The Champions Trophy 2017 (Part One)

Mar 22, 2022

The Champions Trophy 2017 (Part One) Image

The Champions Trophy, featuring the eight best ODI sides, was held in England and Wales in 2017. By the luck of the draw, India and Pakistan found themselves in Group A, along with South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Their group encounter took place on 4 June, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. 

Rain before the start reduced the match to 48 overs a side but, once the covers were removed. Pakistan won the toss and chose to field.

India then made a fine start to their innings, with Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan putting on 136 for the first wicket in less than 25 overs, before Dhawan was caught for 68. He had faced 65 balls, and hit a six and six fours.

Rohit added 56 more with captain Virat Kohli, until he was the next to depart, for 91. His innings featured two sixes and seven fours.

Next it was the turn of Kohli to combine with Yuvraj Singh. They put on 93 for the third wicket until Yuvraj fell in the 47th over for 53, having hit a six and eight fours. There was still time for Hardik Pandya to smash 20 off just six balls before the innings closed on 319/3. Kohli was unbeaten on 68, having hit one six and six fours of his own.

Wahab Riaz had the dubious distinction of recording the worst bowling figures in the history of the Champions Trophy, conceding 87 runs off 8.4 overs.

Further rain meant that the Pakistan total was reduced to 289 from 41 overs. They never got close to it, although Azhar Ali hit a fifty at the top of the order. Apart from him, the only other batter that did themselves justice was Mohammad Hafeez (33).

India shot out Pakistan for 164 in the 34th over. Umesh Yadav took 3-30, while Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each. They won by 124 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method.