EXCLUSIVE | Another India-Pakistan Final will Spice up Champions Trophy, Wishes Sarfaraz

Shahid Hashmi
04 Feb 2025
12:20

The ever-energetic Sarfaraz Ahmed has a wish that fans around the world watch another India-Pakistan final in the forthcoming Champions trophy, declaring it would be the biggest match in recent years.

File photo of Sarfaraz Ahmed with the Champions Trophy
File photo of Sarfaraz Ahmed with the Champions Trophy
Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former Pakistan's captain who led the side to title in 2017 Champions Trophy, told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net)
Another India-Pakistan final in the coming Champions trophy would be a dream one and fans around the world will die over it: It would be a double joy for the fans in Pakistan as it is staged in Lahore because our people also want to see Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Pant and Bumrah playing on their grounds.

The 2017 Champions trophy in the UK was a unique ICC event in the way that it had two high-voltage Indo-Pak matches. The first of the two was at Edgbaston in Birmingham and the first for Sarfaraz as skipper.

Sarfaraz recalls of Pakistan's 124-run thrashing - their biggest defeat in the rivalry.
I had played as a player against India before but the one we had in 2017 was my first as skipper against India and it turned out to be a nightmare.It was a big jolt and we were morally down. But everyone realised that we cannot win the trophy if we play like that. There was hard talk and promises of a big lift.

Pakistan had the better of South Africa in a rain-hit second match on DLS method. They were staring at the exit gate in the next game against Sri Lanka at Cardiff.

Sarfraz recalls
It was a quarter-final for us.

After dismissing their opponents for 236, Pakistan were themselves struggling at 162-7 when Sarfaraz joined Mohammad Amir in a match-winning unbroken 8th wicket stand of  75 runs. Sarfaraz termed Amir's knock better than his.

Sarfaraz whose team beat hosts England in the semi-final at Cardiff to set up a mouth-watering final with India said
It was Amir's innings that inspired me and I was dropped twice so luck was on our side.
Sarfaraz speaking about the final at The Oval said
We were very confident that this time we will win.. Fakhar Zaman saw a dream that we have won the final and were wearing white jackets as winners and it was a dream come true. Fakhar batted extraordinarily well and got a reprieve when he was out off Jasprit Bumrah's no ball. We had a formidable total of 338-4 with a century from Fakhar. Then Amir bowled the spell of his life and broke the back of India's batting with wickets of Rohit, Kohli and Dhawan.
Mohammad Amir celebrates the wicket of Virat Kohli
Mohammad Amir celebrates the wicket of Virat Kohli
Sarfaraz remembers the moment when Azhar Ali dropped Kohli off Amir, first ball.
We were all down but I lifted everyone. I knew that the way Amir was bowling we would get Kohli and next ball we had him caught. It was wonderful bowling.
Sarfaraz rated the victory as the best of his career.
I cannot forget that triumph. When I took the last catch I had not realised what we had achieved. Whenever that catch comes on television I have goosebumps. We were aspiring to wear the white coat and on June 18, 2017 we wore that. It was the most memorable day of my life. When we returned home the whole Pakistan celebrated the win. It took me several hours to reach my home from the airport because of the crowd.
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