On This Day: Pakistan complete a stunning turnaround 

Semi-final, versus England, won by 8 wickets

Where they made a thundering announcement

A team that barely scraped to the semi-finals versus the undisputed favorites of the tournament. A team that batted at an average of 26 at a run rate of 4.92 versus a team that has looked like breaching the 450 run mark in every match they have played in the last two years. A side with an unsettled team combination versus the concretely defined home side.

Rationality derived inferences would tell you who to back. And how the second team clearly has a massive edge over the first. But once again, cognitive deciphering counts little for Pakistan.

Winning the toss, they put in England to bat on a sluggish surface at Sophia Gardens and then the bowlers did the rest. Well, to be fair they were aided by England's maddening one-dimensional batting and lack of adaptability. Even without the stalwart Amir, they restricted the powerhouse of ODI cricket to a not so daunting 211. Hasan Ali, coming in as the third change bowler did the chief damage picking 3 wickets for 35 in his 10 overs.

Any qualms regarding a repeat of their efforts at chasing in the last match were put to a hold as Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali put 118 for the first wicket. They only lost one more wicket in the rest of the chase as they knocked over the runs with a gargantuan 77 balls to spare, thanks to a sedate 76 by Azhar Ali.