More than 50 per cent of the country's population logged on to UCWeb platforms over the last three months for cricket scores and updates, according to a data report, titled Insights into India's Cricket Frenzy, released by UCWeb, a business within Alibaba Mobile Business Group.

The UC Platform saw maximum traction from the cities of Lucknow, Pune, Bhopal, Delhi and Mumbai. UC Cricket, a key component within UC Browser, was first introduced in 2013 to offer news and updates about cricket matches. It has now evolved to become a comprehensive cricket content platform.

Apart from it, Indian skipper Virat Kohli also remains the most popular player, clocking readership of over 32 million across 4,600 articles. Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khar were the other top-read cricketers.

Commenting on the insights from the report, head of International Business Department of Alibaba Mobile Business Group Young Li said: "Cricket remains the most popular sport in India with mobile internet driving consumption of digital cricket content. UCWeb has been at the forefront of this change with its revamped UC Cricket and the UC News' We-Media Blogger Programme, a common platform that brings viewpoints from celebrities, bloggers, key influencers and the common man to a single place."

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The next edition of the Champions Trophy -- if it does take place -- is scheduled to be held in India in 2021. But the increasing popularity of the shortest format of the game has thrown its future into doubt.

"It's always been quite difficult to distinguish or differentiate between the two 50-over global events. With the World Cup becoming a ten-team event, it's almost like the World Cup is becoming more like the Champions Trophy, which I think is a good thing," ICC CEO David Richardson was quoted as saying by Espncricinfo on Wednesday.

"I think it (World Cup) will still be a longer event. The World Cup format will allow the best chance for the best four teams to get into the semi-finals. So it takes away the risk of maybe a rain-affected game or one poor game having a huge impact on the tournament like it can be in this tournament (Champions Trophy). But still, highly competitive matches hopefully," he added.

"And then, whether the Champions Trophy in 2021 stays a Champions Trophy, or we move to two World T20s -- that still needs to be discussed and settled. It's a possibility, yes. I wouldn't say it is categorically going to happen because, as we've seen, the Champions Trophy on its own is a very good event and very well-supported, particularly in the UK, where you get support for all teams. So let's not be too hasty in writing it off, but to be honest and frank, there is consideration for moving towards two World T20s in a four-year cycle."

The decision to restrict the 50-over World Cup to 10 teams has been criticised by players hailing from associate nations and Richardson felt holding two World T20 events over a four-year cycle will help the ICC to placate some of the dissenters.

"Having two World T20s in a four-year cycle gives us an opportunity to globalise the game to a great extent, open the tournament to more teams -- 16 or maybe even in a longer term to 20 teams," Richardson said.

"It's easier to be competitive in that format, and thus easier to accommodate more teams."

Richardson, however, asserted that the ICC is happy with the response the 2017 Champions Trophy drew from the fans.

"Overall, very satisfied with the Champions Trophy (2017). Across all aspects of the event, really, from the enthusiasm of the volunteers -- cricketers, as they were called -- to the broadcaster viewership, the digital content that we put out, umpiring, player behaviour, pitches... everything went well," he said.

"The cricket has been great. It shows that if you've got context and competitive teams, you will have a great event."

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Lahore/Karachi, June 20 (IANS) Pakistan players were accorded a hero's welcome upon returning home as hundreds of supporters stayed up late to welcome the just-crowned ICC Champions Trophy winners.

Pakistan defied all odds to thrash favourites India by 180 runs and lift the Champions Trophy for the first time.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, large crowds gathered at airports in Karachi and Lahore eagerly awaiting the return of the champions, the Dawn reported.

In a video shared on skipper Sarfraz Ahmed's Twitter page, the captain was seen shouting "Pakistan...Pakistan..." holding the trophy aloft as thousands of locals egged him on and brought the roof down.

Sarfraz, who led from the front including a crucial knock of 61 in a do-or-die Group A match against Sri Lanka, saw the entire street leading to his house decorated as he arrived with pacer Ruman Raees at 4:45 a.m. in Karachi.

According to an article in the Dawn, fans also unfurled a 70-foot long national flag and carried it in the street as Sarfaraz drove home in a special convoy provided by the Sindh provincial government.

There were selfies flashing everywhere as the supporters did not miss the opportunity to bathe in the euphoria and keep the piece of memory with them.

Sarfraz and Rumman, according to the report, were presented with traditional Sindhi shawls and caps.

"We have created a legacy. I believe this victory will not be forgotten, it will always be remembered," Sarfaraz was quoted as saying.

Nine of the Pakistan squad members were playing in the Champions Trophy for the first time. Sarfraz lauded his young guns and added seniors too did their jobs admirably.

"Our seniors have performed excellently in important matches," he said.

"It is a good sign for Pakistan that the young players performed well. Winning the trophy was difficult. It was a team effort," the 30-year-old added.

Player-of-the-tournament Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, and Ahmed Shehzad were presented with bouquets by the Punjab provincial ministers when they arrived at Lahore, the Dawn reported.

Pakistan punched above wight after losing their first game to India by 124 runs. They got lucky as Duckworth-Lewis helped them beat South Africa and then a stunning performance saw the lowly side edge past Sri Lanka into the semi-finals.

Pitted against England, who had not lost a game till then and looked in red hot form, the 1992 World Cup champions shocked one and all by pulverizing the hosts to reach the final.

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London, June 20 (IANS) Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday blamed the bowlers for India's dismal show in the Champions Trophy final cricket match against Pakistan at The Oval here.

Pakistan, despite their strength in the bowling department, posted a mammoth 338/4 after being asked to bat first by Virat Kohli-led India.

The bowling department of the men in blue displayed some lacklustre performances under the likes of pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Bhvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja also failed to click unison, and as a result the green brigade posted a challenging total.

In reply, India were bundled out for 158 in 31 overs with Pandya scoring 76.

"Our bowlers disappointed when it mattered the most. We didn't start too well to begin with. The crucial point of Sunday's final at The Oval came extremely early. It was the no-ball that Jasprit Bumrah bowled that saw Fakhar Zaman being caught behind by M.S. Dhoni," Harbhajan wrote in his column for International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The spinners didn't help by giving away too many runs, plus they didn't take any wickets," he added.

The 36-year-old off-spinner also emphasised on the team's poor fielding which helped the opposition easily score in the middle overs.

"Our fielding wasn't up to the mark as seen in previous matches. It was such kind of performance where we were hoping for a breakthrough rather than making things happen. The runs given in the middle overs were too much," Harbhajan said.

"They got their partnerships spot on. They were up for it right from the first ball and one had the feeling that they had saved their best for the final against us," he added.

Harbhajan mentioned Pandya's Blitzkreing 46-ball knock as the only positive thing on Sunday's match.

"Hardik Pandya's quick-fire 76 coming from just 46 balls was probably the only positive for India on Sunday. At 54 for five, he had all the freedom to go out all guns blazing and hit the ball hard. He took Shadab Khan head-on and scored those massive sixes to give us some ray of hope." Habhajan said.

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London, June 19 (IANS) India skipper Virat Kohli, opener Shikhar Dhawan and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar were the only Indians to find place in the Team of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, led by Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed.

Besides the Indian trio, the jury comprising the likes of former English captain Michael Atherton, India's Sourav Ganguly and Ramiz Raja of Pakistan, among others, selected four Pakistanis, three Englishmen and one from Bangladesh with New Zealand's Kane Williamson as the 12th man.

The four Pakistanis included left-handed opening batsman Fakhar Zaman, pace duo of Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali besides Sarfraz, who also doubles up as the wicketkeeper.

Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Adil Rashid were the three Englishmen while Tamim Iqbal was the lone Bangladeshi in the team.

Dhawan and Hasan had won the Golden Bat and Golden Ball trophies for finishing as the most successful batsman and bowler, respectively, while Tamim was selected after driving Bangladesh to their maiden semi-finals in a major International Cricket Council (ICC) event.

Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman was picked as Dhawan's opening partner after the youngster aggregated 252 runs in four matches at an impressive strike-rate of 113.

"To be appointed as captain of the Team of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which includes some of the finest and most attractive cricketers of this generation, is the perfect icing on the cake," Sarfraz told the ICC website.

"But I am more happy and delighted for players like Fakhar Zaman and Hasan Ali, who impressed their peers through their talent and performances, and found their way in the side. These two lads, plus Shadab Khan, are the future of Pakistan cricket and I sincerely hope they will only go in the upward direction from here.

"The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 has been a fairy tale journey for the Pakistan cricket team. The event showed the team's grit and ability to bounce back solidly when the chips are down.

"I am confident that the faith and trust of the Pakistan cricket team will be strengthened with this performance of the side," he added.

Team: Shikhar Dhawan, Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal, Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Sarfraz Ahmed (Captain & WK), Adil Rashid, Junaid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hasan Ali, Kane Williamson (12th man).

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London, June 19 (IANS) Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has hailed Pakistan's opening batsman Fakhar Zaman and pacer Mohammad Amir's heroic performance in their victory over India in the Champions trophy final here.

Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball to thrash India by 180 runs and lift their maiden ICC Champions Trophy title at The Oval here on Sunday with Fakhar and Amir playing crucial roles for the green brigade.

Fakhar slammed 114 runs off 106 balls to help Pakistan post a formibadle total of 338/6. His innings consisted of twelve boundaries and three sixes.

Amir then smashed away the Indian top-order batsmen with a superb opening spell of six overs during which he made a three-wicket haul conceeding only 16 runs.

"Zaman batted freely and aggressively. Mixing attacking boundary options and smart strike rotation, he anchored the Pakistan total with the most important innings of his life. Ably supported by Azhar Ali, and a telling cameo from Mohammed Hafeez, the final total of 338 was a daunting one."

"If captain Sarfraz Ahmed had come in earlier instead of Imad Wasim to lead the final charge, perhaps the total would have even gone beyond 350," Sangakkara wrote in his column for the International Cricket Council (ICC), describing the heroics of Fakhar's batting.

"Mohammed Amir, returning after his back spasms, proved once again why he is one of the finest pace bowlers in the world right now by ripping the heart out of the Indian batting," he added.

Sagakkara also said that India's chase was off-colour right from the start and felt that the Indian batsmen played on the backfoot.

"India was a bit lacklustre in their chase once Kohli was dismissed. Yuvraj Singh seemed timid and slow. Hanging back to the fast bowlers as if expecting every delivery to be a bouncer and only showing intent to the slower spinners," he said.

"The dangerous Dhoni was bounced out and Jadeja failed to sacrifice himself to allow the incredibly exciting Hardik Pandya to take India towards an unlikely victory," he added.

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The Green Brigade entered the just concluded eight-team Champions Trophy as the lowest-ranked team at No.8 but raised themselves from the ashes to emerge champions at The Oval on Sunday.

Pakistan has leapfrogged over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the latest ICC ODI rankings helping them to get closer to direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup, to which host England and the next seven highest-ranked sides as on September 30, will get straight entries.

Pakistan has gained four points to move to 95 points as their wins over higher-ranked opponents in the tournament included the one in the final against India and an eight-wicket semi-final victory over England.

After being thrashed by 124 runs in their tournament opener by India, the Sarfraz Ahmed-led team lifted themselves with fascinating victories against South Africa, Sri Lanka and England before defeating traditional rivals India by 180 runs in the summit clash.

There were no other changes in the teams standings led by South Africa, although runners-up India, England and Bangladesh have all lost a point each.

The players' rankings saw India's Rohit Sharma, who scored an unbeaten 123 in the semi-final against Bangladesh, gaining three slots to share the No.10 position with his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan.

Pakistan's Babar Azam has rocketed to a career-best fifth position after gaining three positions with scores of 46 in the final and 30 not out in the semi-final.

Mohammad Hafeez has gained two slots to reach 20th rank while opener Azhar Ali has moved up 11 slots to 31st position.

India skipper Virat Kohli continued to top the ODI batsmen's list followed by Australia's David Warner, South Africa's AB de Villiers and England's Joe Root.

Rookie Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman's Player-of-the-Match effort of 114 in the final and 57 in the semi-final has helped him break into the top 100 after just four ODIs as he has gained 58 positions after these two performances to reach 97th rank.

Among the bowlers, India pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah took significant leaps in the ICC ODI bowlers' list led by Aussie Josh Hazlewood.

While Bhuvneshwar rose four places to share the 19th spot with Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Bumrah vaulted 19 places to the No.24 spot.

Pakistan pacer Hassan Ali, who was named Player of the Tournament after finishing with 13 wickets including hauls of 3/19 in the final and 3/35 against England, has gained 12 positions to reach the No.7 position.

Mohammad Amir, who missed the semi-final due to a back spasm but picked up 3/16 in the final, has gained 16 slots to reach the 21st place while fellow left-armer Junaid Khan has moved up nine places to 47th position.

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Pakistan on Sunday dominated with both bat and ball to thrash a rather off-colour India by 180 runs and lift the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

This was the first Champions Trophy title for Pakistan. The south Asian nation claimed their third ICC tournament, having earlier won the 50-over World Cup in 1992 and the World Twenty20 in 2009.

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on a century by opener Fakhar Zaman to post a massive total of 338/4 in the allotted 50 overs.

In reply, India were all out for 158 runs in 30.3 overs.

"The final was the first time that I have experienced a match between the two great rivals live, and the atmosphere at the ground was just electric. Pakistan was the underdog coming into the final but there was a feeling of destiny about it," Hussey wrote in his column for the International Cricket Council (ICC) describing his first experience on watching the arch-rivals play.

"Tournament play is all about peaking at the right time and after a poor start to the tournament, most pundits gave it no chance of winning. However, by the time it lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval, it was undoubtedly playing its best cricket," he added.

The 42-year-old also mentioned the fact that a lot was at stake for the teams participating in the Champions Trophy and the top ranked sides can be easily beaten on their given day.

"As the tournament ended, the reputations of some teams and players have grown and some have taken a hit. Unfortunately, from an Australian perspective, not much went right and the team was bundled out early," Hussey said.

"South Africa, too, unexpectedly, exited the tournament at the group stage after coming in as one of the favourites. It shows that the top teams in the world are very close and anyone can be beaten on a given day," he added.

Hussey also praised Pakistani bowlers and opening batsman Fakhar Zaman for their brilliant performances.

"Pakistan bowling attack was brilliant with Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan contributing well throughout the tournament but the emergence of a couple of newer players in Hasan Ali and Fakhar Zaman, who scored a brilliant century in the final, is exciting for the future of their side," Hussey said.

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London, June 19 (IANS) After Pakistan clinched their maiden ICC Champions Trophy crown, former skipper Shahid Afridi on Monday rated his side as one of the serious contenders for the 50-over World Cup title, to be played in England and Wales in 2019.

On Sunday, Pakistan outclassed traditional rivals India by a mammoth 180-run margin to lift the title at The Oval, prompting Afridi to say that Pakistan cricket is back on track, especially after narrowly managing to qualify as the lowest-ranked side in the eight-team Champions Trophy.

In his column for the International Cricket Council (ICC) website, the swashbuckling all-rounder cautioned other cricketing nations to not take the Green Brigade lightly as on their day they have the potential to outshine any good side.

"The teams that might have taken Pakistan lightly in this event will never dare to repeat such a mistake again and whatever the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup may be like, Pakistan will be a serious contender for the trophy," Afridi wote.

"The Champions Trophy 2017 has been a memorable event and Pakistani fans will remember it for a very long time indeed. The fans, especially the youngsters who saw the team dethrone India, will be inspired to replicate the performances of their heroes in the years to come.

"The 1992 World Cup win gave us a new generation of match winners and this win ranks very close to that. I am confident that Pakistan cricket is back on track and we will see this team reach some incredible highs in the years to come, especially if the team continues to play with the kind of passion and commitment displayed in this tournament," he added.

Commenting on the celebrations after the triumph at The Oval, Afridi said it took him back to 2009 when Pakistan lifted the World T20 title.

"The joyous scenes reminded me of our World T20 win in 2009 where I was lucky to play a match-winning role for my team in the semi-final and final," he wrote.

"The turnaround has left the world bewildered and has brought a wave of ecstasy and unbridled joy for Pakistanis all around the world. As soon as the game ended, celebrations mirroring the 1992 World Cup and 2009 World T20 wins began across the country."

Afridi also exuded confidence that the Sarfraz Ahmed-led young brigade can become one of the top three teams in the world if they continue to produce such performances consistently.

"Pakistan, meanwhile, has a team that can develop into one of the top three teams by the time the 2019 World Cup is played in England. This squad is built around exciting young talent and has an astute and passionate leader in Sarfraz," Afridi wrote.

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Gambhir's strong reaction came after the Hurriyat leader on his Twitter handle expressed his joy at Pakistan beating India by 180 runs in the Champion's Trophy final at The Oval in London on Sunday.

"Fireworks all around, feels like an early Eid here. Better team took the day. Congratulations team #Pakistan," Farooq tweeted.

To this, the famed left-handed Indian opening batsman not only slammed Farooq, but also indirectly took a dig at China's increasing 'colonisation' of Pakistan.

"A suggestion @MirwaizKashmir why don't u cross the border? U will get better fireworks (Chinese?), Eid celebs there. I can help u wid packing," Gambhir wrote in his tweet.

This is not the first time that Mirwaiz has praised the Pakistani cricket team.

Rejoicing in Pakistan's semi-final win against hosts England, the Kashmiri separatist had tweeted: "As we were finishing taraweeh, could hear the fire crackers bursting, well played team #Pakistan. Best of luck for the finals!"

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London, June 18 (IANS) Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed hailed his side's character and belief as they delivered a brilliant performance to hand defending champions India a 180-run thrashing in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket tournament here on Sunday.

Pakistan, ranked eight in the tournament, had opened the group stage campaign with a huge loss of 124 runs via Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method. But they turned it around in style as they topped South Africa (19 runs via D/L method), and Sri Lanka (three wickets) to enter the semi-finals where they got the better of hosts England by eight wickets.

They didn't stop there as they came out with their best show in the final to bag their first Champions Trophy title.

And the captain credited his men for the strong comeback. "After the India (group) match I said to my boys, the tournament is not finished yet. I told them trust their talent. We played very well and now we have won the final," Sarfraz said.

"We played like we had nothing to lose, now we are champions. It's a very proud moment for me and my country, and thanks to the nation for supporting us," the wicket-keeper added.

Sarfraz, who had captained Pakistan to Under-19 World Cup 2006 triumph, especially credited the bowlers for dismissing India for 158.

"All credit goes to my bowlers, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Shadab, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, they bowled really well. It's a young team, credit goes to my boys, this tournament can be a great booster for us."

He also felt that Fakhar Zaman, who scored 114 in the final, has the credential to serve Pakistan cricket for a long time.

"Fakhar is a great impact player. In his first ICC event, he played like a champion, he can be a great player for Pakistan," Sarfraz added.

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London, June 18 (IANS) Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball to thrash a rather off-colour defending champions India by 180 runs to win their maiden ICC Champions Trophy title here on Sunday.

The south Asian nation claimed their third ICC tournament, having earlier won the 50-over World Cup in 1992 and the World Twenty20 in 2009.

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on a century by opener Fakhar Zaman to post a massive total of 338/4 in the allotted 50 overs.

In reply, India were all out for 158 runs in 30.3 overs.

For Pakistan, pacers Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali bagged three wickets each.

This was the biggest margin of victory in any ICC ODI tournament in terms of runs. The previous highest was registered by Australia when they thrashed India by 125 runs in the 2003 World Cup final in Johannesburg.

Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali finished as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 13 scalps. The right-armer was also adjudged as the player of the tournament. Ali is also the first bowler to take four successive three-wicket hauls in the Champions Trophy.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya was the highest scorer among the Indians with 76 runs from 43 balls.

He scripted the fastest half-century in a world One-Day International (ODI) final, reaching the landmark in 32 deliveries with three consecutive sixes off leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

But the rest of the much acclaimed Indian batting line-up staged a spectacular collapse and were reduced to 72/6 in the 17th over.

The Indian innings was off to a disastrous start with Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir producing a fiery opening spell.

The left-arm pacer extracted movement both in the air and off the pitch and quite a few of his deliveries were almost unplayable.

Amir trapped Rohit Sharma leg before off the third ball in the opening over without even a single run on the board.

He struck a crucial blow in his very next over when he dismissed India captain Virat Kohli.

Kohli, who was dropped at first slip by Azhar Ali in the previous ball, tried a flick to the on-side but could only manage a leading edge straight to Shadab Khan at point.

The in-form Shikhar Dhawan, who finished as the tournament's highest scorer with 338 runs, seemed set for another fine knock as he hit four boundaries during his 22-ball 21.

The left-hander fell to another superb delivery by Amir which kissed the outside edge on its way to Sarfraz Ahmed behind the stumps.

Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav followed each other back to the pavilion in quick succession as Pakistan tightened their grip on the proceedings.

Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja tried to stage a comeback with an 80-run stand, but it was never going to be enough.

By the time Pandya was run out in the 27th over following a horrible mix-up, the match was as good as done and dusted.

Earlier, riding on Fakhar Zaman's brilliant batting, Pakistan posted a challenging 338/4 against India in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval here on Sunday.

Apart from Zaman (114), Azhar Ali (59), Mohammad Hafeez (57 not out) and Babar Azam (46) also contributed handsomely to Pakistan's cause.

Pakistan, who lost their campaign opener against India, seemed a different side this time. Pakistani batsmen played intelligently and showed their character for the big match. They played the ball according to its merit and made full use of the conditions despite losing the toss.

India, on the other hand, who played to their potential throughout the tournament, were struggling against the disciplined Pakistani batting lineup and failed to utilise the conditions completely.

Fielders made several mess-ups in the outfield while bowlers failed to bowl at the right line throughout the innings as a result arch-rivals Pakistan managed to score a healthy total.

Put in to bat, Pakistan got off to a perfect start. Openers Azhar and Zaman put up a solid platform for other batsmen to post a good total on the board. The duo forged 128-run partnership in 23 overs before a running mix-up cost Pakistan a wicket.

After playing a shot to left of the square leg, Azhar wanted to steal a single but Zaman didn't respond his call and thus India got a much needed breakthrough in form of Azhar. The 32-year-old batsman slammed four boundaries and one six in his 71-ball knock.

Unperturbed by the fall of Azhar's wicket, Zaman, who was given a lifeline at three runs by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, continued his attack and displayed some quality strokes around the ground to enthrall the crowd. Soon, Zaman completed his century in 92 balls through a sweep at the square leg.

Incoming batsman Babar Azam kept on supporting the 27-year-old in-form batsman by giving him the strike. After completing his century and adding 72 runs for the second wicket with Azam, Zaman tried to up the ante. But while trying to slog the medium pacer Hardik Pandy's delivery, Zaman was caught by Ravindra Jadeja, who ran from the point to take a brilliant catch at the square on the off-side in the 34th over. In his 106-ball innings, Zaman hit 12 boundaries and three sixes.

With 16 overs remaining and two set batsmen back to pavilion, Azam and Shoaib Malik (12) played sensibly and punished the bad balls. Azam, who was previously supporting Zaman, now took the charge and played freely. But just when it seemed good for the Pakistan team, Malik played a loose short off pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and gifted his wicket. Kedar Jadhav took a simple catch at the deep cover to dismiss the 35-year-old batsmen in the 40th over.

Middle-order batsman Mohammad Hafeez then joined Azam but this time the Pakistani duo failed to click as India skipper Virat Kohli's ploy to bring back spinner Jadhav clicked. After adding 20 runs for the fourth wicket with Hafeez, Azam was caught by Yuvraj Singh at the boundary in the 43th over. His 52-ball knock comprised of four boundaries.

The last few overs saw Hafeez thrashing Indian bowlers all around the park. In the process, Pakistan crossed the 300 run mark with Hafeez slamming a huge six over deep square leg in the 46th over off pacer Kumar. Soon, Imad Wasim (25) also joined Hafeez and attacked Indian bowlers to post a healthy total.

For India, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya and spinner Kedar Jadhav took one wicket each.

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Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball to thrash a rather off-colour India by 180 runs and lift the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday.

This was the first Champions Trophy title for Pakistan. The south Asian nation claimed their third ICC tournament, having earlier won the 50-over World Cup in 1992 and the World Twenty20 in 2009.

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on a century by opener Fakhar Zaman to post a massive total of 338/4 in the allotted 50 overs.

In reply, India were all out for 158 runs in 30.3 overs.

"Congratulations to Team Pakistan on their great performance in winning #CT17 And how wonderful to watch Fakhar's raw talent in action," Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to their only One Day International (ODI) World Cup triumph, tweeted after the win.

Akram, who played a crucial role in their sucessful 1992 World Cup campaign
(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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London, June 18 (IANS) Praising Pakistan for their brilliant all-round performance in the Champions Trophy final here on Sunday, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said the green brigade can upset any team on their day.

Kohli said Pakistani players were more intense and passionate in the final which also helped them outplay the India team in every department of the game.

Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball to thrash a rather off-colour India by 180 runs and lift the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday.

This was the first Champions Trophy title for Pakistan. The south Asian nation claimed their third ICC tournament, having earlier won the 50-over World Cup in 1992 and the World Twenty20 in 2009.

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on a century by opener Fakhar Zaman to post a massive total of 338/4 in the allotted 50 overs.

In reply, India were all out for 158 runs in 30.3 overs.

"It was disappointing. Congos to Pakistan. The way they turned things around, it was amazing. They can upset anyone on their day," Kohli said after the match.

"I have a smile on my face because I am very proud of the boys. Credit to Pakistan. They outplayed us. They were more intense and more passionate.

"With the ball, we could have had more wicket-taking opportunities. Sometimes, the opposition does play very well. Even with the ball, they were very aggressive," he added.

Kohli also praised young all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was the highest scorer among the Indians with 76 runs off 43 balls.

Pandya scripted the fastest half-century in a world One-Day International (ODI) final, reaching the landmark in 32 deliveries with three consecutive sixes off leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

The 28-year-old skipper partially blamed pacer Jasprit Bumrah's no-ball which gave opener and century-maker Fakhar Zaman -- who was on three at that time -- a life which helped Pakistan post a massive total.

"Hardik played well. Small margins can be massive in cricket. We need to move on and learn from our mistakes," Kohli said.

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Pakistan --
Azhar Ali run out (Bumrah/Dhoni) 59
Fakhar Zaman c Jadeja b Hardik Pandya 114
Babar Azam c Yuvraj Singh b Kedar Jadhav 46
Shoaib Malik c Jadhav b Bhuvneshwar Kumar 12
Mohammad Hafeez not out 57
Imad Wasim not out 25

Extras (lb 9, w 13, nb 3) 25
Total (4 wickets; 50 overs) 338

Fall of wickets: 1-128 (Azhar Ali, 22.6 ov), 2-200 (Fakhar Zaman, 33.1 ov), 3-247 (Shoaib Malik, 39.4 ov), 4-267 (Babar Azam, 42.3 ov)

Bowling:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar 10-20-44-1
Jasprit Bumrah 9-0-68-0
Ravichandran Ashwin 10-0-70-0
Hardik Pandya 10-0-53-1
Ravindra Jadeja 8-0-67-0
Kedar Jadhav 3-0-27-1

India --
Rohit Sharma lbw b Mohammad Amir 0
Shikhar Dhawan c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Amir 21
Virat Kohli c Shadab Khan b Mohammad Amir 5
Yuvraj Singh lbw b Shadab Khan 22
Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Imad Wasim b Hasan Ali 4
Kedar Jadhav c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shadab Khan 9
Hardik Pandya run out (Hasan Ali/Mohammad Hafeez) 76
Ravindra Jadeja c Babar Azam b Junaid Khan 15
Ravichandran Ashwin c Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 1
Bhuvneshwar Kumar not out 1
Jasprit Bumrah c Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 1

Extras (lb 2, w 1) 3
Total (all out; 30.3 overs) 158

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Sharma, 0.3 ov), 2-6 (Kohli, 2.4 ov), 3-33 (Dhawan, 8.6 ov), 4-54 (Yuvraj Singh, 12.6 ov), 5-54 (Dhoni, 13.3 ov), 6-72 (Jadhav, 16.6 ov), 7-152 (Pandya, 26.3 ov), 8-156 (Jadeja, 27.3 ov), 9-156 (Ashwin, 28.1 ov), 10-158 (Bumrah, 30.3 ov)

Bowling:
Mohammad Amir 6-2-16-3
Junaid Khan 6-1-20-1
Mohammad Hafeez 1-0-13-0
Hasan Ali 6.3-1-19-3
Shadab Khan 7-0-60-2
Imad Wasim 0.3-0-3-0
Fakhar Zaman 3.3-0-25-0

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"Look forward to seeing you soon my friend! Should be a great game, I can also remember you smashing me around Eden Gardens a few years ago," Warne wrote on his Twitter account.

"Yeah sure in my dreams. I would ever be able to smash u around!" Khan tweeted back.

The 47-year-old former Australia star was referring to a mock game at the Eden Gardens during the 2011 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament.

Shah Rukh, who co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise, had faced a few deliveries from Warne who was the captain of the Rajasthan Royals team at that time.

Earlier, Shah Rukh posted a photograph of himself wearing a blue shirt with India written on it and a tri-colour armband wrapped around his hand ahead of the final.

"All spruced up 2 cheer for CT17 Finals. Also excited to present the MiniTrails to the world," Shah Rukh who is promoting his upcoming movie "Jab Harry Met Sejal" tweeted.

To his tweet, Australian Warne replied: "Good luck mate!

"Look forward to seeing you soon my friend ! Should be a great game, I can also remember you smashing me around Eden Gardens a few years ago."

"Thank u mate. Been so long since we met. Be well & enjoy the match," Shah Rukh replied back.

Later, former India openers Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag posted a picture with the "Raees" actor on Twitter.

Chopra wrote: "Let that feeling sink in a little."

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London, June 18 (IANS) Riding on Fakhar Zaman's brilliant batting, Pakistan posted a challenging 338/4 against India in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval here on Sunday.

Apart from Zaman (114), Azhar Ali (59), Mohammad Hafeez (57 not out) and Babar Azam (46) also contributed handsomely to Pakistan's cause.

Pakistan, who lost their campaign opener against India, seemed a different side this time. Pakistani batsmen played intelligently and showed their character for the big match. They played the ball according to its merit and made full use of the conditions despite losing the toss.

India, on the other hand, who played to their potential throughout the tournament, were struggling against the disciplined Pakistani batting lineup and failed to utilise the conditions completely.

Fielders made several mess-ups in the outfield while bowlers failed to bowl at the right line throughout the innings as a result arch-rivals Pakistan managed to score a healthy total.

Put in to bat, Pakistan got off to a perfect start. Openers Azhar and Zaman put up a solid platform for other batsmen to post a good total on the board. The duo forged 128-run partnership in 23 overs before a running mix-up cost Pakistan a wicket.

After playing a shot to left of the square leg, Azhar wanted to steal a single but Zaman didn't respond his call and thus India got a much needed breakthrough in form of Azhar. The 32-year-old batsman slammed four boundaries and one six in his 71-ball knock.

Unperturbed by the fall of Azhar's wicket, Zaman, who was given a lifeline at three runs by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, continued his attack and displayed some quality strokes around the ground to enthrall the crowd. Soon, Zaman completed his century in 92 balls through a sweep at the square leg.

Incoming batsman Babar Azam kept on supporting the 27-year-old in-form batsman by giving him the strike. After completing his century and adding 72 runs for the second wicket with Azam, Zaman tried to up the ante. But while trying to slog the medium pacer Hardik Pandy's delivery, Zaman was caught by Ravindra Jadeja, who ran from the point to take a brilliant catch at the square on the off-side in the 34th over. In his 106-ball innings, Zaman hit 12 boundaries and three sixes.

With 16 overs remaining and two set batsmen back to pavilion, Azam and Shoaib Malik (12) played sensibly and punished the bad balls. Azam, who was previously supporting Zaman, now took the charge and played freely. But just when it seemed good for the Pakistan team, Malik played a loose short off pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and gifted his wicket. Kedar Jadhav took a simple catch at the deep cover to dismiss the 35-year-old batsmen in the 40th over.

Middle-order batsman Mohammad Hafeez then joined Azam but this time the Pakistani duo failed to click as India skipper Virat Kohli's ploy to bring back spinner Jadhav clicked. After adding 20 runs for the fourth wicket with Hafeez, Azam was caught by Yuvraj Singh at the boundary in the 43th over. His 52-ball knock comprised of four boundaries.

The last few overs saw Hafeez thrashing Indian bowlers all around the park. In the process, Pakistan crossed the 300 run mark with Hafeez slamming a huge six over deep square leg in the 46th over off pacer Kumar. Soon, Imad Wasim (25) also joined Hafeez and attacked Indian bowlers to post a healthy total.

For India, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya and spinner Kedar Jadhav took one wicket each.

Brief score: Pakistan 338/4 (Fakhar Zaman 114, Azhar Ali 59; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1/44, Kedar Jadhav 1/27) against India.

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London, June 18 (IANS) Riding on Fakhar Zaman's brilliant batting, Pakistan posted a challenging 338/4 against India in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval here on Sunday.

Apart from Zaman (114), Azhar Ali (59), Mohammad Hafeez (57 not out) and Babar Azam (46) also contributed handsomely to the Pakistan's cause.

For India, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya and spinner Kedar Jadhav took one wicket each.

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London, June 18 (IANS) Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to field against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval here on Sunday.

India made no changes to the team that trounced Bangladesh in the semi-final while fit-again Mohammad Amir made a comeback to the Pakistan team. Rumman Raees made way for Amir.

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, K. Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah

Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan

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India made no changes to the team that trounced Bangladesh in the semi-final while fit-again Mohammad Amir made a comeback to the Pakistan team.

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It seemed an unofficial shutdown as the day progressed, with grocery shops downing shutters early and the ususal weekend shopping crowd deciding to stay away from malls and at home at enjoy the contest.

As the clock ticked, lesser and lesser number of people -- and vehicles -- were seen at important junctions in the metropolis as cricket-crazy residents prepared for the start of the match at 3 p.m., as per the Indian Standard Time, at The Oval in London.

Otherwise busy streets and crossings like Shyambazar five-point crossing, Park Circus seven-point crossing and Esplanade junction wore a deserted look.

There were posters of Indian cricketers, especially the famed trio of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli, looking down at the Esplanade crossing.

On the other hand, many pubs decided to open early and lure prospective customers with 'buy two, get three' beer offers. Giant screens to show the match have also come up in some localities.

Meanwhile, legendary India batsman V.V.S. Laxman tweeted: "Good luck Team India for the #CT17Final."

Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-Ul-Haq, who will forever rue trying to play that scooped shot over short fine leg and getting out to gift India the 2007 T20 World Cup, said he is looking forward to a "fearless show" from Sarfraz Ahmed and his boys.

"All the best to @SarfarazA_54 & the entire team. Looking forward to a fearless performance," the 43-year old tweeted.

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Kolkata, June 17 (IANS) India's Test wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha put India as firm favourites to retain the ICC Champions Trophy crown as they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the final in London on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a CAB first division league match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, Saha said: "India are overall favourites in every department. India have dominated proceedings except one match. India are favourites. I feel if you ask anyone, he or she will put India in the hot seat."

India lost once in the tournament against Sri Lanka but have proved that was an aberration by scripting commanding victories over South Africa in a do-or-die game and then Bangladesh in the semi-final.

"The team who will perform well will win," Saha said.

"Pakistan have bowled really well since the first game against India," Saha said, adding he has not got the time to watch a single game.

"I have not watched a single match, know the results. It's easy to decipher that India are better than Pakistan. That's why I will always put India in front," the 32-year-old stumper said.

Pakistan lost by 124 runs to India but bounced back after their lucky win via the Duckworth-Lewis method over South Africa. They won against Sri Lanka miraculously in a must-win affair and bettered their show against England in the semi.

The Sarfraz Ahmed-led side has depended on their bowlers to deliver the goods and despite the absence of prime bowlers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir in the latter half, have not suffered.

The likes of Hasan Ali, the tournament's highest wicket-taker so far with 10 scalps to his name in four matches, Junaid Khan, who has picked seven wickets in just three games and Rumman Raees, who on debut grabbed two wickets in the semis against England, have stepped up making the team a strong force to reckon with.

Saha added that the men in blue have bowled well against every opposition and every game was vital, when asked whether it will be a competition between Pakistan bowlers and Indian batsmen.

"Every match in this tournament was vital. India have bowled well in every match and got teams all out too," he said.

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London, June 17 (IANS) A wounded Pakistan will be out for revenge while India will aim to maintain their dominance when the arch-rivals meet in the final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament at The Oval here on Sunday.

Pakistan have been badly bruised against India this series in their opening group stage match, having lost the game by 124 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method.

If the past record is anything to go by, India have always been the firm favourites against Pakistan in major global tournaments of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

According to statistician Mohandas Menon, the Indian team has an excellent record against Pakistan in ICC ODI tournaments, leading their arch-rivals by an 8-2 margin.

In all ICC tournaments including the ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20, the sub-continental rivals have met 15 times with India emerging victorious on 12 occasions. Pakistan have won twice while one match ended in a tie.

Pakistan have managed to bounce back in this tournament, defeating South Africa and Sri Lanka in the group stages and England in the semi-finals to book a berth in the final.

With Pakistan's front-line pacer Mohammad Amir declared fit to play in the final after sitting out the previous match, he alongside new ball bowler Junaid Khan will be the key against India to provide their side with early breakthroughs.

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed will also look to use his team's bowling strength to do the damage against an in-form Indian batting line-up.

The spin duo of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez alongside medium-pacer Rumman Raees -- who made his debut in the semi-finals -- will look to provide depth and variation to the Pakistan bowling line-up.

The batting department for Pakistan under the likes of opener Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman followed by Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez will look to flourish against India having got to good starts in the previous matches but failing to build lethal partnerships.

India, on the other side have looked a balanced side with both their batting and bowling departments having managed to click throughout the tournament.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan is the tournament's leading run scorer with 317 runs in four matches and will look to continue his momentum against Pakistan.

In-form Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have also helped their side look capable enough of chasing any target.

The bowling department for India under the likes of pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have looked solid bowling economically while providing clinical breakthroughs.

Captain Kohli will also look to use off-break spinner Kedar Jadhav -- who took two vital wickets in his previous match against Bangladesh -- alongside Hardik Pandya to deceive the Pakistan batsmen.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Shami, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav.

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain and wicket-keeper), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Rumman Raees, Junaid Khan, Imad Wasim, Fahim Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail.

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London, June 17 (IANS) On Sunday while all eyes will be on the ICC Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan at The Oval, a few kilometers away at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, the arch-rivals will be seen battling it out in a Group stage ongoing Hockey World League (HWL) Semi Final.

Cricket captain Virat Kohli, who is leading the men-in-blue for the first time in a major International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament, wished his hockey counterparts the best ahead of the marquee clash.

Addressing the pre-match press conference, Kohli said he had never tried his hand at hockey but is confident that the Indian team will come out with flying colours.

"I wish our hockey team all the best. I have never tried my hand in it but they are pretty good, so they will be fine," Kohli said.

Applauding the hockey stars for their guts, the 28-year-old cricketer also revealed his fear of getting hit on the face in a hockey match.

"I played with synthetic hockey balls in indoors but never tried (field) hockey. I feel its very scary. Getting hit on the face, I don't know how those guys do it from the penalty corner.

"It needs a lot of guts to do that," he said.

The Indian cricket team will head into Sunday's final against Pakistan as the defending champions, having won the title in 2013.

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Despite all-rounder Hardik Pandya getting belted by the Bangladesh duo of Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim in the second semi-final in Birmingham, Kohli backed the youngster's inclusion, terming him as a "complete package".

"Not looking to change too many things because I would anyday back a guy like Hardik, who provides you so much balance in conditions like England. He can be effective as a bowler and his batting is priceless," the 28-year-old told reporters here.

"If you are chasing a total where you need eight runs an over and you have lost wickets, he is the guy who can still win you the game. That's the kind of belief he has in his abilities and we have in him. He is a complete package, so I would not like to change anything at this particular stage," he replied when asked about any possible changes in the playing XI.

Probed whether the advantage of thrashing Pakistan by 124 runs in the tournament opener will be on their minds when they take the field on Sunday, Kohli replied in the negative.

"There is no guarantee that a team will always win or lose against any particular opposition. It all depends on how you perform and give your 100 percent on that day. We focus on the things within our control, so as I said we don't go after past records and statistics.

"I don't see any relevance of the first game here. You can never tell how a particular team starts a tournament. Some teams start off confidently but they fail later while some might not have the best starts but they come back amazingly which Pakistan has done," he said.

"Everyone is aware of the kind of talent Pakistan have in their team. On their day they can beat any side in the world.

"We are quite aware of that but at the same time neither are we too intimidated nor are we too arrogant to what we are doing. It's importance to maintain the balance of being confident on your own skill and what you are doing as a team," he added.

Kohli expected the match to be a good contest where all the 22 players will give their all to take their team through.

"It's going to be a very well-contested match. Both teams want to win the final. I'm sure all the players will come out and give their 120 percent," he said.

Kohli also gave an insight of how he prepares for a big match but pointed out that no player can dominate or fail against any rival everyday.

"I have never believed in watching too many videos of anyone. I prepare in the best way I can. I believe in my abilities and if I feel I am technically good enough I should be able to counter any bowler. I don't take any extra pressure.

"Whether you have played people or you haven't, you cannot guarantee your performance. Even the bowlers whom you play regularly in a series, in two matches you can be on top of him and in the third he can nick you off. So its basically how to react to every ball that's bowled to you," he said.

India will go into the final with a 14-2 winning record against the Green Brigade in all major International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments.

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(Veturi Srivatsa is a senior journalist and the views expressed are personal. He can be reached at sveturi@gmail.com)

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"India is in a great place and must be favoured to retain the ICC Champions Trophy but no-one should discount Pakistan. It is a mercurial team and this tournament has thrown up so many upsets so far," Hussey wrote in a column for the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"Pakistan has surprised everyone in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 after being ranked eighth coming into the tournament, and was well and truly beaten in its first match against India.

"Since that match, every game has virtually been a knock-out game for it. It has played as though it has nothing to lose, with a freedom to express its skills, which is commendable considering the situation it found itself in," Hussey, who has played 79 Tests and 185 ODIs for Australia amassing 6235 and 5442 runs respectively, added.

"There is a feeling of destiny with Pakistan."

Pakistan lost to India in their first game only to ride their luck and win against South Africa. From then on, the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side beat Sri Lanka in a do-or-die clash following it up with a semi-final triumph over fancied England to storm into the final.

"During its last pool match against Sri Lanka, another must-win game, Pakistan looked dead and buried in its run-chase, but Sri Lanka could not land the knock-out blow with catches going down. As the pressure rose, the skipper, Sarfraz Ahmed, played an inspirational innings to put his team through to the semi-final stage.

"It carried that momentum to the England match, where everything clicked and now it has another opportunity to face arch-rival India in the final," Hussey explained.

"I am sure Pakistan will get additional inspiration and motivation from its past successes in this event and will aim to extend its run come Sunday." the 42-year-old said.

On India, who have been in red hot form winning all games except against Sri Lanka, which Hussey said was a "shock", the former one-day great added: "India has oozed class throughout the tournament with each player looking in great touch and clear with the role he plays in the team."

The cricketing world was shocked when Sri Lanka chased down India's big total to win at The Oval, but other than that hiccup, India has looked, with England, the strongest team in the competition.

"The top order of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been remarkable, looking in total control out in the middle. They are intimidating opposition bowlers with their class and breathtaking stroke-play."

Hussey said the only concern for India could be their middle-order not spending enough time at the crease.

"one concern for India is that there hasn't been much work for the likes of Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to do with the bat and Pakistan could exploit this, if it gets early wickets in the final. It's a big IF!!!"

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London, June 17 (IANS) Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi on Saturday urged the Indian government to "soften their stance" and resume bilateral cricket series with the neighbouring country.

As India and Pakistan gear up for Sunday's riveting ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final at The Oval here, Afridi felt bilateral matches needed to be restarted which, according to him, will help in "reducing tensions".

The Indian government has already shown the red flag for any bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan until it stops sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

Afridi, however wrote in his column for the International Cricket Council (ICC) website that engaging in bilateral matches will only help in underlining the message of peace and tolerance for each other.

"I would also want the cricketing world and the ICC to keep a close eye on the significance of an Indo-Pak cricket match of this magnitude and what it means to the fans of the game all around," he wrote.

"I really hope that we see resumption of bilateral cricket between the two countries and would request the Indian cricket board and the Indian government to soften their stance.

"Having captained Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup semi-final at Mohali, I know the importance of the game and how it brings the two nations to a standstill while underlining the message of peace and tolerance for each other," the flamboyant all-rounder wrote.

Afridi further said that more such games can actually help in bringing the two nations together.

"Cricket can be an actual source of bringing the two nations together and reducing the tensions. I, like the rest of the world, can't wait for the match to start," he said.

"Let us hope that we see a game of epic proportions that is remembered for a long, long time," he added.

Bilateral cricket between the two countries came to a standstill since the 2012-13 season, but the neighbours have played each other in major ICC tournaments.

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Kolkata, June 17 (IANS) Pakistan's unexpected journey to the final of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy has more than one similarity to their 1992 World Cup triumph which was also a major upset of sorts.

Pummelled by arch-rivals India in their opening game on June 4, a team they will renew acquaintance with in the summit clash on Sunday, Sarfraz Ahmed's unfancied side wears a distinctly similar look to the outfit 25 years ago when they lost their World Cup opener to the West Indies by 10 wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.

Regular captain Imran Khan was unavailable for the first game and subsequently did not play against England too. He captained the side in the rest of the matches.

Put in to bat by Windies skipper Richie Richardson, Pakistan rode on Rameez Raja's 102 and Miandad's unbeaten 61-ball 57 to post 220/2 in 50 overs.

But Desmond Haynes (93 not out) and Brian Lara (retired hurt 88) were too strong for the Pakistani bowlers to even take a wicket as they won with 19 balls to spare.

In the current championship tournament against India at Edgbaston, Pakistan pacers and spinners looked blunt as India recovered from a slow start with ease to post 319/3 in a revised 48 overs tie.

Pakistan's batting, unlike 1992, looked out-of-sorts and the inexperience showed as none could keep their composure in the face of Indian bowling battery losing by a mammoth 124 runs.

Pakistan were battered by India in 1992 also when Imran's boys were guilty of an abject surrender chasing India's modest 216 and getting skittled out for a paltry 173.

But the defeat did not hurt them in their quest for a semi-final berth which was eventually secured because of the fortuitous win over England.

After their comfortable win against Zimbabwe, Pakistan were shot out for 74 and just when England looked to canter to a facile win, rain spoiled play and points were shared.

That was the tipping point for a turnaround and from there Pakistan qualified to the semi-finals riding a string of good performances against Australia, Sri Lanka and the do-or-die encounter against New Zealand who had not lost a game until that point.

This year also, albeit with a share of luck, Pakistan morphed from just-about qualified team -- they beat Zimbabwe to edge past the West Indies as the eighth team in the competition -- to the surprise packages who punched above weight and overawed the mighty England in the semi-final with elan.

Pakistan were fortunate to get a point from their South Africa game where they managed to restrict the Proteas to 219/8 in 50 overs but were tottering at 119/3 when the skies opened up and Pakistan won by 19 runs via Duckworth Lewis method.

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed's wards were up against a buoyant Sri Lanka fresh from their win against India, in a must-win match.

Down in the dumps chasing a modest 237, Sarfraz smashed an unbeaten 61 which helped Pakistan recover from 137/6 to an incredible three-wicket victory.

In the semi-finals, Pakistan bowlers -- sans the services of their prime bowlers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir -- tamed hosts England, who had till then not lost a single game quite like the 1992 side which downed favourites New Zealand to surprise all.

A distinct similarity has been the roles of Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had just made his ODI debut in 1991, and Fakhar Zaman who like Inzamam played a crucial knock in the semis.

Inzamam (60 off 37 balls) joined hands with Miandad (57 not out) to engineer a 87-run stand for the fifth wicket to stem the rot, while Zaman showed no big-game nerves to notch up a 58-ball 57 which eventually helped Pakistan sail through to the final with ease.

Amir is likely to be fit for the final, but even without him the green brigade have looked sharp in the bowling department, which has always been Pakistan's strength over the years.

The likes of Hasan Ali, tournament's highest wicket-taker so far with 10 scalps to his name in four matches, Junaid Khan, who has picked seven wickets in just three games and Rumman Raees, who on debut grabbed two wickets in the semis against England, have stepped up making the team a strong force to reckon with all of a sudden.

Amir would like to lead the pack like Wasim Akram did in that final against England, sending Allan Lamb (31) and Chris Lewis (0) back in two consecutive deliveries returning with man-of-match figures of 3/49.

India have never lost to Pakistan in the final -- or a knockout game -- of a major ICC tournament.

If India are to emerge victorious on Sunday, it would be like the 1985 Benson & Hedges Cup in Australia, where they first defeated Pakistan in the group stages and then upended them again in the final.

But Pakistan can draw confidence from the fact that even England were favourites to lift the Cup on March 25, 1992 at the MCG.

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The match attracted 201 million viewers, double than the last edition of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.

"ICC Champions Trophy 2017 has been an impressive event in terms of scale, reach and following, and the India-Pakistan match set a new viewership record on our network making it the highest rated ODI match in BARC history," a Star India statement read.

The viewership is once again expected to shoot northwards, when the arch-rivals face off in the ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval on Sunday.

Pakistan made it to the title clash, beating hosts England in the first semi-final while defending champions India thrashed Bangladesh in the second semi-final in Birmingham on Thursday.

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Pakistan suffered a humiliating 124-run defeat by India in the first match of their campaign at the ongoing Champions Trophy but staged a splendid comeback with consecutive victories over South Africa, Sri Lanka and hosts England to enter the final.

"Now is the time for Pakistan to beat India in the same way they defeated us in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy," Zaheer was quoted as saying by the Dawn on Friday.

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.

"The way Pakistan team played against England gives us an impression that they are now in a position to do something special for the country in the all-important match," Zaheer said on Thursday.

"Now is the time for Pakistan to beat India in the same way they defeated us in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy," he added.

India have been dominant against Pakistan in ICC events, with the overall record being 13-2 in favour of India.

But Zaheer asserted that the manner of Pakistan's victory against pre-tournament favourites England bears proof that the final will be closely contested.

"Pakistan outclassed England in all departments. They bowled well, their fielding was extra-ordinary while they also batted very well to pull off a comfortable victory against hot favourites England," he said.

Abbas also heavily criticised the English team for blaming the Cardiff pitch for their defeat to Pakistan in the semi-finals.

England skipper Eoin Morgan had opined that Pakistan had an advantage as they had played their last game in Group B against Sri Lanka on the very same pitch just two days before meeting the hosts.

"These are just lame excuses because English players play most of their county cricket on these pitches. Had any other captain made the remarks, it would have made a sense," Zaheer remarked.

The 69-year-old also praised the younger Pakistani players like Fakhar Zaman, Rumman Raees and Faheem Ashraf -- all of whom made their debuts in the Champions Trophy -- for their contribution to the team and urged them to continue their good performances.

"The new faces have given Pakistan a new life with their energetic efforts. 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. Future of Pakistan cricket will be brighter if they press ahead with their efforts with the same zeal," he said.

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London, June 16 (IANS) Pakistan pace spearhead Mohammad Amir completed an entire training session on Friday, indicating that he is most likely to take the field in the high-octane ICC Champions Trophy final against India at The Oval here on Sunday.

A back spasm had ruled Amir out of the semi-final against England, shortly before the toss on Wednesday.

Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said Amir was fit but did not indicate whether the speedster would play on Sunday.

"Amir bowled today. Amir is fit. We have not decided about (playing him)," Mahmood was quoted as saying by espncricinfo.

Mahmood dropped enough hints of including the left-arm pacer in the crucial tie with the kind of experience he brings into the side.

"When you go to a final, you want your experienced player, you want him to be fully fit and participating on that particular day. But (we have told him) if he has any doubt, he should let us know."

"At the moment he bowled today. He is fine. Yeah, definitely you would go with Amir, but we don't mind if Amir can't play. If he is not fit, then we have to move on," he added.

The former all-rounder pointed out that Amir's inclusion in the playing XI could be at the cost of rookie Rumman Raees, who took 2/44 on his One-day International (ODI) debut in the semi-final.

"Let us see who is going to play -- Rumman Raees or Amir. Doesn't matter. He (Raees) is a quality bowler as well. And he showed in the semi-finals on a big stage he can do the job for us. So, it is a good sign for us, guys can replace other guys," he said.

Mahmood also said Pakistan have the bench strength and won't be in any trouble in case Amir fails to participate in the final.

"We have the bench strength. Last match when Amir was not there, people were worried about our main strike bowler not playing. But the way Rumman Raees came in and bowled, it showed we have the bench strength."

"We have guys who have such skill and such an ability that they can perform on any stage. It is just a matter of self-belief and confidence. I think anyone can replace anyone," he added.

Amir, who went wicketless in the first two Group B matches, against India and South Africa, contributed with both the bat and ball against Sri Lanka, to help the Green Brigade sail into the semi-finals.

He complimented his figures of 2/53 with a valuable unbeaten 28 in an eighth-wicket partnership with skipper Sarfraz Ahmed that sealed a semi-final place for Pakistan.

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The former national team captain had made the claim after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in their last match in Group B on June 12 to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy.

But on Friday, Sohail claimed that he never accused the national team of fixing matches and was only criticising Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed for not dedicating the win over Sri Lanka to legendary batsman Javed Miandad, whose birthday fell on that day.

"Sarfraz was asked after the Sri Lanka match whether he wanted to dedicate the win to Miandad. But I heard reports that he refused to do so and said Miandad criticises the team too much.

"What I meant was that Sarfraz has become captain only recently and Miandad is a very big name in Pakistan cricket. He should not have said such things. If Miandad says something, it is only for the improvement of Pakistan cricket," Sohail told Pakistani channel Samaa TV.

"The other thing I said was that the facilitators of the win cannot be named; however I said nothing about match-fixing or any other foul play -- my statement was misunderstood.

"If Pakistan is winning, then why bring up references to match fixing? I don't know what agenda people who make such allegations are following," he added.

The former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) selection committee also asserted that he always praised Sarfraz's talent and wanted him to achieve more success as the Pakistan captain.

"I never said that Sarfraz follows someone else's agenda. I alone supported Sarfraz since 2015 and recommended him for taking on the captaincy of the Pakistan team.

"What I meant that day on your programme was that people should stop confusing Sarfraz otherwise we will see a good talent go to waste," Sohail insisted.

Pakistan had started their campaign on a disastrous note with a 124-run defeat to arch-rivals India, but consecutive wins over formidable South Africa and Sri Lanka in the rest of their matches in Group B saw them qualify for the semi-finals.

England, the only undefeated team in the tournament until that point, were among the favourites to reach the final, but Pakistan dominated with both the bat and ball to outclass the hosts and set up a title clash with India.

However, Sohail's comments after the win over Sri Lanka had angered many Pakistani fans.

"Sarfraz needs to be told that you have not done anything great. Someone has helped you win the game. There is no reason for you (Sarfraz) to be so happy. We all know what happens behind the scenes. Don't wish to get into the details on who won them the games," Sohail said during a programme on a Pakistani channel.

"If asked, I will say that the prayers of the fans and God has won them the games. They have been brought to the final due to external factors and not based on on-field performance. The boys now need to be level-headed and focus on playing good cricket," the former Pakistan captain added.

Sohail was himself at the heart of the match-fixing scandal that rocked Pakistan cricket in the late 1990s.

One of the key players during Pakistan's successful campaign at the 1992 World Cup, Sohail's most infamous moment on the cricket field was at the 1996 World Cup when he got into an altercation with India pacer Venkatesh Prasad before being bowled off the very next delivery.

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If local media reports are anything to go by, the pair have disappointed the fans who had a lot of expectations from them and left the onus on the seasoned campaigners to deliver the goods.

While the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah have met expectations, what is worrying from Bangladesh's viewpoint is the fact that the next generation is not stepping up.

Soumya, 24, and Sabbir, 25, have scores of 28, 3, 3 and 0; and 24, 8, 8 and 19, respectively.

According to leading vernacular daily 'Prothom Alo', coach Chandika Hathurusingha wanted Sabbir as a permanent fix at No.3 but since October 2016, Sabbir has mustered just three half-centuries in 14 One-day Internationals (ODI) with his highest being 65.

Sabbir likes to play the big shots, the paper wrote, but lacks the ability to rotate strike and play the big innings, essentials for a No.3 batsman.

It has been learnt that after the loss to India in the semi-finals on Thursday, coach Hathurusingha is mulling the option of changing his batting order.

A few days back, another vernacular daily 'Jugantor' also reported that it were the experienced hats who have done the job for Bangladesh during this Champions Trophy.

Bangladesh indeed rode their experienced players' performances to book a semi-finals berth albeit some assistance from rain in the game against Australia where they were down in the dumps when skies opened up and the points were split.

Nonetheless, the likes of Tamim, who hit a century and followed it up with a 95 in the first two games of the tournament, and Mushfiqur, who scored a fifty against England, helped the team punch above weight.

To cap things off, Shakib and Mahmudulah struck magnificent hundreds in a 224-run fifth-wicket stand that won them the game against fancied New Zealand, even after being 33/4 chasing 266.

Bangladesh defied all odds to reach their first semi-finals in any International Cricket Council (ICC) event, after the victory over New Zealand and, thereafter, England beating Australia the next day.

But their campaign in the tournament was ended with a nine-wicket thrashing by defending champions India, who will now take on arch-rivals Pakistan in Sunday's final at The Oval.

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Dhaka, June 16 (IANS) It has been a disappointing ICC Champions Trophy for Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, of whom much was expected.

According to Bangladesh's leading vernacular daily 'Prothom Alo', the 21-year-old who burst onto the scene with a man-of-the-series performance against India two years back, has been a pale shadow of his former self throughout the tournament leaving supporters high and dry.

Mustafizur, fondly called 'The Fizz' failed to get his off-cutters right on Thursday against India and was taken to the cleaners by openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. Mustafizur gave away 53 runs in the six overs he bowled, taking no wicket.

In the last five games, Mustafizur has taken only two wickets in 39 overs. According to the paper, besides the subcontinent where he has found reasonable success, Mustafizur has failed to perform as his off-cutters have not worked.

The new challenge for Mustafizur now will be to try out Plan B to get batsmen out. According to 'Prothom Alo', in Mustafizur's defence his shoulder injury is still bothering him and he has not fully recovered from that. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha has said that "Going by his age, he is a very clever bowler. He will definitely make a comeback."

Bangladesh lost to India by nine wickets in the semi-final on Thursday to crash out of the Champions Trophy.

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