PAKISTAN STUN OLD RIVALS INDIA

REVELATION and redemption helped Pakistan turn world cricket’s order upside down as Fakhar Zaman’s maiden one-day international century and Mohammad Amir’s brilliant newball spell underpinned a landslide 180-run win over India in the Champions Trophy final. Fakhar rode his luck for a superb 114, caught-behind from a no-ball on three and escaping a run-out chance with a single to his name in Pakistan’s 338 for four at The Oval. Amir (three wickets for 16 runs), still winning his sport over again after his criminal role in the 2010 spot-fixing saga and just a handful of miles away at Lord’s, reduced India to 33 for three — a perilous situation from which the huge favourites were unable to recover, despite astounding hitting from number seven Hardik Pandya (76). Pandya raced to his half-century in 32 balls but after pressing on to a new career-best, with four fours and six maximums, he was run out in a hapless mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja which summed up India’s miserable day. Their defence of the title they won in England in 2013 foundered against the team who began the campaign ranked eighth, and lived up to that billing by losing an opening group match to their greatest rivals by 124 runs. Coach Micky Arthur praised the spirit of his side, saying: ‘It’s been an up and down ride for us but I’m just so proud of the boys. ‘We dusted ourselves off after the defeat to India at Edgbaston and came back superbly. ‘The whole group kept believing. We knew we were better than that. So to dust ourselves off and come back from that has been a remarkable achievement.’