ICC Champions Trophy 2017: India vs Pakistan, India's death overs onslaught is the SK Turning Point of the Match

Despite damp weather frequently threatening to intervene, Edgbaston witnessed a riveting clash between India and Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy. Squashing all uncertainty prevailing off the field, the defending champions came out all guns blazing and defeated Sarfraz Ahmed’s team by a comfortable margin of 124 runs.

India’s openers produced a substantial partnership to get things off to a steady start. However, intermittent rain delays impeded their momentum during a crucial phase in the innings. When it seemed like they might have to settle for a total below their expectations, the middle-order fired on all cylinders to plunder as many as 72 runs from the final four overs and set a daunting target for Pakistan.

Catch the highlights of India’s blitz in the final four overs here. Let us take a close look at how the events unfolded in the engrossing encounter.

Setting a strong platform

Upon losing the toss under overcast conditions, India preferred to absorb the pressure accompanying the game instead of going hard at the beginning. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma looked to get themselves in before playing extravagant shots. Sarfraz committed a blunder early in the piece by giving the new-ball to left-arm spinner Imad Wasim.

Consistently seeking to rotate the strike, Dhawan and Rohit did not veer away from punishing the loose balls on offer. The duo built a strong partnership at the top of the order and kept the Pakistani bowlers at bay.

After adding 136 runs for the first wicket, the opening stand was finally broken when Dhawan hammered a full toss straight to deep mid-wicket. Skipper Kohli joined hands with Rohit to keep the scoreboard ticking. Despite battling a few rain-enforced interruptions, both batsmen kept the flow of the innings headed in the proper direction. Just as he was nearing his century, the elegant Mumbaikar had to walk back after a calamitous run-out.

With the platform set for a powerful finish, Yuvraj arrived on the scene. Even as Kohli had to mostly remain content with the ones and twos, the experienced southpaw proceeded to add some much-needed impetus to the innings by finding the boundary on a regular basis. Pakistan were dealt a major blow as Mohammad Amir limped off the field with cramps. They only made matters worse for themselves as abominable fielding resulted in both batsmen being reprieved.

The death overs blitz

Yuvraj Singh smashed a scintillating fifty to add impetus to India’s innings

India’s innings had been reduced to 48 overs. At the end of the 44^th over, they were stationed at 247/2. On a reasonably flat surface, there were question marks on whether the “Men in Blue” would reach an imposing total. However, what transpired in the final four overs effectively saw them bat Pakistan out of the contest.

Hasan Ali, who had bowled decently up until that point, came in the firing line. He conceded 17 runs in his 9th over to help the well-set batsmen break the shackles. Wahab Riaz aggravated Sarfraz's woes by leaking boundaries aplenty before hobbling off the field without finishing his 8^th over. The left-arm speedster‘s figures of 8.4-0-87-0 were a new low in Champions Trophy history.

Yuvraj had to depart when Hasan trapped him in front with a full delivery. Perhaps the only positive from Pakistan’s bowling performance was their handling of the Decision Review System (DRS). Meanwhile, at the other end, Kohli started to come into his own and sent the ball screaming to all parts of the ground. An amazing shot to clear the long-on fence not only brought up his fifty but also helped him take full toll of the wayward death bowling on offer.

Extra Cover: Hardik Pandya's three consecutive sixes in the final over is the SK Play of the Day

All-rounder Hardik Pandya came in ahead of veteran MS Dhoni and duly blasted 3 sixes off consecutive deliveries in the last over of the innings. India finished with a commanding 319 for the loss of three wickets. The Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) calculation added five more runs to the total.

Pakistan wilt under tough chase

With another rain delay bringing the equation down to 289 runs from 41 overs, Pakistan required a blazing start to get back into the game. Proving his naysayers wrong, Azhar Ali’s renewed approach to the Power Play overs kept them in the hunt during the early part of the chase.

However, batsmen at the other end did not show the same urgency and hence the required run-rate continued to climb. The pressure of the occasion became a telling factor as the Pakistani batsmen struggled to come to terms with the task at hand. A flurry of wickets emanated due to the discipline and persistence shown by the Indian bowlers. Notwithstanding the mediocre fielding on display, Kohli’s troops kept chipping away and derailed their opponent’s progress.

Pakistan were blown away for 164. Umesh Yadav led the way with three wickets while Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja contributed with two wickets each. India wrapped up a clinical victory to begin their title defence in a resounding manner.