In-focus

Cricket

Pakistan qualify for final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017

Dunya News

Pakistan won the toss and opted to field first at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

CARDIFF (Dunya News) – Pakistan completely outclassed the English side at Cardiff as they convincingly won the semifinal of ICC Champions Trophy by 8 wickets.  

Pakistan chased the required target of 212 runs by two wickets in 37.1 overs. 

English batting line was completely destroyed by some really fine bowling from Pakistani bowlers as the whole team got out for 211 in 49.5 overs.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to field first in the first semifinal of 2017 Champions Trophy on a used pitch in Cardiff, similar to the one at which Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in a nail-biter.

Live Updates

Squads

England

JM Bairstow, AD Hales, JE Root, EJG Morgan (capt), JC Buttler, BA Stokes, MM Ali, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett, MA Wood, JT Ball

Pakistan

Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Imad Wasim, Rumman Raees, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan

Pakistan Innings

Overs 37.1, Score 215/2

Ben Stokes got some more punishment after being introduced again in thirty sixth over. First, it was a free-hit that was thumped away for maximum by Hafeez and later on it was Babar Azam played it gloriously for a boundary.

A total of 15 overs came in Stokes’ over.

Hafeez opted to give some punishment in the next over to Moeen Ali as he was thumped for two boundaries in the next over.

Hafeez played a brilliant shot of the first delivery of Stokes’ next over as he wrapped things up in style.

Pakistan chased the required target in 37.1 overs and convincingly won the match by eight wickets.

Overs 35, Score 187/2

Fakhar got out after playing a brilliant knock of 57 runs as he was stumped of the bowling of Rashid.

The youngster Babar Azam continued alongside his senior Azhar as both player carried along the innings in style. Although a sigh of relief came in the shape of first wicket for England however nothing was working for them after that.

Both the batsmen were rotating the strike at regular intervals while at the same time not giving any sort of chance to the English bowlers to settle.

Babar Azam lofted on-drive over the bowler s head for maximum as he gave some punishment to Rashid.

Babar Azam played a glorious shot once more while fetching four runs in the process.

An over-pitch from Plunkett in the next over was sent towards the boundary for a four more by Azhar.

Pakistan were 166 for the loss of one wicket after 30 overs.

Azhar departed after playing a brilliant knock of 76 runs as the ball took the bottom-edge and hitting the stumps in the process.

A big bottom-handed wallop from Hafeez managed to fetch six runs in Adil Rahid’s over.

Pakistan were in commanding position as they were chasing the target of 212 runs at Cardiff.

Pakistan were 187 for the loss of two wickets after 35 overs.

Overs 20, Score 111/0

Both Fakhar and Azhar were playing exceptionally well as they were carring along the innings in superb fashion. The bad deliveries were being put away while the strike was rotated at regular intervals.

Azhar Ali played nicely off the back foot as the ball raced away towards the boundary for four more.

In the next over, Fakhar Zaman swatted away a delivery from Wood over square leg as it raced away beautifully for four more.

Fakhar Zaman clubbed it away in front of square as the well-timed shot fetched four runs in the process.

Pakistan were 49 for no loss after 10 overs.

Azhar helped the ball on its way when it was sliding down the leg side and was neatly done by Azhar while fetching four runs in the process.

In the thirteenth over, Azhar pulls across the line as the ball gets a top edge and sailed towards the boundary for a maximum.

Adil Rashid was introduced to the attack as Fakhar Zaman thumped him for a boundary towards mid-off.

Courtesy: ESPNcricnfo

Pakistan were 88 for no loss after 15 overs.

Fakhar Zaman muscled the ball to the fence once again of the bowling of Plunkett as he managed to fetch four runs in the process.

Zaman has become the only Pakistani batsman to score two consecutive fifties after making debut in the Champions Trophy.

Moeen Ali was also introduced to the attack as Zaman slapped another four to finish the over.

Six runs were was scored of the next two overs.

Pakistan were 111 for no loss after 20 overs.

Overs 5, Score 26/0

Wood came to bowl in the first over as the top edge of Zaman’s bat sailed over the keeper’s head for six.

A total of 10 runs came in the first over.

Ball came to bowl the second over as he went for 5 wides and frustrating the skipper in the process.

Pakistan were 16 for no loss after two overs.

Wood continued from the other end. Good over was bowled as only two runs were scored.

Fakhar pulled one away for a boundary as he chose Ball’s short delivery to send it off towards fine leg boundary.

Three runs were scored of the fifth over.

Pakistan were 26 for the loss of no wicket after 5 overs.

England Innings

Overs 49.5, Score 211 (all out)

England seemed to have lost the plot after the depart of the skipper as the batsmen had no answer to the brilliant bowling by Pakistani bowlers.

Buttler and Ali departed in quick succession as both wickets were taken by Junaid Khan. The skipper brought the left arm pacer into the attack just at the right time.

Moreover, the frustration for English side further enhanced as no boundaries were coming at this crucial stage.

England were 169 for the loss of six wickets after 40 overs.

Courtesy: ESPNcricinfo

Adil Rashid got run out in the forty third over as the direct hit at the non-striker end aided more to miseries of English side.

Rumman was brought to the attack in the last overs of the game.

England were 187 for the loss of seven wickets after 45 overs.

Rumman Raees and Hasan Ali struck again in the depth overs as they didn’t provide any opportunity whatsever to the English batsmen to free their arms.

The last three batsmen also didn’t make any mark as a run out by Sarfraz sealed the poor show of English batting line.

England managed to score 211 as they were all out in 49.5 overs.

Overs 33, Score 146/4

Hasan Ali was bowling with good line and length as only three runs came of his next over.

Only singles and doubles were coming as Hafeez went for five runs in the next over.

England reached to 100 in the twenty second over.

Morgan gloved down the ball towards leg side as he managed to fetch four runs in the next over.

Shadab Khan was introduced once again to the attack as he bowled agood over to concede just three runs.

Morgan once again played a brilliant shot as he fetched four runs in the process as Hafeez bowled another over.

England were 118 for the loss of two wickets after 25 overs.

Shadab removed the dangerous Root as he was caught behind by the skipper after playing an innings of 46 runs. Shadab got a really crucial wicket at this stage of the game.

In the thirtieth over Morgan’s reverse seep fetched four runs.

England were 136 for the loss of three wickets after 30 overs.

Hasan Ali struck just at the right time as he created frustrations for the English side while removing the Morgan who was caught behind by Sarfaraz after scoring 33 runs.

England were 146 for the loss of four wickets after 33 overs.

21.4: Hundred up for England for the loss of two wickets.

Overs 20: England 93/2

Shadab mixed it up really well in the next over as he conceded just three runs in the sixteenth over.

The introduction of Hasan Ali did the trick for the skipper as he removed the dangerous Bairstow as he was caught by Hafeez after scoring 43 runs.

Muhammad Hafeez was also introduced to the attack in the next over and he only conceded three runs in his first over.

Hasan conceded five runs in the next over.

Muhammad Hafeez conceded four runs in the next over as he didn’t give any margin to the batsmen for hitting.

England were 93 for the loss of two wickets after 20 overs.

EJG Morgan 5 (13b 0x4 0x6)

JE Root 31 (37b 2x4 0x6)

Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-7-0

Hasan Ali 2-0-6-1

Wickets

16.3: OUT! Hasan Ali comes and strikes. Bairstow gone, simple catch taken by Hafeez at deep square leg. England 80/2

JM Bairstow c Mohammad Hafeez b Hasan Ali 43 (57b 4x4 0x6) SR: 75.43

England Skipper Eoin Morgan arrives at the crease.

Overs 15: England 77/1

As the second powerplay started, Imad pursued the bowling while conceding six runs in the over.

Shadab was introduced to the attack as he Root gave him a warm welcome while muscled away the ball for a boundary towards midwicket.

Imad bowled rather a good over as he conced just two runs in the thirteenth.

Shadab once again went for a boundary of the first delivery as Bairstow thumped down the ground this time.

Imad was bowling brilliantly as he bowled yet another good over to concede four runs.

England were 77 for the loss of one wicket after 15 over.

JM Bairstow 41 (50b 4x4 0x6)

JE Root 23 (27b 2x4 0x6)

Imad Wasim 5-0-16-0

Shadab Khan 2-0-13-0

Overs 10: England 52/1

Imad was introduced to the attack in the seventh over as he conceded just three runs in the over.

Rumman bowled the next over as Root nudged the ball away towards square leg for four more.

Imad conceded just one run in the next over.

Azhar dropped the crucial catch of Rumman in the next over as seven runs were conceded in the tenth over.

England were 52 for the loss of one wicket in the first 10 overs.

JM Bairstow 29 (33b 3x4 0x6)

JE Root 10 (14b 1x4 0x6)

Rumman Raees 5-0-25-1

Imad Wasim 2-0-4-0

5.5: OUT! Rumman Raees dismisses Alex Hales, simple catch at cover by Babar Azam. England 34/1

AD Hales c Babar Azam b Rumman Raees 13 (13b 2x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Joe Root joins Bairstow at the crease.

Overs 5: England 29/0

Junaid Khan started the first over as he was thumped for a powerful drive towards mid-off for a boundary. Five runs were conceded in the first over.

RummanRaees bowled the first over of his ODI career while bowling brilliantly to concede just two runs.

Some sort of punishment was given to Junaid in the third over as he Bairstow pummeled him away for two consecutive boundaries.

RummanRaees bowled yet another good over as only four runs were conceded this time.

Juanid went for another boundary of the last delivery of the next over however the overall runs conceded were just five.

England were 29 for no loss after the first five overs.

AD Hales 13 (12b 2x4 0x6)

JM Bairstow 16 (18b 2x4 0x6)

Junaid Khan 3-0-23-0

Rumman Raees 2-0-6-0

Junaid Khan opens the bowling attack for Pakistan. Jonny Bairstow opening for England along with Alex Hales. On the other end, Roman Raees shares the new ball with Junaid.

Former Pakistan Skipper Imran Khan wished Sarfaraz and Pakistan team best of luck for today’s match. This is their "cornered tiger" moment, said the 1992 World Cup winning captain.

He advised that Pakistan must go for an all-out attack and banish fear of losing.

The match began at 02:30 PM (PST) at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Both sides are expected to go all guns blazing to secure a spot in the final.

Time for National Anthems of both teams

Toss Video

Bad news for Pakistan is that the ace bowler Mohammad Amir has missed the crucial match owing to a back spasm. Amir was hit with injury in the practice session whilst he was bowling in the nets.

Roman Raees has replaced Amir in the playing eleven. On the other hand, Faheem Ashraf has not been picked up by Pakistan, and leg-spinner Shadab Khan has come in the squad for him.

England have made only one change as out of form Jason Roy is missing the semifinal, and Jonny Bairstow replacing him. 

 

Related Topics
Cricket