Pakistan have won the Champions Trophy cricket final after beating their arch-rivals India by 180 runs at the Oval ground in Britain's capital, London.
Pakistan had come into the tournament as the lowest-ranked team and lost heavily to India in their opening group match but they beat South Africa and Sri Lanka to make the semi-finals where they knocked out hosts England.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and made a decision to field against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval here on Sunday.
The only standout performance came from all-rounder Hardik Pandya who raised hopes through his brilliant innings of 76 off 43 balls after the team after they were reduced 72 for the loss of six wickets went in vain. The Indian captain is also a highly skilled player and one that the Pakistaniteam needs to be wary of as his batting style makes him one of the most risky cricketers of the opposing team.
# Rohit Sharma was dismissed for duck by Mohammed Amir in the very first over. Nearly half of the score was made by Hardik Pandya with a gutsy 43-ball 76. He was certainly disappointed but his reaction after Azhar's dismissal was something awesome for someone playing only his fourth one-day worldwide and that too in a big final.
For Pakistan, pacers Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali bagged three wickets each.
Fakhar then drove left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for six.
However, the Indian fast bowler had overstepped the front line and Zaman was recalled having scored just three runs off seven balls.
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Babar Azam was out after playing a mistimed shot straight into the Yuvraj Singh's hands at 46 in the 43rd over.
Fakhar hit 12 fours and three sixes before skying a catch off Hardik Pandya but Pakistan, who upset hosts England in the semifinals, had the ideal platform to make the highest total in a Champions Trophy final.
On a brand new pitch at The Oval, Kohli's side appeared to have made the ideal start when Zaman edged to MS Dhoni off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah.
"It's been an up and down ride for us but I'm so proud of the boys", Arthur said.
Pakistan were in a commanding position after twenty overs were bowled as it becomes the highest opening partnership for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. Openers Azhar and Zaman put up a solid platform for other batsmen to post a good total on the board. "Saeed Anwar, Salman Butt, even Nasir Jamshed, now Fakhar Zaman", Bhogle tweeted.
Mohammad Hafeez notched an aggressive 57 off 37 balls not out while Imad scored 25 (not out).
Hardik Pandya gave the stunned India fans in a capacity crowd something to cheer as he hit three sixes off succesive balls to bring up a dashing fifty.
There was a still a seat-of-the-pants element to Pakistan's progress, though, and it was not the greatest surprise when the stand ended with a run-out mix-up in which both batsmen were stranded at the same end.
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