Five shocking international cricket defeats in 2017 ricket has always been a game of uncertainty. The year 2017 turned out to be another great year in #3 PAKISTAN BEAT INDIA BY 180 RUNS the history of the game. From the up-rise of women’s cricket in the world to the downfall of Sri Match: Final, ICC Champions Trophy which meant another high clash C between India and Pakistan. Sean Williams plays a sweep shot. Lanka, this year had it all. Pakistan’s Champions Trophy at London, June, 2017 win was the biggest uncertain events to have happened this This year’s ICC Champions Trophy Winning the toss India chose to field first planning to restrict Pakistan year. Going into the tournament as the lowest ranked team was one of the most competitive ICC #4 ZIMBABWE BEAT SRI LANKA BY 6 WICKETS they were the least favorites to win the trophy, but as fate tournaments in recent years, with the to a chasable total. But due to poor had it they made their way into the finals and took the top 8 rankeranked teams fighting it out in bowling by the spinners, India kept trophtrophyy home afaafterter an emphatic win over IndiaIndia.. leaking runs. A no-ball bowled by Jas- EnEngland. Match: 1st ODI, Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka innings. Sri Lanka put 316 on board which Here we look back into the yyearear and find some The tournament saw some prit Bumrah was the turning point of the match. Pakistan opener Fakhar at Galle, June 2017 was good enough to defend. defeats in international cricket that were never ununexpected results and Chasing a total of 316 runs which didn’t eexpected.xpected. eexceptionalx cricket being Zaman was caught behind of Bumrah Zimbabwe reached Sri Lanka for a 5 on 3, but unfortunately, it was a no match ODI series in June earlier this year. look easy enough for Zimbabwe, they pplayed,la especially by Paki- were reduced to 46-2 in 11 overs. The ststan.a Pakistan went into the ball and the batsman went to score a There was not a slight hope that Zimba- match-winning ton. The target of 339 bwe would win the series, defeating the match tilted in Sri Lankans favor but totournamentu as one of the low- opener Mire and Williams steadied the est rranked teams and looked looked within reach until India was favorites Sri Lanka. After, winning the jolted by the bowling spell of Moham- toss, Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews innings and shared a 150 run partnership oordinaryrdin in the first match that between them. ttheyhey pplayed against India at mad Amir who removed the top 3 chose to bat first. Zimbabwe’s bowling batsmen taking the wickets of Rohit attack looked ordinary in front of the Sri Sri Lanka kept leaking runs due to poor EEdgbaston,dgbas which India won bowling and fielding. A maiden ton from qquiteuite ccomfortably.o But a thumping Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Lanka batsmen. Kusal Tharanga top- Kolhi. Soon, India batting collapsed scored with the bat scoring 86 off 80 balls. opener Solomon Mire and half-centuries wwinin oveover England in the semi-final from Williams and Sikandar Raza shaped ppavedaved ttheirh way into the final to 158 all out and Pakistan won the Tharanga scored 79 off 73 balls and final of the tournament by 180 runs. remained not out at the end of the up the Zimbabwe innings who won com- fortably by 4 wickets and 14 balls to spare. Afghanistan’s defeat of the West Indies was one of the biggest cricketing stories of the year. #1 AFGHANISTAN BEAT WEST INDIES BY 63 RUNS Match: 1st ODI, Afghanistan tour of West Indies at Gros Islet, June 2017 West Indies failed to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy, being ranked number 9 on the points table at the time of quali- fication. While the world was busy watching the ICC tourna- ment, West Indies hosted Afghanistan for a T20 and ODI series in June earlier this year. After defeating Afghanistan in India v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy Final. the T20s, West Indies were favorites again to win the ODIs. Winning the toss, Afghanistan elected to bat first. Their innings progressed slowly with wickets falling at regular inter- #2 AUSTRALIA BEAT INDIA BY 333 RUNS vals. They managed to score 212 runs in the 50 overs on the back of 81 runs scored by opener Javed Ahmadi. Match: 1st Test, Australia tour of a commendable first innings total. The target looked an easy one for an experienced West India at Pune, Feb 2017 India had a horrible day with the Indies side, but their batting collapsed after a magical bowling A Test match at home against bat in the first innings. Every- performance by spinner Rashid Khan. Rashid ran through the the mighty Aussies has always thing was going well until the West Indies batting order, clinching 7 wickets giving away just been an epic battle between the wicket of Lokesh Rahul fell and 18 runs in 8.4 overs. West Indies were restricted to a mere two nations. Riding high on their India were reduced to 94-4 in 33 149, losing a low scoring encounter by 63 runs. unbeaten streak in 19 consecutive overs. Soon, the batting over col- Test matches, Virat lapsed to 105 all out. Suranga Lakmal takes wicket of captain Rohit Sharma Kohli-led India were In the second innings, Australia was all out for 285 after Ashwin favorites to win the #5 SRI LANKA BEAT INDIA BY 7 WICKETS first Test of the series and Jadeja got regular break- at Pune. Australia throughs. With more than two won the toss and days left in the game, India had to chase a target of 441 which Match: 1st ODI, Sri Lanka tour of India to the rescue scoring a brisk 65 of 87 chose to bat. They balls which took India to 112. Four of scored 260 in their looked daunting after India’s poor at Dharamsala, Dec 2017 batting display in the first innings. After a 1-0 series win against Sri Indian batsman returned without open- first innings, with ing their account. opener Renshaw top Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe Lanka, India were favorites again to ran through the Indian batting win the ODI series. Being put into bat Lakmal took 4 wickets, giving away scoring 68 from 156 just 13 runs in 10 overs. balls. order reducing India to 107, win- on a seaming pitch in the wintry morn- ning the Test by 333 runs. ing, India had a horrible day. Both the Chasing a low total of 112, Sri Lanka The Australians lost 2 wickets quite early raising the were reeling at 196-7, Left-arm spinner O’ Keefe Indian openers were removed in the grabbed 12 wickets in the match first five overs. Sri Lanka seamers led excitement in the match, but the mid- but Mitchell Starc dle order batsman chased down the tar- scored a quickfire 61 and was awarded the man of the by Suranga Lakmal ran through the match. The defeat ended India’s middle order leaving India reeling at get easily. Upul Tharanga top-scored off just 63 balls and with the bat, with 49 off 46 balls. - SK helped his team reach unbeaten streak of 19 in Tests. 29-7 in 16.4 overs. Later Dhoni came Australia team celebrates after winning the match..