Two-time Champions going up against three-time semi-finalists, the number 3 ODI team in the ICC standings going up against the eighth-placed side – needless to say, India went into their ICC Champions Trophy match against Pakistan as the big favourites. India’s 15-man squad, collectively, have played double the number of ODIs than their Pakistani counterparts.
Here’s a quick recap of the top 5 big moments from the clash at Edgbaston:
1. Winning Combo Reunite
Four years after Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma’s opening combo helped guide India to the Champions Trophy title, the duo managed to recover from the slump and injuries over the last year, to step out together in Edgbaston on Sunday.
Both had enjoyed good outings in the IPL over the last two months but Mohammad Amir was quick to remind them that this wasn't T20 and that they weren't playing in India. Amir allowed Rohit and Shikhar to score just 14 in the first 4 overs.
Helped a little by a 40-minute rain delay, Rohit batted at his pace to reach a half-century in the 19th over and Dhawan followed the feat in the 20th.
Looking to accelerate, Dhawan tried to send one into the stands but failed to make full contact. Caught at deep mid-wicket on 68 (65). The opening pair had posted a solid 136 runs.
Rohit soldiered on. With Virat for company, the Mumbai batsman, playing his first India match since October last year, defied the Pakistani pace to reach 90. On 91 though, standing at the non-strikers end, he followed the skipper’s call for a single and fell on a debated run out call.
2. Yuvi & Virat Pick Up The Pace
17 years after playing his first ICC Champions Trophy, Yuvraj Singh recovered from a bout of fever over the last week to take the field in India’s opening fixture.
He had Virat Kohli for company and India had 192 on the board in 37 overs. It was time for some fireworks. The boundaries started coming fast, as did the dropped catches. Yuvraj was dropped on 8 by Hasan Ali at long-off. Virat too got a lifeline at 44.
Making the most of the opportunity, both batsmen let loose. From 44 runs in 56 balls, Virat scored 37 off the next 12 balls. An impatient Yuvraj too smashed eight fours and one six in a 32-ball 53 to hurry the innings along when needed, and was named player of the match for doing so.
The partnership added 94 runs at the run rate of 9.62.
I thought we all batted really well. The openers gave us a good start, Virat finished well, and it gave me the opportunity to go and attack. You just have to go and back yourself and tell the opposition that you’re here to attack. I was lucky I was dropped, but I capitalised and I was hitting it well. I finished well.Yuvraj Singh
3. The Final Flourish
The Indian batsmen had been particularly brutal on seamer Wahab Riaz, who went for 87 runs in 8.4 overs before limping off injured – the most expensive spell of five overs or more in Champions Trophy history.
With Yuvraj out on 53, all-rounder Hardik Pandya was sent ahead of MS Dhoni with a plan in place. The first delivery he faced went for a leg bye but then the next three were all delivered to the stands. At the other end, Virat Kohli too kept the sixes column ticking.
A total of 72 runs was scored in just the last four overs, most of which came off a 23-run last over for Imad Wasim (0-66). Pandya ended on 20 off six deliveries, Virat on 81.
Mohammad Amir (0-32) was the most economical bowler for Pakistan, conceding an average of four runs an over.
4. Ali’s Resistance
India posted 319 in their 48 overs but because of another bout of rain during the innings break, Pakistan’s target was revised to 289 in 41 overs.
Eight overs in and they lost their first wicket – Ahmed Shehzad trapped lbw by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The highest-scorer was opener Azhar Ali with a fifty while Mohammad Hafeez's 33 off 43 providing the only resistance.
5. Bowlers Best Pak
While Bhuvneshwar Kumar opened the floodgates, it was Ravindra Jadeja who the Pakistanis’ simply failed to get around. Picked ahead of Ashwin, the spinner repaid his skipper’s faith with the wickets of Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez in a spell of 2/43. He also pulled off a brilliant solo run-out effort to send Shoaib Malik packing on 15.
Umesh Yadav finished with the best figures though – 3/30, including the last two wickets with Wahab Riaz absent hurt. Pakistan all out for 164, losing the match by a massive 124 runs – their biggest defeat to India at ICC events.
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