ICC

N/A

Tag Type
Slug
icc
Abbreviation
ICC
Visible in Content Tool
On
Visible in Programming Tool
On
Root
Auto create Channel for this Tag
On
Parents
Primary Parent

Pakistan Stuns India to Win 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final

Jun 18, 2017
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18:  Sarfraz Ahmed of Pakistan lifts the winners trophy as Pakistan win the ICC Champions trophy cricket match between India and Pakistan at The Oval in London on June 18, 2017  (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Sarfraz Ahmed of Pakistan lifts the winners trophy as Pakistan win the ICC Champions trophy cricket match between India and Pakistan at The Oval in London on June 18, 2017 (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Pakistan destroyed India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final as they collected victory by 180 runs Sunday.

India's mighty batting order collapsed after their opponents posted 338 for four in their opening knock.

The Indians could only manage to score 158 runs in an easy win for the new champions.

Pakistan were put into bat by India as the favourites expected to create a run chase they were comfortable with.

However, things turned sour for the Indians as their opponents produced the best batting display of the tournament.

Pakistan's players celebrate their victory over India on the pitch after the ICC Champions Trophy final cricket match between India and Pakistan at The Oval in London on June 18, 2017.
Pakistan thrashed title-holders India by 180 runs to win the Champions
Pakistan's players celebrate their victory over India on the pitch after the ICC Champions Trophy final cricket match between India and Pakistan at The Oval in London on June 18, 2017. Pakistan thrashed title-holders India by 180 runs to win the Champions

Pakistan were huge outsiders but scored 338 runs as Fakhar Zaman smashed 114 off 106 balls.

Azhar Ali added 59 runs as he proved he is a star in the making, and Babar Azam's knock of 46 kept the ship sailing to the win.

Mohammad Hafeez survived to the end of the innings, hitting 57 runs of 37 balls.

India's bowlers suffered on a flat track, but it was Pakistan's mental resolve that proved decisive.

Rohit Sharma, who has opened with gusto for India throughout the tournament, was out for a duck on just his third ball, and the Indians' decline rapidly occurred.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18:  Pakistan celebrate after Hasan Ali dismisses Ravichandran Ashwin of India during the ICC Champions Trophy Final between India and Pakistan at The Kia Oval on June 18, 2017 in London, England.  (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Imag
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Pakistan celebrate after Hasan Ali dismisses Ravichandran Ashwin of India during the ICC Champions Trophy Final between India and Pakistan at The Kia Oval on June 18, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Imag

Virat Kohli survived just nine balls as he was dismissed for only five runs, and it became apparent that India were on the verge of defeat.

Hardik Pandya scored a quick 76 to spare India's blushes, but it wasn't enough as Pakistan turned the screw with style and aggression.

Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali took three wickets apiece as India surrendered the match, and they were all out for 158 after just 30.3 overs.

Pakistan are a team with huge potential, but they have not previously displayed this type of quality in previous outings.

Their defeat of England hinted at what was to come in the final, but their win against India will go down in their country's folklore against the world's most dangerous side.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Final: Time, Live Stream and TV Schedule

Jun 15, 2017
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15 : Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli of India during the ICC Champions Trophy match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston cricket ground on June 15, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15 : Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli of India during the ICC Champions Trophy match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston cricket ground on June 15, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

India will play Pakistan in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final at the Oval in London on Sunday. The former reached the final after a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh on Thursday, while Pakistan beat England by eight wickets on Wednesday.

It means defending champion India has a chance to retain the trophy they won in 2016. However, Pakistan made a statement when they sent host England packing, showcasing some formidable bowling talent.

Before a preview, here are the schedule and viewing details:

Date: Sunday, June 18

Time: 10 a.m. BST/5 a.m. ET.

TV Info: Sky Sports 2

Live Stream: Sky Go

     

Preview

One obvious danger man for Pakistan is Fakhar Zaman. He has hit two half-centuries in a row to help his nation reach the final.

Zaman was stumped against England, but only after a prolific innings, per Sky Sports Cricket:

Of course, if Zaman is one to watch for Pakistan, India can claim their own in the batting order. Specifically, Rohit Sharma was the standout performer with a ton against Bangladesh, according to ESPNcricinfo:

Sharma isn't the only marquee batsman Pakistan should be worried about, though. There is also Shikhar Dhawan, the competition's leader in runs with 317, per the tournament's official website.

While Sharma and Dhawan have been in dominant form lately, India can always rely on the class of veteran Virat Kohli. The 28-year-old set a one-day international milestone during the win over Bangladesh:

It was Kohli who hit the winning runs in the semi-final, smashing a four to finish on a personal total of 96 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. His boundary hit topped India out at 265, 50 runs more than Pakistan managed against England.

Of course, Pakistan can still count on quality delivery from bowler Hasan Ali. He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 to his credit, per David Hopps of ESPNcricinfo.

Ali and Imad Wasim have both posted respectable bowling economy rates, per the tournament's official website. Wasim has allowed only 135 runs in 30.1 overs from four innings.

Given the strength in depth of India's batting order, Pakistan will likely need to rely heavily on Wasim and Ali to slow things down and take some prime wickets early on.

India Make Easy Work of Bangladesh in 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Clash

Jun 15, 2017
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15:  Virat Kohli (2L) of India celebrates taking a catch off the bowling of Kedar Jadhav to claim the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladesh during the ICC Champions Trophy Semi-Final match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston on June 15, 2017 in Birmingham, England.  (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15: Virat Kohli (2L) of India celebrates taking a catch off the bowling of Kedar Jadhav to claim the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladesh during the ICC Champions Trophy Semi-Final match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston on June 15, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

India cruised into the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final after defeating Bangladesh by nine wickets at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Thursday.

The victory sets up a clash against India's bitter rivals Pakistan after they eliminated tournament hosts England in a shock result on Wednesday.

Bangladesh were effective with the bat as they posted 264 for seven from their 50 overs, but India replied in style as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli led a successful chase.

India took the victory with just one lost wicket during their innings with 59 balls remaining. 

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15: Rohit Sharma of India celebrates his match winning performance of 123 not out and his sides 9 wicket victory during the ICC Champions Trophy Semi-Final match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston on June 15, 2017 in Birm
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 15: Rohit Sharma of India celebrates his match winning performance of 123 not out and his sides 9 wicket victory during the ICC Champions Trophy Semi-Final match between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston on June 15, 2017 in Birm

Bangladesh vs. India

India (Sharma 123, Jadhav two for 23) bt. Bangladesh (Iqbal 70, Mortaza one for 29) by nine wickets.

Bangladesh were in trouble with only one run on the board as Soumya Sarkar surrendered his wicket to the bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but Tamim Iqbal's knock of 70 from 82 balls—including eight boundaries—steadied the ship.

Mushfiqur Rahim added a further 61 runs, and the tail wagged to finish the innings on 264 for seven after 50 overs.

India had shared the wickets evenly among their bowlers, with Kedar Jadhav the top performer with two for 22.

Writer Ramesh Srivats was confident which team would prevail:

India scored 87 runs before losing their only wicket, as Mashrafe Mortaza dismissed Shikhar Dhawan for a quick-fire 46 off only 34 balls.

The eventual winners never looked in trouble as the Bangladesh bowling attack failed to make inroads, and Kohli was in sumptuous form as he supported Sharma, who scored 123.

Kohli finished four runs off his century as he scored 13 fours along the way.

India will believe they are favourites to win the competition, and with Sharma and Kohli at their best, it is difficult to see them failing in the final.

Kohli is unplayable at times, and his supporting cast appear as dangerous as ever.

England Shocked by Pakistan as Hosts Are Ousted from 2017 ICC Champions Trophy

Jun 14, 2017
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Azhar Ali of Pakistan bats watched by Jos Buttler of England during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Azhar Ali of Pakistan bats watched by Jos Buttler of England during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

Pakistan shocked England in the the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy as the Green Shirts eliminated the hosts in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

The winners executed the perfect game as they chased down their opponents' opening total, and they comfortably won the match by eight wickets in Cardiff, Wales.

England posted 211 runs as they collapsed, with Joe Root top scoring on just 46.

Pakistan replied with a controlled response, skipping past their target after just 37.1 overs on the board.

CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Adil Rashid and Mark Wood leave the field after losing the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Adil Rashid and Mark Wood leave the field after losing the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

England vs. Pakistan

Pakistan (Azhar Ali 76, Hasan Ali three for 35) bt. England (Root 46, Ball one for 37) by eight wickets.

England will be devastated with the loss on home soil, and they did not meet expectations with the bat in hand.

Opener Alex Hales only made 13 runs as he was dismissed by Rumman Raees, and the fall of the wicket triggered an early slump.

Root tried to steady the ship as England attempted to set a big total, but the middle order of Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali offered little against the Shaheens' passionate bowling attack.

CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan embrace after winning the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 14 : Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan embrace after winning the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan at Swalec stadium on June 14, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

Hasan Ali took three wickets as Pakistan ripped through the order, and they were soon in to bat as England scratched their heads against high-quality seam bowling.

The hosts were far too short with their bowling efforts, and they failed to exert the pressure needed to protect the opening knock.

Azhar Ali starred as he smashed six boundaries, scoring 76 from 100 balls. 

Fakhar Zaman supported Ali in their opening partnership, and his effort of 57 runs left his side on the edge of victory.

Cricket legend Shane Warne praised the winners as they crossed the finish line:

Pakistan will now meet India or Bangladesh in the final after slowly finding their rhythm in the tournament.

England expected to win the competition after consistent displays in the shorter forms of the game, but Pakistan were always one step ahead as they tactically outwitted the favourites.

The second semi-final takes place at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Thursday.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Results: Pakistan Beats Sri Lanka, Advances

Jun 12, 2017
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 12:  Sarfraz Ahmed (R) of Pakistan celebrates with Mohammad Amir (L) after hitting the winning runs and victory by 3 wickets during the ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the SWALEC Stadium on June 12, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales.  (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - JUNE 12: Sarfraz Ahmed (R) of Pakistan celebrates with Mohammad Amir (L) after hitting the winning runs and victory by 3 wickets during the ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the SWALEC Stadium on June 12, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Pakistan will face England in the semi-finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy after they defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Monday. 

Sarfraz Ahmed sent his side into the last four of the tournament after helping piece together a big comeback for Pakistan, who were chasing down a rather feeble-looking Sri Lanka score of 236.

Neither team was perfect on the day, with Sri Lanka setting too modest a target considering the competition they faced, although Pakistan will consider this a performance to build from, too, as they chase the finished product.

By beating Sri Lanka, Pakistan became the fourth and final team to advance to the semis of this year's competition, with Bangladesh set to clash against India in the other fixture.

Read on for a recap of Monday's entertainment, complete with a preview of the upcoming semi-final slate.

Visit ESPNcricinfo.com for more details on Monday's result and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan

Pakistan (Ahmed 61, Pradeep 3/60) bt. Sri Lanka (Dickwella 73, Khan 3/40) by three wickets.

Monday's meeting pitted two of cricket's heavyweights against one another in search of the last semi-final place, and although it produced great entertainment, it was, in some ways, for the wrong reasons.

Niroshan Dickwella's 73 off 86 balls was Sri Lanka's highest individual score by some distance, and commentator Harsha Bhogle commented on their lack of big batting figures aside from him and Angelo Mathews:

Unfortunately for them, both batsmen were out by the time they reached 162 runs, and the second half of the order proved inconsistent by comparison, adding only another 70 runs or so more following their exit.

A successful Pakistani chase was on the cards by all accounts, a campaign that was boosted by the form of their early openers, with Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman combining for 84 runs at one and two in the order.

Tensions did rise for Pakistan when Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez and Ali all fell within 18 runs of one another, and coach Mickey Arthur's side hit a mid-match lull in tempo that threatened to throw off their pursuit.

Ahmed arose at the right time, though, and combined late on with bowler Mohammad Amir, who drew great praise for his unbeaten 28 from ex-India international Sanjay Manjrekar:

Sri Lanka were also to blame for their own inability to finish the game, however, and Ahmed got off easy when Lasith Malinga's bowl coaxed him into an error, only for his fielders to drop the begging chance.

And that was a particular error they would come to regret as Ahmed and Co edged nearer to the win they needed to qualify, sealing the deal with a four from their captain that Chief Minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif, took note of:

Former India international Mohammad Kaif spotted weakness in Sri Lanka before praising the victors, however, seemingly unimpressed with the fielding display he just watched:

Pakistan have now beaten Sri Lanka in 10 of the 11 matches they've played against one another in ICC One-Day International tournaments, and it's little wonder when the latter crumbles such as they did on Monday.

England promise to pose a stiff challenge for Pakistan, particularly on home soil, and both teams have only two days' rest before they return to the action at Sophia Gardens.

India Beat South Africa to Book 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Semi-Final Spot

Jun 11, 2017
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11:  Virat Kohli of India in action during the ICC Champions trophy cricket match between India and South Africa at The Oval in London on June 11, 2017  (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Virat Kohli of India in action during the ICC Champions trophy cricket match between India and South Africa at The Oval in London on June 11, 2017 (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

India (193/2) cruised to an eight-wicket win (with 72 balls remaining) over South Africa (191) during Sunday's 2017 ICC Champions Trophy action, booking their semi-final spot in the process.

Shikhar Dhawan (78 from 83 balls) and Virat Kohli (unbeaten 76) powered the chase after the Men in Blue held the Proteas to just 191 all-out in the first innings. The former made some history along the way, via Broken Cricket:

The Proteas' openers did a fine job stringing together overs early in the first innings, with Quinton de Kock (53 from 72 balls) and Hashim Amla (35 from 54 balls) giving their side a steady stream of runs to build off.

With wickets to spare, the rest of the lineup fell short of the expectations. While Faf du Plessis added 36 from 50 balls, South Africa couldn't push the run rate into higher numbers, and India punished every single mistake the Proteas made.

Indian Premier League star Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the way with two wickets and 23 runs conceded in 7.3 overs, good for an economy rate of just 3.06. The target of 192 seemed very manageable, although CricTracker's Sampath Bandarupalli noted history was not on the side of the Men in Blue:

While Rohit Sharma only managed to add 12 runs to the chase, the duo of Dhawan and Kohli did a fantastic job, powering the chase until the 31st overs.

When Dhawan was caught, Yuvraj Singh (unbeaten 23) proved an adequate replacement, and the chase continued without so much as a hiccup.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan will meet in Wales on Monday for the final match of the group stages, with the fourth semi-final ticket on the line. England and Bangladesh have already qualified from Group A.

England Beat Australia in ICC Champions Trophy, Match Abandoned Due to Weather

Jun 10, 2017
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 10:  Eoin Morgan (L) and Ben Stokes of England during the fourth wicket stand  during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Australia at Edgbaston on June 10, 2017 in Birmingham, England.  (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Eoin Morgan (L) and Ben Stokes of England during the fourth wicket stand during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Australia at Edgbaston on June 10, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

England beat Australia by 40 runs in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston on Saturday to deny their bitter rivals a place in the semi-finals, with the match having to be abandoned late in the second innings due to the weather.

Australia set a total of 277 for nine, but after a rocky start in which they lost three wickets in the first six overs, England racked up a total of 240 for four—thanks largely to Ben Stokes' centurybefore rain ended play with 10 overs remaining.

Their win ensures Bangladesh will finish second in Group A ahead of Australia and therefore enter the semi-finals of the competition.

England got off to a promising start with ball in hand when they took David Warner for 21 runs in the eighth over, before the batsman was able to build any significant momentum.

Aaron Finch and Steve Smith soon steadied the ship for Australia, though. They hit 68 and 56 apiece with 13 fours between them, and after 27 overs Australia were 160 for two.

Travis Head continued where the pair left off and finished on 71 not out, which included two sixes—making him the only Australian to hit one. Former Australia captain Michael Clarke was impressed:

However, he was unable to form any meaningful partnerships as his side's lower order collapsed spectacularly in the final 10 overs, with Adil Rashid and Mark Wood producing an outstanding effort with ball in hand, both finishing on four wickets each.

The latter saw Maxwell dismissed in the 43rd over before Rashid took both Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc in the following over. Rashid then oversaw Pat Cummins' departure in the 46th, and Wood returned to the action in the 47th to remove Adam Zampa.

He and Starc each went for ducks, while Wade, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood managed just seven runs between them.

The Guardian's Ali Martin hailed Rashid:

Meanwhile, the ICC demonstrated just how impressive Wood's stint with the ball was:

England endured a nightmare start to their innings, though, as they lost Jason Roy and Alex Hales in the first two overs to leave them six for two.

It got even worse for them when Hazlewood—who also dismissed Hales—made it 35 for three with a superb delivery that Joe Root could only edge to Wade.

However, the introduction of Eoin Morgan and Stokes would transform the contest. The pair put together a deadly partnership, with the England captain racking up 87 runs from 81 balls and Stokes 102 from 109.

Former England captain Michael Vaugan lauded praise on Stokes, while Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli admired a particularly stunning four:

A Jos Buttler 29 after Morgan was eventually run out by Zampa gave England a sufficiently high total that when the heavens opened and the match had to be abandoned, they were awarded the win to seal Australia's fate.

 

ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Results: Sri Lanka Beat India for 1st Win

Jun 8, 2017
Sri Lankas Danushka Gunathilaka hits a reverse sweep shot during the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Sri Lanka at The Oval in London on June 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE        (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)
Sri Lankas Danushka Gunathilaka hits a reverse sweep shot during the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Sri Lanka at The Oval in London on June 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Sri Lanka clinched their first win of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on Thursday after beating India by seven wickets to level things out in the Group B standings as all four nations sit on two points apiece.

Kusal Mendis was named man-of-the-match for his 89 off 93 balls, although the bowlers were deserving of praise after restricting to 321 runs in the one-day international (ODI) meeting.

Shikhar Dahwan's 125 off 128 was overshadowed by Sri Lanka's win at the Oval in London, a result that means the Group B standings are on tenterhooks leading into the final fixtures of the pool phase.

The focus will turn back to Group A matters on Friday as New Zealand prepare to take on Bangladesh, with both teams having seen their first matches rained off—each against Australia.

Bet365 provided a breakdown of the latest standings following Thursday's result:

     

India vs. Sri Lanka

India (Dhawan 125, Malinga 2/70) beat Sri Lanka (Mendis 89, Kumar 1/54) by seven wickets.

Sri Lanka came into Thursday's matchup with India knowing defeat would likely spell the end of their ICC campaign, having lost to South Africa by 96 runs in their opener and sitting two points off all their peers.

One player who was under particular pressure to perform was Lasith Malinga, who only recently returned from a 19-month layoff and also was the only bowler on the day to notch two wickets, via the official ICC Twitter account:

Fortunately, Sri Lanka's stars rose to the occasion en masse, in both batting and bowling, and fit-again star Angelo Mathews praised both aspects of the team following a potential tournament-turner, per ESPNCricinfo.com:

"It's one of the top wins, to beat India. It was a fantastic wicket. The bowlers did brilliantly to restrict India to 321. it's a very chaseable target. 

"I tried to hit as many balls in the nets as possible, it makes you feel good and that helped me come back from injury. Wasn't easy for Gunathilaka to walk into the side and bat like how he did. Kusal is a great player, and Kusal Perera also batted really well. Those partnerships were crucial. It's a must-win game for all of us in the group. Not many people expected us to win and that took a lot of pressure off us. [Turning point?] I thought the second-wicket partnership. They set us the platform."

As well as Mendis' 89, Danushka Gunathilaka (76), Mathews (52) and Kusal Perera (47) also contributed well to the scoreline in a Sri Lanka display that made former international Kumar Sangakkara pleased for his countrymen:

It was suggested by BBC Sport's Azzam Ameen that perhaps Mendis' titanic performance wasn't just a coincidence, too, with Sangakkara possibly having some outward influence on procedures:

Dhawan may be somewhat dismayed his score of 125 wasn't enough to yield two more points for India, who now face an uncertain pool decider against second-place South Africa on Sunday.

Had more team-mates been able to match his standards on Thursday, India may have come away with a different result, although neutrals won't complain after the competition stakes opened up all the more.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Pakistan Beat South Africa After Rain Suspends Match

Jun 7, 2017
Pakistan fans celebrate a four in light rain during the ICC Champions trophy match between Pakistan and South Africa at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE        (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Pakistan fans celebrate a four in light rain during the ICC Champions trophy match between Pakistan and South Africa at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Another rain-soaked match saw Pakistan grab their first win of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on Wednesday, beating South Africa by 19 runs via the D/L method.

The Proteas had been held to 219/8 in their innings, and Pakistan had cruised to a total of 119/3 through 27 overs when play was stopped. The rain never ceased, and late in the evening, the decision was made to suspend play.

South Africa's' innings couldn't have gone much worse, as star batsman AB de Villiers was bowled for a golden duck. Per cricket writer Mazher Arshad, this had never happened to the 33-year-old before:

It set the tone for a dominant innings from Pakistan's spinners, who kept the ER well down, and the pace bowlers, who finished with five wickets.

David Miller scored an unbeaten 75 to pace the Proteas' innings, but his team-mates fell flat, with only Quinton de Kock (33 from 49 balls) bagging more than 30 runs.

Hasan Ali stole the show for Pakistan, taking three wickets in eight overs. The total of 219 seemed very low, although Freddie Wilde of CricViz noted South Africa have successfully defended such scores against Pakistan before:

And the Proteas started the second innings well with the ball, dismissing Azhar Ali (nine from 22 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (31 from 23) relatively early.

But Pakistan picked up the pace toward the middle overs and ducked under the required run rate shortly before the rain delay, with 27 overs played and the team 19 runs ahead if the D/L method kicked in.

While the Pakistan fans remained hopeful of more cricket, with the clouds seemingly on the verge of clearing multiple times, the organisation eventually decided against a return to the pitch.

Next up are India and Sri Lanka who will take to the pitch on Thursday at the Oval in London.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Results: England Tops New Zealand, Reaches Semi-Finals

Jun 6, 2017
England's Jos Buttler plays a shot  during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and New Zealand at Sophia Gardens cricket ground in Cardiff south Wales on June 6, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDICK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE        (Photo credit should read GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images)
England's Jos Buttler plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and New Zealand at Sophia Gardens cricket ground in Cardiff south Wales on June 6, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDICK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images)

England reached the semi-finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy after beating New Zealand by 87 runs at Cardiff on Tuesday. In the process, England, who finished on 310-6, became the first team to qualify for the last four. 

The ICC official website has the group tables after today's result and details the upcoming matches.

England set New Zealand a chase of 311 to aim for, something that became harder once Jake Ball dispatched Luke Ronchi for a first-ball duck. The Blackcaps needed someone to steady things and Martin Guptill duly obliged, sending Ball to the boundary as New Zealand slowly began stockpiling some runs.

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 6 : Martin Guptill of New Zealand leaves the field during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and New Zealand at Swalec stadium on June 6, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 6 : Martin Guptill of New Zealand leaves the field during the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and New Zealand at Swalec stadium on June 6, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

Guptill soon followed the six by hitting a four off Liam Plunkett's delivery in the next over. Guptill's partner, Kane Williamson, was also collecting some useful singles and a few twos as New Zealand began to make progress.

Even so, Guptill was the batsman England needed to shift, and it was Joe Root who caught him out after the former sliced a Ben Stokes delivery into the slips. New Zealand were now 63-2 and relying on Ross Taylor to pick up the slack.

There was a scary moment when Williamson was struck in the head by a Plunkett delivery after a late bounce had deceived the ducking batsman, per Sky Sports Cricket:

Suitably, there was a long pause while Williamson received some treatment and was allowed to collect himself. Once play resumed, the Blackcaps forced nine more runs, but they needed to up the pace if they were seriously going to threaten England's total.

Fortunately, Williamson was sufficiently recovered to put up his own fifty, as New Zealand edged toward a collective century with a little more than 28 overs left.

Meanwhile, both teams were having to deal with tricky conditions, according to ESPNcricinfo's Melinda Farrell:

New Zealand were 158/3 when Williamson left on 87 after being caught by Buttler following a cute delivery from Mark Wood that went across seam. Things soon got worse for New Zealand when Taylor was caught by Root.

Jimmy Neesham's wicket fell before Neil Broom was dimissed for leg before wicket, but only after review:

Once Corey Anderson's wicket fell, England knew they were into the last four.

Earlier, Jos Buttler had kept England rolling at the wicket by delivering a quality half-century. Sky Sports Cricket showed one special stroke from Buttler:

The 26-year-old soon found the boundary to wrap up his 50:

Buttler ultimately finished on a respectable 61 as England pondered whether their total of 310 would prove enough.

It did, so now the Three Lions can turn their focus to Wednesday's Group B games to see who will join them in the semi-final.