Pakistan and India to battle it out for CT title

I was scrolling through my Twitter feed just before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy when I saw Sarfraz Ahmed posing with the Trophy. An immediate thought emerged in my mind, would Sarfraz end up wrapping his hands around that magnificent piece of silverware once the tournament culminates? But instantly I had to shun aside that thought thinking ‘I must be kidding myself!’

Thankfully the Pakistan cricket team has gone to great depth to prove me wrong and are now just one step away from clinching the title which has always eluded them. At the beginning of the tournament and especially after the drubbing which our side received at the hands of India in the very first match, even reaching the semi-final seemed like a distant dream, let alone playing the final.

All my life I have been staunch believe of the fact that ‘Optimism often does wonders’ and I would admit that following Pakistan cricket has made me stick to this particular perception. Usually when it comes to the way Pakistan play cricket you will repeatedly find yourself in a position where nothing ever makes sense but despite that fact one must trust his instincts and believe that things will work out. This ICC Champions Trophy is a prime example of that belief and reaffirms that one must never lose hope.

Pakistan will face yet another stern test in the final against India who is still the better side on paper but the green shirts have grown by leaps and bounds in both confidence and performance since their opening match hammering at the hands of India. With heaps of praise from media, fans and former cricketers, it is important for the team to not be complacent and focus on the job in hand. But, perhaps, they could use the derogatory remarks made by Aamir Sohail as a way to fuel their motivation and prove him and as well as other ignorant self proclaimed cricket analysts wrong.

Intimidated by India

Pakistan seemed intimidated by their arch rivals India in the group stage match which was clearly evident from their lackluster show in every possible aspect of the game. The captaincy was mediocre; batting was sedate, bowlers hardly impressed and fielding was simply pathetic. I don’t expect a similar Pakistan side to take the field on the 18th but it is imperative that they keep on doing what has got them this far in the tournament and more essentially express themselves like they have in the last three matches as it will bring the best out of the team.

You cannot stop the Indians from bragging about their batting which has done exceedingly well in the tournament so far. The authoritative run chase against Bangladesh was enough to showcase their superiority with the bat. With a batsman like Virat Kohli, who thrives especially while chasing, along with a solid batting line-up, it is natural that Sarfraz and co would want to win the toss and make India bat first rather than giving India the opportunity of chase because this is where their best chance of winning the match lies.

Pakistan’s success in the last few matches has largely been due to their bowling which has impressed one and all with their skill and variety. The artistic bowling display from the seamers and spinners has made life so much difficult for the opposing batsmen. Unlike other teams in the tournament, Pakistan have been exceptional during the middle and death over’s and have pegged teams back through wickets. The ability to reverse swing the ball, despite two new Kookaburras from both ends, is commendable.

Pakistan’s fielding has improved with every passing game and they would want the trend to continue in the final as well. They are up against a side which generally sets very high standards in the field and the Men in Green must be up for the task if they are to compete with their old foes as fielding constitutes a very important part of modern day cricket. A spectacular catch or a brilliant run-out can well and truly change the course of a match.

Pakistan’s journey in this Champions Trophy has been quite incredible so far and if they can carry on with the same momentum in the final, they can achieve what at the beginning of the tournament seemed, virtually, unthinkable.

This will be the second time both the arch rivals will collide in the final of an ICC event, with the first one being the World T20 final in 2007, and you can be rest assured that every Pakistani would love to see Sarfraz led Pakistan do what Misbah could not. Fingers crossed for a match worthy of a final!

– Written by Mohammad Muneeb

The Author is a Pakistan based sports writer. All views expressed are the Author’s and CricTracker doesn’t necessarily agree or endorse and should not be considered CricTracker’s opinion or stance.