ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Finale: Fakhar Zaman & Mohammad Amir Maneuver Pakistan’s Title Triumph Against The Holder

On Sunday the entire world witnessed the rising new avatar of Pakistan Cricket. The long running curse hanging upon them at last embraced its extremity through their thumping title victory against their mighty arch rival India. Last night their much talked about redemption is seen to be all over the places. For a team like Pakistan who initiated their quest in this champions league consuming a dreadful defeat against the title holder, making it to the finals along with the same adversary in itself a big accomplishment but such accomplishment haven’t served much appeasement to Sarfaraz & Co. Hence they unleashed their big gun in the finale and dismantled the only left favourite India out of the sight of the crowning ceremony.

There were two pivotal moments during both the innings. Zaman was out caught behind for three, but was called back after Jasprit Bumrah had overstepped. The left-hander batted for exactly 100 more deliveries, and hit 111 runs in the process.

Fakhar Zaman with the bat did the finale talking along with his proponent Azhar Ali. This duo not only steered past the experimental bowling changes from Virat Kohli’s end but also clobbered each and every well sorted game plan of Indians. Azhar’s batting explosion while Kohli led side was focusing onto restrict Zaman’s arms turned out to be the major turnaround in this battle from Indian perspectives. Meanwhile Zaman getting his eye on the game thrashed the Indian attack with his blistering maiden hundred. His 106 ball 112 consisting 12 fours and three sixes plated the platform in front of Pakistan to stockpile 338 for 4 and handed out India with a tall order in the final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Succeeding Zaman’s heavy blitz the other two Azhar Ali and after Ali’s unfortunate dismissal Mohammad Hafeez sailed the high flying boat of Pakistan with their quick 50s.

The batting capitulation India’s top order succumbed while chasing down Pakistan’s colossal total after the unfortunate downfall in their bowling onslaught added the leftover collapse to the Indian dug out. The solidified opening stand of India had put to be tested by Pakistan’s recent return big gun Mohammad Amir. His first spell turned out to unleash the drastic show for Indian batsman as he uprooted Rohit’s magnificent impetus with bat while chasing. Following the same in his next over he hunted Indian skipper and chasing master Virat Kohli although Amir’s first endeavor was dropped in first slip but gathering the courage and without losing the momentum he encashed the wicket of the major pivot of Indian batting line in his next ball. These two blow has already done the task for Pakistan but later on Dhawan’s follow up in Amir’s blitzkrieg to his dismissed mates made the task easier. In the score of 50 India was down to its 3rd major wickets, then Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni stepped up to the middle to turn the momentum to India’s favor but both of them were miserably failed through the hands of respective Shadab Khan Hassan Ali.

Later on Hardik Pandya cropped up with his magical blitz. His blistering approach towards the Pakistan’s middle order bowlers handed out some spices to the crowd to awe for. His 76 out of 43 balls had been a show-stealing performance for both the teams. But the big mix up between Jadeja and Pandya ended the short cameo of Pandya which eventually turned out to be the end of Indian fan’s hope from the finale. His dismissal circuitously dragged this decider to the conclusion of this finale in which Pakistan stood out overcoming their critical acclaims and made it hard to the world’s face to lift the Championship title against the mighty holder.