The 2017 Champions Trophy will go down in cricketing folklore as one of the most refreshing tournaments in recent history. With a number of favourites in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand bowing out in the group stage itself, the stage was set for India and England to make this tourney theirs.
However, what transpired between 14th and 18th June made everyone stand up and raise their hats for the Men in Green. The Pakistanis raised their game several notches in the knockout stage and outplayed first England and then India to win their maiden Champions Trophy.
However, one thing that the tournament promised even before it started was that this one was going to be a batsmen’s competition. And it did not disappoint. We saw several world class batsmen exhibit their prowess irrespective of the performance of their teams.
Moreover, along with the usual suspects, some new names like that of Fakhar Zaman made their presence felt. To expand on that, here are the five best batsmen of the tournament.
#5 Tamim Iqbal
Except for the duck against New Zeland, Tamim Iqbal was the lone warrior for Bangladesh in many ways. 293 runs in four innings at 73.25 is by no means, a walk in the park. He was patient in the build up of all his innings and treated deliveries on merit.
Starting with a century against hosts England (128 off 142 balls), he helped the Bangla Tigers post 305 runs on the board. Then against Australia, Tamim, after weathering some early storm went on to score a well-deserved 95, more than half of his team’s total of 182.
His outing against the Kiwis was one off as he returned in the semi-final against India with eyes on another big score. However, after building up a 123 runs partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim, he fell to Kedar Jadhav on 70.
Tamim finished as the third highest run-scorer of the tournament.
#4 Virat Kohli
There have not been many tournaments in recent history where the Indian captain has not been at the top of a ‘Best Batsmen’ list. This Champions Trophy, however, was in some ways frustrating for the flamboyant batsman. He scored 258 runs at an average of 129 and was the fifth highest scorer of the tourney.
While he took his time to get going against Pakistan in the opener, he connected quite well in the latter part of his innings and scored a 68-ball-81. A golden duck followed as India went down to Sri Lanka and made their encounter against South Africa a virtual quarter-final.
Courtesy Indian bowlers’ dominance over the Proteas, the batsmen had to chase just 192 runs in the second innings. Kohli played his part with a well crafted 76 and went into the semifinal brimming with confidence.
Another commanding performance followed against Bangladesh, where the supremely talented batsman bludgeoned the Bangladeshi bowlers to all parts of the park en route a 78-ball 96. However, Virat fell to Mohammad Amir after scoring just five runs in the final, thus ending the tournament on the lowest of lows.
#3 Rohit Sharma
One-half of India’s ‘ever-dependable’ opening pair, Rohit played some beautiful knocks in the tournament. Scoring a total of 304 runs, at an average of 76, the Mumbaikar gave India quite a few solid starts.
In the opening encounter against eventual champions Pakistan, Sharma spent 146 minutes on the crease and scored 91 before stitching the second hundred-run opening partnership with Dhawan and amassing 78 runs himself in the clash against Sri Lanka.
In the crunch match against South Africa, Rohit failed to get going and added 12 runs to the score before being dismissed by Morne Morkel. However, the MI captain saved his best for the semifinal, where he smashed Bangladeshi bowlers to all parts of the ground and helped India chase a target of 265 runs with much ease.
The second highest run-getter of the tournament, however, failed to trouble the scoreboard in the final as Mohammad Amir’s inspired opening spell accounted for the Indian ‘Big Three’ of Rohit, Dhawan and Kohli.
#2 Fakhar Zaman
The 27-year-old was not a part of the Pakistan starting XI when they played India in the opener. However, after being drafted into the XI from the next match, Zaman took it onto him to give the Men in Green blistering starters at the top of the order. He scored 252 runs in four innings at 63 and was the sixth highest scorer of the tournament.
In his first match against South Africa, Zaman scored quickfire 23-ball-31 which helped Pakistan comfortably cross the DL par score and win the rain-affected match. And then in the crunch match against Sri Lanka, the left-hander smashed a half-century in 34 balls to give his team a solid start.
The semi-final against England was no different as Zaman scored another half century before taking India head-on in the big final. Taking every Indian bowler to the cleaners, he strolled his way to a 106-ball-114 and deservedly won the man of the match plaudit.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan, the perfect player to have by your side when you go into an ICC tournament. The Delhite took the tournament by storm, scoring the majority of his team’s runs as he ended up as the highest run-getter of the tournament – amassing 338 runs in five innings at 67.60.
Starting with a near run-a-ball 68 against Pakistan, Dhawan racked up a century against Sri Lanka. And then against South Africa, Dhawan, along with Kohli, steered the ship after losing Rohit early on in a low chase and added 78 runs.
The semi-final saw him miss a century or a half-century for the first time in the tourney as he half-pulled a short ball to Mosaddek at short mid-wicket. He, however, had added 46 crucial runs at the start but his innings was eclipsed by Rohit and Kohli’s batting.
The final, however, was a completely different story as he struggled his way to a 22-ball-21 before being toppled by Amir.
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