ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Reliving the previous India-Pakistan matches in the Champions Trophy

#4 Group Stage, 2017 Champions Trophy

India made it 2-2 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy

For only the second time in an ICC tournament and the first time in the Champions Trophy, India will be facing Pakistan more than once on Sunday after having squared off in their opening game where Pakistan won the toss and opted to field first.

India’s openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma began slowly but gradually began to increase the scoring rate. During the end of the 10^th over, the rain came pouring down as play was halted for a while but no overs were lost.

Dhawan and Rohit were batting steadily, dealing in mainly ones and twos with Rohit Sharma bringing up his fifty with a fine six over midwicket. Dhawan soon brought up his fifty by smashing 14 runs in four deliveries off Wahab Riaz. While Rohit Sharma was showing occasional aggression, Dhawan began to bat a little aggressively. However, this was not a good move by the Sunrisers Hyderabad opener as he perished in an attempt to play the big shot after scoring 68, thus breaking the opening run stand of 136.

Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma on the crease and while the former was batting steadily, dealing in mainly in quick singles and twos, the latter began to slow down his scoring rate a bit. Once again, rain played spoilsport and this time, the match became a 48-overs a side match.

Rohit Sharma eventually got dismissed on 91 but his dismissal eventually resulted in India’s run-rate being elevated as Yuvraj Singh came in and began to smash one boundary after another. Soon, Kohli joined the party and the duo began to play aggressively as India’s run-rate was approaching six. Yuvraj reached his first Champions Trophy 50 since 2000 and got dismissed on 53 from just 32 deliveries.

Yuvraj Singh helped India end with a flurry

Hardik Pandya joined the Indian skipper on the crease and the duo gave a sublime finishing touch as India finished their innings at 319/3 in 48 overs with Kohli ending his innings on 81 from 68 balls.

In reply, Pakistan would have to chase down a target of 324 in 48 overs. In reply, Pakistan were 22/0 in 4.4 overs before rain returned again and by the time it stopped, Pakistan needed 289 to win off 41 overs. Pakistan’s opening duo of Ahmed Shehzad and Azhar Ali put up 47 before Shehzad was dismissed for 12. Soon, Babar Azam got dismissed and Azhar Ali was joined in the crease by Mohammad Hafeez.

Ali reached his fifty but was dismissed shortly after and Pakistan were 91/3. Barring Mohammad Hafeez’s 33, the remainder of the Pakistan batsmen could not stay for long and they were dismissed for 164, thus handing India a 124-run win. Out of a number of splendid individual Indian performances, it was Yuvraj Singh’s 32-ball 53 that received the Man of the Match award and India made it 2-2 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.