MAGICAL AMIR DOWNS INDIA
Fix-scandal star delivers the trophy to Pakistan
PAKISTAN coach Mickey Arthur hailed a spell of unplayable fast bowling from Mohammad Amir as his side demolished bitter rivals India to lift the Champions Trophy. After the tournament’s lowest-ranked side set Virat Kohli’s men 339 for victory, Amir skittled India’s top order — dismissing Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli as Pakistan stormed to a 180-run win. ‘Amir is a big-match player,’ said former Australia coach Arthur. ‘We were thinking there was one spell in there somewhere and thankfully it came at the start of a final. He doesn’t shy away from pressure situations. He’s got proper big-match temperament and showed it on the biggest stage.’
TWENTY-FIVE Imran Khan’s years corneredafter tigers astounded the cricketing world by winning the World Cup, Pakistan were at it again yesterday to pull off a quite remarkable and emphatic Champions Trophy victory.
Few could have expected Pakistan to challenge for this title when they scraped into the tournament by the skin of their teeth and looked to be making up the numbers as the eighth-ranked team out of eight.
And even the biggest Pakistani optimist must surely have given up on their side when India thrashed them by 124 runs in their opening match to leave them, just like Imran’s World Cup winners in 1992, on the brink of elimination.
Yet in just two weeks Pakistan have been transformed from also-rans to worthy champions by not just beating the defending champions and their old rivals in this final re-match, but absolutely demolishing them.
This will go down as one of the great modern cricketing upsets, a triumph for Pakistan’s street-fighting captain Sarfraz Ahmed, their South African coach Mickey Arthur and a exiled team still unable to play in their own country.
‘This is about 15 unbelievable players in that changing room who have been absolutely fantastic,’ said Arthur, who has rebuilt his reputation with Pakistan after his ill-fated spell with Australia. ‘I had five semi-finals with South Africa without reaching a final. One final with Pakistan and I’ve got a medal.’
Much was made of the conditions being more like Karachi than Cardiff when Pakistan upset England on a used pitch in the semi-final.
Yet this final was played on a pristine, new Oval surface that should have perfectly suited the powerful Indian batting line-up, especially when captain Virat Kohli handed them the advantage by winning the toss.
But once Pakistan had overcome a shaky start they silenced the India supporting majority in a vibrant and colourful full-house.
First the unlikely figure of Fakhar Zaman, a 27-year-old unpolished left-handed opener playing only his fourth one-day international, took the attack to India by bludgeoning a fearless century to lift Pakistan to the riches of 338 for four.
How different this final could have been had Fakhar been run out, as he should have been, on just one or if opening bowler Jasprit Bumrah had kept some part of his foot behind the line when he had the opener caught behind on three.
The no-ball reprieve gave Fakhar the confidence to launch his full range of unorthodox, agricultural but often classy shots, with the highly-regarded spin duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja suffering particular punishment. Then, with hot favourites India still fancied to repeat their 2013 Champions Trophy victory, their much-vaunted top three were blown away by the brilliant young fast bowler whose life was once torn apart by the ravages of corruption. Mohammad Amir, who raced to 50 Test wickets faster than any bowler in history, became the focal point of the 2010 spot-fixing scandal when, at just 19, he spent three months in prison and banned from cricket for five years. Now, after showing remorse and dignity in rebuilding his life and career, here was redemption for Amir 18 months after his comeback with one of the great whiteball opening spells. Amir, who missed the semi-final with a back spasm, did what so few bowlers do and swung the new white ball, first twice away from Rohit Sharma and then brilliantly back into him to trap him lbw third ball of the innings.
Enter Kohli with the weight of a billion supporters resting on his shoulders yet for once unable to cope with the extraordinary expectations that come with being the biggest superstar in Indian cricket.
It looked as though Azhar Ali had made a costly error when he dropped a regulation catch at slip to reprieve Kohli on five but, with Arthur holding his head in his hands on the balcony, Amir steamed in to claim him off the next ball. Kohli got a leading edge to another swinging delivery and 18-year-old Shadab Khan grabbed a sharp catch at point. Cue pandemonium from the Pakistan players and silence among the Indian supporters.
When Amir completed his first and only spell, having added Shikhar Dhawan to a distinguished list of victims, he had conceded only 16 runs off six overs and ensured there was no way back for a shell-shocked India.
Kohli said: ‘They made us make mistakes today because of the way they bowled and applied pressure. We have no shame in admitting we couldn’t play our best game today.’
Only when Hardik Pandya was smashing six sixes in his whirlwind 76 off 43 balls, three of them off consecutive deliveries from Shadab, did India flicker into life but any hopes of an implausible comeback were dashed in farcical style.
Pandya ended up at the same end as Jadeja after a running mix-up but, selfishly and inexplicably, Jadeja ensured his own survival and the departure of the one man who could have salvaged India’s plight. Pandya, rightly, was furious.
It was all over when India rapidly succumbed to 158 all out with almost 20 overs unused.
‘This will be massive for Pakistan and they deserve it after all they’ve been through,’ added Arthur.
Some performance. Some upset. Truly amazing.