the tournament by defeating the other top contender of the tournament, England. Hope going through the journey of India vs Pakistan, Champions trophy clashes was equally interesting to you as it was for me to take you all through this.
1. Birmingham 2004: It was the 12th match of the tournament when the arch rivals faced each other to make the place in the semifinals. Pakistan won the toss and put India to bat. It was a real bad day in the field for India with Ganguly getting out for a duck in the 5th ball for the very first over of the innings shortly followed by Laxman. Dravid, 67 off 108 and Agarkar, 47 off 50 balls were only two players who could stay on the crease for a while and India could only manage 200 runs before they got all out in the penultimate ball of the innings. It was an easy target on any day in any match but this was India vs Pakistan and nothing comes easy in here. Pakistan too had a bad start with their opener Imran Farhat getting out for duck in the last ball of the first over of Pakistan's innings. It was not long and Shoaib Malik followed his opener and shortly Pakistan was reeling with its 3 wickets going down with just 27 runs on the board. Then two most dependable batters of Pakistan team Inzi and Yohana came to crease and steadied the ship for their team. Well made 41 by Inzi and 81 by Yohana made the target well approachable for their team. India chipped in with few more quick wickets but they were not enough and then a quick made 25 from Afridi in the end were enough for his team and Pakistan chased the target in the last over of their innings and won the match by 7 wickets.
Brief Scores - India 200 all out 49.5 ovrs Dravid 67(108), Naved 4/25
Pakistan 201/7 49.2 ovrs, Y Yohana 81(114), I Pathan 3/34
2. Centurion, 2009 - Once again the two teams were against each other in the group stages. It was the sixth match of the tournament and Pakistan won the toss once again, this time choosing to bat though. Pakistani batsmen started scoring at a brisk rate from the start. They lost few wickets and were 65/3 in the 14th over when Shoaib Malik and Y Yohana came to the crease and started playing with the emotions of Indian bowlers. Malik was little tentative in the start but Yosuf was easily playing his self and striking the ball in gaps for his singles and doubles. And then eventually both picked up pace and Malik and Yosuf score very well made 128 and 87 respectively. They took their teams total to 302 from their full 50 overs. Indian team chasing the huge target had the worst start they would have least expected and lost Sachin for just 8 runs. Gambhir and David started playing well and took the score to 90. And then suddenly Gambhir needlessly got run out for well made 57 and then few wickets went down quickly for India. Then Raina and Dravid tried to steer it down for India but Raina got out for 46 and then eventually Dravid got run out for hard fought 76 and it was just matter of time for Indian team after Dravid got out and they succumbed in the 45th over managing a total of just 248 runs and lost the match by 54 runs.
Brief Scores - Pakistan 302/9 50 Ovrs Shoaib Malik 128(126), Nehra 4/55
India 248 all out 44.5 Ovrs Dravid 76(103), Ajmal 2/31
3. Birmingham, 2013 - It was time for Indians to settle some old scores against the arch rivals and how well they did it. This was the second time both teams were playing a champions trophy match in Birmingham. First being the one in 2004 where Pakistan got on the top and emerged as winner. Not this time though where India comprehensively won the rain affected match. It was the 10th match and the tournament was in the group stages. India won the toss and put the opposition to bat first. India had dream start and picked opener Jamshed in just 3rd over when Bhuvneshwar got him out caught by Raina. With as many as 4 batsmen getting into their twenties but not consolidating on the starts and Asad getting out for 41, no Pakistan batsmen could make it big on the day and they got out for mighty score of 165 in 40th over. Rain affected the chase and Indian team got the revised target of 102 from 22 overs which they got in 20th over itself. Dhawan's 48 and Virat's 22* made things easier for India and they emerged as winners by 8 wickets. India eventually got to win the tournament that year winging the final against England.
Brief scores: Pakistan 165all out 39.4 overs, Asad 41(57), Bhuvneshwar 2/19
India: 102/2 19.1 overs (revised target 102 in 22 overs) Dhawan 48(41), Wahab Riaz 1/20
4. Birmingham 2017: The venue has got some history hosting India vs Pakistan, champions trophy matches. 3 out of 4 time they have met on this venue. This year it was the 4th match of the tournament and in Birmingham it was. This match was dominated by Indian team all over and they thrashed Pakistan in all departments. Pakistan won the toss and sent India to bat first. Decision backfired and India got a fantastic start with Rohit and Dhawan giving a 100 run stand for the first wicket. Rohit was very watchful in the start as he was short of match practice and took his time to settle down whereas Dhawan was in a hurry and playing shorts with ease. And slowly and steadily Rohit started showing signs of confidence and started hitting shorts from the middle of his bat. Pakistani bowlers were all over the place and had no idea where to bowl to both openers. Finally they got the wicket in 25th over getting Dhawan caught for 65 ball 68. Then came Captain Kohli and brought no relief to Pakistani bowlers. Rohit got out for well made 91 and made a way for Yuvraj Singh who showed signs of sublime form. He started playing his shots right from the start. Both Yuvraj and Kohli were now making mockery of the Pakistani bowling attack. Kohli 81(68) and Yuvraj 53(32) took India over 300 run mark. Yuvraj got out towards the end and India managed 319/3 in their 48 ovrs(rain halted the match and revised the total overs to 48). This target seemed way too much for Pakistan. Rain made a halt in the game and Pakistan's target was revised to 289 from 41 overs. They had a decent start with both openers taking the score to 47 runs when Ahmed Shezad got out to Bhuvneshwar trying to play a ball to leg side but only found himself trapped in front of wickets. Only achievement in the chase for Pakistan was Azar Ali getting to his 50. No other Pakistani batsman could make a mark and Indian bowling was way too good for the batting line up. Pakistan team could only manage 164 runs and got all out in 34th over and lost the match by 124 runs.
Brief score : India 319/3 48 overs, Rohit 91(119), Kohli 81(68), Yuvraj 53(32), Shadab 1/52
Pakistan 164 all out 33.4 overs, Azhar Ali 50(65), Umesh Yadav 3/30
It must be appreciated that Pakistan rolled up their sleeves and after the humiliating defeat to India they played some amazing cricket to take down Sri-Lanka, South Africa in group stages and then defeating top contenders England in semi final en-route to finals of the championship. It is very much assured that the final between both teams is going to be a nail bitter. India is the top contender to win the tournament and the defending champions as well and Pakistan has picked up the form and has already done an upset in the tournament by defeating the other top contender of the tournament, England. Hope going through the journey of India vs Pakistan, Champions trophy clashes was equally interesting to you as it was for me to take you all through this.
Super write up Navdeep....real narration to real story ..keep up ����
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