India Claim 3rd Champions Trophy Title in High-Octane Cricket Clash: Tournament Recap

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And so, another entertaining ICC event comes to its conclusion. In just 19 days, the reinstated Champions Trophy was everything an ICC event is packaged to be. Here’s a recap of everything in the near three weeks of action:

New Zealand 320/5 (50)

Pakistan 260 (47.2)

On home soil, Pakistan chose to bowl first in the tournament opener. New Zealand, having been put into bat, started cautiously on a typical subcontinental pitch. A near-perfect death innings template ensured that a competitive total of 320/5 be set, heralded by centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham. Pakistan began even more carefully, with the early setback of Saud Shakeel enveloping them in New Zealand’s quality spin attack. Babar Azam fell victim to the right bowling, playing a counterintuitive knock of 64 from 90 deliveries. Pakistan characteristically folded around Azam, apart from solid contributions from Salman Agha and Kushdil Shah, a fading light in a 60-run win for New Zealand to begin their tournament.

Bangladesh 228 (49.4)India 231-4 (46.3)

Perhaps one of the more expected results for a tried-and-true Indian side on a tacky Dubai pitch, Bangladesh chose to bat. Indian pacers ran through the batting lineup, with Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana claiming 8 of the 10 Bangladeshi wickets. Centurion Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali gave Bangladesh a fighting chance after being 35/5. India looked untroubled throughout the chase, patiently knocking the ball around for just over 46 overs. A quick start by captain Rohit Sharma, alongside a brilliant unbeaten century from Shubman Gill, topped with a final support hand from KL Rahul, ensured India would cruise to an anticlimactic but clinical win in their first match against the Tigers.

South Africa 315/6 (50)

Afghanistan 208 (43.3)

The first Group B matchup resulted in yet another not-so-close contest. On a Karachi pitch not providing too much assistance to the Afghani bowling lineup, South Africa’s firepower proved too much for the South Asian country. Contributions from all along the top order brought a solid total for Afghanistan to chase glory. Apart from Rahmat Shah’s gritty 90 (92), not a single other batter reached the 20 run mark, and a 107 run loss proved fatal to Afghanistan’s late title hopes.

England 351/8 (50)

Australia 356/5 (47.3)

In the tournament’s fourth match, the highest run chase ever in the tournament’s history was fulfilled clinically by stalwarts Australia. England, on the back of the then-highest Champions Trophy score: 165 (143) from explosive opener Ben Duckett and a relatively relaxed Joe Root 68, reached a (surely) par total on a flat Lahore wicket. Australia iced the chase calmly, with top and middle order contributions from Matt Short, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, and a swashbuckling 120* from Josh Inglis, sealing the chase in under 48 overs.

Pakistan 241 (49.4)

India 244/4 (42.3)

The most anticipated match of the Champions Trophy was another dominant showing from an evidently superior team. Pakistan scored a resilient 241 against their neighbors, the only half-century coming from left-handed Saud Shakeel. Kuldeep Yadav proved too difficult for the Pakistan batters to pick, ending with 3-40 from his 10 overs, and more importantly, depleting the spine of Pakistan’s batting. An early wicket of Rohit Sharma against his for Shaheen Afridi gave hopes to a nervy Pakistan unit. Instead, a calm showing from Virat Kohli continued his love affair with the Pakistani bowling lineup, notching a century almost denied by the low score. Solid support from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer helped India cruise to their second consecutive win, pushing Pakistan to the brinks of elimination in the group stage.

Bangladesh 236/9 (50)

New Zealand 240/5 (46.1)

A crucial game for New Zealand to ensure a spot in the semis, and the Kiwis performed. Going against a slightly flaccid Bangladeshi side, they were always favorites. Bangladesh formed a cohesive effort for a respectable total, contributions coming from lower down, along with Najmul Hossain Shanto. Michael Bracewell’s economical 4-28 in his complete quota kept the scoring down to a minimum. New Zealand’s middle order made easy work of the chase, young Rachin Ravindra the star with a brilliant 112. The win all but ensured New Zealand would go through to the semifinals, with their last game as a litmus test, but also determining their semis opponent.

Australia 0/0 (0.0)

South Africa 0/0 (0.0)

Match abandoned without a ball bowled

What was to be an enticing affair produced no result as rain kept the game from starting. All eyes were on the table to see how the rain would affect the seedings.

Afghanistan 325/7 (50)

England 317 (49.5)

In one of the most remarkable storylines, Afghanistan had come out firing, a new Champions Trophy record 177 from 23-year-old Ibrahim Zadran propelling them to a strong score of 325. 40s from the middle order helped provide perfect support for the centurion. England was always going to need support throughout. Contributions from some could not overcome the Afghanis, as Joe Root’s 120 went in vain to a late comeback win from Afghanistan. Perhaps the most nail-biting encounter of the tournament, England looked set for victory throughout much of the chase before wrecker-in-chief Azmatullah Omarzai’s fifer sealed Afghanistan a memorable win.

Pakistan 0/0 (0.0)

Bangladesh 0/0 (0.0)

Match abandoned without a ball bowled

Essentially a dead rubber, with both teams already having been eliminated, the two sides would have been eager to prove some worth. Instead, each received one point from rain deciding that the match would not be played.

Afghanistan 273 (50)

Australia 109/1 (12.5)

No result

Afghanistan’s chance to compete for a semifinal spot terminated abruptly as the match could not be finished under persistent rain. A decent showing from their batting innings, Seqidullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai scored the bulk of the runs. In response, Australia began explosively, perhaps knowing that rain could and potentially would intervene. Travis Head spearheaded their short batting effort, ending up not out on 59 from 40 balls.

England 179 (38.2)

South Africa 181/3 (29.1)

The last match in Group B proved the most embarrassing of their three losses for England. In one last chance to prove themselves, they crumbled to a tournament low (completed) score. In response to an underwhelming batting effort from England, South Africa rapidly completed the run chase, Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen starring in the effort. South Africa had punched in their ticket to the next stages of the contest, flexing their all-around muscle in the process.

India 249/9 (50)

New Zealand 205 (45.3)

In what turned out to be a preview of the finalists, India were set to bat for the first and only time in their five matches in the tournament. Early wickets brought Deja Vu of the 2019 World Cup Semifinals with the same suspect, Matt Henry. His brilliant fifer restricted India to a respectable score. New Zealand were unable to get any rhythm in their chase, Kane Williamson starring for the Kiwis as he watched his side crumble–half to the name of Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin. In the end, a fairly decisive win for the Indians also gave them a tougher semifinal matchup against the Aussies, setting New Zealand an opponent of South Africa.

Australia 264 (49.3)

India 267/6 (48.1)

A high-octane semifinal matchup between arguably the two greatest sides in the world of cricket, Australia looked dangerous before wickets set them back to a modest 264. In what turned out to be his final match, Steve Smith fell 27 short of what would be a fitting farewell century, while Carey’s speedy 61 helped their efforts. India was shaky at the start, losing Shubman Gill early before Rohit Sharma joined him in the change room. The stage was set, and Virat Kohli took India home with a very characteristic 84, 64 of which came from running across the wicket. What was to be another century for the best chaser in cricket was not to be, but contributions from all throughout India’s middle order ensured a spot in the finals against the winner of the second semifinals match.

New Zealand 362/6 (50)

South Africa 312/9 (50)

Another enthralling semifinal awaited as two of cricket’s most potent forces came to battle, both of which with not a ton of silverware to back up their efforts. New Zealand looked in total control throughout their batting, with centurions Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson ensuring a mammoth total would be set upon the Proteas. Runs from the top order gave hope of a close finish, before a suffocating effort by New Zealand’s superior spin department spun the game in their favor. An unbeaten century from David Miller came too little too late for the again-heartbroken South African side, who fell again in the search for the lucrative ICC title.

New Zealand 251/7 (50)

India 254/6 (49)

The final was set. Two brilliant teams, both with their apparent strengths, were set to battle for the Champions Trophy. New Zealand’s brisk start to the finale was silenced by a brace of wickets from left-handed wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, sending soon-to-be Player of the Tournament Rachin Ravindra back with the big fish Kane Williamson an over later. A limbering effort of 63 (101) from Daryl Mitchell, along with a speedy half-century from all-rounder Michael Bracewell, gave India 50 overs to chase glory. An opening century stand ensured India was predominantly in control of the run-chase, Rohit Sharma the benefactor of the early runs. Three quick wickets gave New Zealand hope to come back and steal a win before India’s middle order settled the nerves and gave India a subsequent shot at glory. What came to be the second ICC trophy for India in nine months came with emotions galore from all members of the Indian camp, familiar heartbroken faces etched on the New Zealanders.