Amidst all discussions and debates on a possible Test Championship, yet another edition of the ICC Champions Trophy came to an end, though speculation remains rife on its future. Pakistan were crowned winners of the eighth edition of the tournament in 2017, the third to be hosted in the British Isles.
However, what marks out this year’s event from the others is the occurrence of some massive partnerships in the middle. Substantial unions between batsmen, especially in crucial stages of a match, have defined many outcomes. Five of them have been listed below.
#5 159: Alex Hales and Joe Root vs Bangladesh, The Oval
Bangladesh set the tournament alight with 305 in the opening match and then removed the out of touch Jason Roy with England still 300 away from the target. Alex Hales and Joe Root then started to calm the nerves in a union that would ultimately set the platform for dominance. Hales was harsh on deliveries either too short or too full, and hit fours all over the ground, five of which came through bright cover drives and four via neat nudges towards mid-wicket.
Root batted with his usual tranquillity and carved gorgeous shots to ease the pressure on the hosts. Both Hales and Root attacked with more freedom as they spent more time at the crease. Hales pummelled ten off the first two balls by part-time Sabbir Rahman, but then perished for 95 attempting another maximum over square leg. Root continued in his fine vein and a hurt ankle and calf could not prevent him from setting up the match beautifully for England.
After getting to a century, Root used his bat as a blade against Rubel Hossain, whom he dispatched for his only six and also hit two more fours. Their stand tallied 159 and Root ended on a career-best 133* as England won by 8 wickets.
#4 159: Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes vs Australia, Edgbaston
Up against arch-rivals England, Australia were in a must-win situation to qualify for the semi-final. But a paltry total of 277/9 following twin batting collapses meant England had to chase a sub-par target. But it was not to be a canter. Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc swung the ball vigorously to leave England at 35/3. Then came the rain, which allowed England to regroup. Post that break, Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes were all over Australia.
Morgan hammered Starc in the first over after resumption and that triggered a brutal bombarding on Australia’s pace attack. Both punished full deliveries with fluent cover and straight drives, and when Australia pitched it short, they smashed the ball over square leg and fine leg. Neither Starc nor Hazlewood found their rhythm again as Morgan tonked eight fours and five sixes in an innings of 87 before being run out to end the 159-run partnership.
Stokes initially seemed more composed, but slowly got going with quality shots all around the park, taking a special liking for Pat Cummins whom he clobbered for eight fours. He finished on 102* and England romped home with a 40-run DLS win to make it three out of three.
#3 159: Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis vs India, The Oval
Until the first half of this clash between favourites India and a relatively weaker Sri Lankan team, things took place as predicted. India’s forceful batting posted a substantial 321 on the board following a firm 125 from Shikhar Dhawan and able half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
A target as mammoth as 322 for an inexperienced order seemed far from reachable, further confirmed with the early blow of Niroshan Dickwella. In came the exciting Kusal Mendis to join Danushka Gunathilaka, and they staged a partnership few had fancied.
Never letting the required run rate touch seven, both began cautiously and helped tick the scoreboard along persistently. But it did not take long for them to take the offensive option as boundaries came at will. Mendis attacked both pace and spin, reserving special treatment for Ravindra Jadeja. Gunathilaka resorted to the reverse-sweep and drove down the ground brilliantly, whereas Mendis batted with a calmness unexpected from a young man during a big chase.
They added 159 and eventually, their partnership could only be broken by a run out, but Gunathilaka had smashed 76 off 72 while Mendis, also run out five overs later, smacked 89 off 93. Angelo Mathews, Kusal Perera and Asela Gunaratne did the mopping job and Sri Lanka recorded the highest chase in Champions Trophy history.
#2 178*: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli vs Bangladesh, Edgbaston
It was the first ever semi-final for Bangladesh in an ICC tournament and it was a repeat of the 2015 World Cup quarter-final. Virat Kohli asked Bangladesh to bat, under overcast skies, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar left them at 31/2. A vital stand of 123 between Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim showed promise by setting Bangladesh up for a 300-score.
Both treated Ravi Ashwin and Hardik Pandya with disdain to hit 70 and 61, respectively. But part-timer Kedar Jadhav struck and Bangladesh were reeling at 179/5. Mahmudullah Riyadh, Mosaddek Hossain and captain Mashrafe Mortaza contributed crucial cameos to give Bangladesh hope, but they could reach only as far as 264/7.
Both Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, were in top form and came out all guns blazing. Rohit beautifully drove Mustafizur Rahman for three boundaries in an over and Dhawan punished Mustafizur and Rubel Hossain for being too short and wide. When Dhawan fell for 46, Mortaza failed to capitalise on the breakthrough and Rohit, alongside new man Kohli, fully enjoyed spin from both ends.
That allowed Kohli to settle down and produce mesmerising textbook cover drives off Shakib Al Hasan. At his fluent best, Kohli drove like a man possessed while Rohit hit with power. The rapid stand buried Bangladesh’s faint chances and Rohit remained undefeated on 123. Kohli hit the winning runs with yet another crisp drive and finished on 96*, carrying India to the final after an unbeaten 178-run stand.
#1 224: Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad vs New Zealand, Cardiff
Bangladesh hoped to qualify for the semis for which they had to beat New Zealand, and pray that England beat Australia. On a flat Cardiff track, New Zealand batted first. The senior pair of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor added 83 before the former, on 57, was run out.
Taylor then paired up with Neil Broom to add 49, but when on 63, Taskin Ahmed foxed him with a slower ball to start a slide. The part-timer Mosaddek Hossain choked the Black Caps at the death with quick, flat spin bowling and restricted them to 265/8. When the chase began, Tim Southee acted as the wrecker-in-chief – Bangladesh were 33/4.
Southee swung the ball profusely and accounted for three wickets. Mahmudullah Riyad then partnered Shakib Al Hasan and their partnership grew from steady to solid and firm to threatening.
It first stabilised their team and then put the bad balls away with panache. What began with an accumulation of singles and twos slowly ran into finding the fence regularly. Bangladesh came close to eliminating New Zealand with every over.
Shakib reached his hundred and was dismissed for 114 but not before ensuring New Zealand’s exit. Mahmudullah then completed a hundred of his own and remained unbeaten on a classy 102. The highest stand of 224 in Bangladesh’s ODI history was recorded and Bangladesh won by 5 wickets.
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