CARDIFF: Pakistan beat England by eight wickets in Cardiff on Wednesday to book their place in the Champions Trophy final for the first time in the country’s cricketing history.
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They will now play the winners of Thursday’s second semi-final between India and Bangladesh at Edgbaston in Sunday’s final at the Oval.
Set just 212 for victory, Pakistan finished on 215 for two, with Azhar Ali (76) and Fakhar Zaman (57) sharing an opening partnership of 118.
When Mohammad Hafeez pulled Ben Stokes for four, Pakistan had won with a whopping 77 balls left on their innings.
But the real damage was done in the field as Pakistan held tournament hosts England, the only side who won all their three group games, to just 211 all out.
Hasan Ali took three for 35 in an innings where England didn’t manage a single six and none of their batsman made fifty after Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and sent them into bat on a used pitch.
Pakistan’s openers then compounded England’s misery to the delight of their supporters at a sun-drenched Cardiff.
Left-hander Fakhar hit a six — something England didn’t manage in their entire innings — when a top-edge off fast bowler Mark Wood flew safe.
The dashing Fakhar completed a 49-ball fifty to follow his 50 against Sri Lanka.
Azhar, who pulled all-rounder Ben Stokes for six, followed him to the landmark in 68 balls.
On a Cardiff ground where they chased more than 300 to beat England in an one-day international last year, Pakistan completed Wednesday’s pursuit with a mammoth 77 balls to spare when Mohammad Hafeez pulled Ben Stokes for four.
England did avoid a 10-wicket defeat when Jos Buttler stumped Fakhar off leg-spinner Adil Rashid and Azhar too fell before the finish, pulling Jake Ball into his stumps.
But Pakistan had the game all but won at 173 for two.
India thrashed Pakistan by 124 runs in the teams’ Champions Trophy tournament opener at Edgbaston on June 4.
But three days later Pakistan returned to the Birmingham ground to make a mockery of the rankings by beating South Africa in a bottom versus top clash.
Pakistan then held their nerve in a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Monday — a virtual quarter-final for both sides.
Such was Pakistan’s control that usually big-hitting England all-rounder Ben Stokes’s 34 took 64 balls and did not include a single boundary.
No England fifty
England didn’t manage a single individual fifty in their innings.
Joe Root top-scored with 46 and Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow, recalled in place of dropped opener Jason Roy, managed 43.
Rumman Raees, in for injured fellow left-arm quick Mohammad Amir, took two for 44 on his ODI debut.
England, who were 128 for two, lost their last eight wickets for just 83 runs.
Pakistan had collapsed to 162 for seven chasing 237 against Sri Lanka but, two days on, there was no repeat of that batting slump.
Bairstow replaced Roy after the Surrey opener had managed just 51 runs in eight ODI innings this season.
Yet Bairstow, opening for the first time in ODI cricket, had a narrow lbw escape second ball and was dropped on 27 and 42.
Raees, denied the wicket of Alex Hales on an lbw review, got his man for 13 when the opener sliced a drive to extra-cover.
Bairstow’s luck ran out when a misjudged pull off Hasan’s third ball sailed gently to Hafeez at deep square leg.
Root fell when well set after an edged cut off leg-spinner Shadab Khan was well held by wicket-keeper Sarfraz.
England captain Eoin Morgan, who made 87 in a win against Australia last time out, fell for 19 when he charged down the pitch to a wide ball from Hasan and edged behind.
Stokes, fresh from his career-best 102 not out against Australia, took 64 balls to score a 34 that, remarkably for the usually big-hitting all-rounder, did not include a single boundary.
He eventually holed out to cover when deceived by Hasan’s slower ball.
Pakistan belied their reputation as a poor fielding side, with Fakhar holding a brilliant diving catch at deep square leg to dismiss Moeen Ali, while substitute Ahmed Shehzad ran out Rashid with a direct hit.
SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS
Triumph for Pakistan Cricket Team, congrats on getting into the finals of the icc champions trophy.
Eoin Morgan: We don’t mind, had we won the toss we would have batted first. Pakistan managed to chase in the last game. The groundsmen have done a fantastic job. The wicket looks good. I think you got to be prepared, on their day they can beat any side. They are a strong side and they would ike to produce their best. Jason Roy misses out and Jonny Bairstow comes in.
Sarfraz Ahmed: We will bowl first today. It looks like a good batting pitch, hopefully it won’t change today. Mohammad Amir is not playing today, he has back spasm. Rumman Raees is in and Shadab Khan is playing for Fahim Ashraf.. They are a good team and we will make sure we play positive cricket.
WICKET! Pakistani pacer Hassan Ali gets another wicket, becoming the leading wicket taker, for the team after sending Ben Stokes back to pavilion. England 201/8
Departing Batsman: Ben Stokes 34 off 64 balls
WICKET! Hasan Ali has his third wicket as Ben Stokes skies to Hafeez at cover
