The former Pakistan captain asserted that the way the team made a comeback after the defeat in the opening match has given him hope that they will be able to overcome the poor record against India in ICC tournaments and win the title. Mohammad Amir & Hassan Ali will be key if Pakistan manages the win.
India will face tricky Bangladesh in ICC Champions Trophy semi-final at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Thursday. I would like to praise all new players including Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Faheem Ashraf for playing a positive role in rebuilding Pakistan team.
Paceman Hasan Ali led a disciplined attack with a man-of-the-match return of 3-35 from his maximum 10 overs.
After the semi-final, captain Sarfraz Ahmed was in no doubt.
Pakistani bowlers produced another professional performance to restrict the formidable England batting line-up to 211 after Sarfraz Ahmed opted to bowl on a used surface.
"Every game is a knockout game and I told my boys to play their game and not worry about the result".
England have never won a major ODI trophy despite appearing in 19 global events at this level since the inaugural World Cup back in 1975.
A crestfallen Joe Root admitted England blew a "golden chance" to convert two years of one-day progress into a trophy with their Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to Pakistan but insisted the disappointment must not see them alter from their current course. "250/270 would have been". Tournament rules continue to dictate matches be played on used pitches, which will dust up and stay low - even in England, and Wales.
How Pakistan Reached the Champions Trophy Final?
It is a game between a well-balanced Indian side comprising both in-form batsmen and bowlers, versus the Pakistan fast bowlers. On the eve of the Champions Trophy final , there was neither big-talking nor attempts at mind games from either captain.
The England cricket team have been slammed by the United Kingdom media following their semi-final exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. Mark Wood (0-37) started the bowling for England with a wide and was then hit for six in the same over by Fakhar Zaman.
All-rounder Ben Stokes tried to steer the team to as respectable a score as he could, but he fell for 34 with 2.2 overs remaining, a period of the game where England could have done with some of his trademark lusty blows to the boundary.
"Yes, we are playing in the semifinal and it is a pressure game". Pakistan, however, ripped into their opponents easily when it was their turn to bat.
"So it was a big challenge and one that was too far for us", he said.
Their opposite number Bairstow - brought in to open for the first time in worldwide cricket in place of the out-of-form Jason Roy - had responded with a battling 43, but on a used pitch that precluded fluent strokeplay as the ball swung, England could never get a foothold and folded tamely in their attempt to set a defendable total.
Mohammad Hafeez, (left) celebrates hitting the winning runs with Babar Azam in their eight-wicket win over England in Cardiff.
Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow made a battling 43 at the top of the order in place of Jason Roy, who had mustered just 51 in eight ODI innings this summer.
Dropped twice, Bairstow's luck ran out when a misjudged pull off Hasan sailed gently to Hafeez at deep square leg.
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