Having swept aside all opposition in the group stage, the hosts were expected to continue their good run when they faced a strong pace attack from Pakistan in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2017.
However, the tournament’s most famed batting line-up was bundled out for 211 in 49.5 overs. Pakistan’s bowlers were outstanding on the day, the batsmen performed without pressure, and the fielding unit was also exceptional.
Pakistan outplayed England in all departments to become the first semi-finalists of the prestigious tournament.
Extra Cover: ICC Champions Trophy 2017: England vs Pakistan, 5 things that went wrong for Eoin Morgan's side
Here are 5 memorable moments from the match that don't fade away, quite like the Axe Signature range of body perfumes.
#1 Unreal catch from Fakhar Zaman
Moeen Ali was caught by Fakhar Zaman off Junaid Khan and how! A top edge on the pull and it seemed that the ball would land safely. But Zaman, at deep square, sprinted to his left and held on even as he almost hit the turf. He stretched his hands out and the ball stuck as yet again, Moeen Ali fell to a short ball.
The stunning catch by Zaman had the spectators obsessing over it. Ali had to walk back for 11 runs to add to England’s misery. The Pakistan opener’s unreal catch is an axe moment that does not fade away.
#2 Pakistan bowlers finding reverse swing
As the ball got older, the Pakistan fast bowlers wound the clock back as they extracted reverse swing from the dry Cardiff surface. Owing to the scuffed up nature of the pitch, the ball was roughed up on one end which aided bowlers like Hassan Ali and Junaid Khan.
Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler perished and a normally flamboyant Ben Stokes never got going against the reverse-swinging ball. Shockingly, a batsman of Stokes’ calibre scored only 34 runs off 64 balls with no boundaries, and that explains the dominance of the Pakistan bowlers on the day.
#3 Hassan Ali’s spell
Ali looked menacing from the word go and troubled the English batsmen throughout, taking wickets at regular intervals. Such a brilliant display of bowling in the middle overs is not everyone’s cup of tea, and the 23-year-old fulfilled his captain's wishes with a brilliant spell.
He removed Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, and Ben Stokes in his 10 overs while conceding only 35 runs at an economy of 3.50. Such bowling from the youngster in a crucial fixture is an axe moment that does not fade away.
#4 Pakistan’s opening partnership
After having restricted England to a paltry 211, Pakistan’s openers came out all guns blazing and put together a century stand which knocked the stuffing out of England. Fakhar Zaman was the aggressor as he went after the hosts’ bowling attack.
At the other end, Azhar Ali played a sedate knock and this worked beautifully for Pakistan as it settled the nerves. Boundaries were few and far between, but they were well-timed, and in more ways than one. Together the duo put up a partnership of 133 runs to make sure Pakistan had no way of losing the match.
#5 Azhar Ali’s innings
Pakistan opener Azhar Ali has been criticised for his rather stoic approach to limited overs cricket, but on the day that mattered, the former captain put his best foot forward and ensured that there were no hiccups for Pakistan during an otherwise easy run chase.
Chasing a mediocre target of 211, Azhar combined brilliantly with Fakhar Zaman to knock England out of the tournament. He was one of the main reasons why the normally feeble batting of Pakistan managed to stand up to the menacing England bowling attack. He scored a 100-ball 76 and Ali’s composure and elegance is an axe moment that doesn’t fade away.
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