Champions Trophy Semi-Final England Did Avoid a A
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22 Thursday, June 15, 2017 SPORTS Cardiff beating South Africa in a bottom versus top clash. akistan booked their place in the Champions Pakistan then held their nerve in a three-wicket Trophy final with a crushing eight-wicket win win over Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Monday -- a virtual overP England in Cardiff yesterday. quarter-final for both sides. Set just 212 to win, Pakistan finished on 215 for two. No England fifty Pakistan will now face title-holders India in England didn’t manage a single individual fifty in Pakistan Sunday’s final at the Oval if their arch-rivals beat their innings. Bangladesh in Thursday’s second semi-final at Joe Root top-scored with 46 and Yorkshire team- Edgbaston. mate Jonny Bairstow, recalled in place of dropped Azhar Ali (76) and Fakhar Zaman (57) all but opener Jason Roy, managed 43. ended previously unbeaten tournament hosts Rumman Raees, in for injured fellow left-arm England’s slim hopes of victory with an opening quick Mohammad Amir, took two for 44 on his ODI stand of 118. debut. But the real damage was done when England England, who were 128 for two, lost their last eight collapsed to 211 all out after Pakistan captain Sarfraz wickets for just 83 runs. thrash Ahmed won the toss on a used pitch that played Bairstow replaced Roy after the Surrey opener more like a sub-continental surface than a British had managed just 51 runs in eight ODI innings this one. season. Paceman Hasan Ali led a disciplined attack with Dropped a man-of-the-match return of three for 35 from his twice, maximum 10 overs. Bairstow’s “Credit goes to the bowlers and the batters who luck ran finished it very well,” said Sarfraz at the presentation out when a ceremony. misjudged pull England “We adapted to conditions, we knew if we restrict off Hasan sailed them we could easily chase it down,” he added. gently to Hafeez at “Every game is a knockout game and I told my deep square leg. boys to play their game and not worry about the Root fell when well set result. after an edged cut off leg- spinner Shadab Khan was well held by ‘Didn’t adapt’ wicket-keeper Sarfraz. Defeat extended England’s long wait for a maiden Morgan, who made 87 in a 40-run win major one-day international title until at least 2019 against Australia last time out, fell for -- when they stage the next World Cup. 19 when he charged down the pitch to “One thing we didn’t do was adapt to conditions, Hasan and edged behind. which I thought Pakistan did extremely well,” Stokes, fresh from his career- said England captain Eoin Morgan. best 102 not out against Australia, “We did prepare for a used wicket but 211 took 64 balls to score a 34 that, wasn’t a good score. 250/270 would have remarkably for the usually big- been.” hitting all-rounder, did not include a He added: “The fact we’ve single boundary. produced brilliant performances He eventually holed out to cover in this tournament and then when deceived by Hasan’s slower play like that on this wicket is ball. extremely disappointing.” Pakistan belied their reputation Pakistan’s openers compounded England’s as a poor fielding side, with Fakhar misery to the delight of their supporters at a sun- holding a brilliant diving catch at drenched Cardiff. deep square leg to dismiss Moeen Left-hander Fakhar hit a six -- something England Ali, while substitute Ahmed didn’t manage in their entire innings -- when a top- Shehzad ran out Rashid with a edge off fast bowler Mark Wood flew safe. direct hit. The dashing Fakhar completed a 49-ball fifty to Sarfraz rescued Pakistan with follow his 50 against Sri Lanka. an unbeaten 61 after they Azhar, who pulled all-rounder Ben Stokes for six, collapsed against Sri Lanka followed him to the landmark in 68 balls. but, two days on, there was On a Cardiff ground where they chased more no repeat of that batting than 300 to beat England in an ODI last year, slump. Pakistan’s Shadab Khan celebrates after Pakistan completed Wednesday’s pursuit with a taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root mammoth 77 balls to spare when Mohammad Hafeez England pulled Stokes for four. J. Bairstow c Mohammad Hafeez b Hasan Ali 43 Champions Trophy semi-final England did avoid a A. Hales c Babar Azam b Rumman Raees 13 10-wicket defeat when Jos J. Root c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shadab Khan 46 Buttler stumped Fakhar off E. Morgan c Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 33 leg-spinner Adil Rashid and B. Stokes c Mohammad Hafeez b Hasan Ali 34 Azhar too fell before the J. Buttler c Sarfraz Ahmed b Junaid Khan 4 finish, pulling Jake Ball into M. Ali c Fakhar Zaman b Junaid Khan 11 his stumps. A. Rashid run out sub (Ahmed Shehzad) 7 Pakistan, however, had the L. Plunkett c Azhar Ali b Rumman Raees 9 game all but won at 173 for M. Wood run out (Sarfraz Ahmed) 3 two. J. Ball not out 2 India thrashed Pakistan Extras (lb1, w3, nb2) 6 by 124 runs in the teams’ Total (all out, 49.5 overs) 211 Champions Trophy tournament opener at Pakistan Edgbaston on Azhar Ali b Ball 76 June 4. Fakhar Zaman st Buttler b Rashid 57 Babar Azam not out 38 But three Mohammad Hafeez not out 31 days later Extras (lb1, w11, nb1) 13 Pakistan Total (2 wkts, 37.1 overs) 215 returned to the Birmingham Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets ground to make a Man-of-the-match: Hasan Ali (PAK) Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez (R) and Pakistan’s Scoreboard Babar Azam walks back to the pavilion mockery of the rankings by .