A Historic Victory: Pakistan Wins ICC Champions Trophy 2017

 


On June 18, 2017, cricket history was reshaped at The Oval in London as Pakistan, the tournament’s lowest‑ranked team, achieved a stunning upset by defeating arch‑rivals India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final. The magnitude of this victory—winning by 180 runs—marked the largest margin in any ICC final, firmly etching Pakistan’s name among the sport’s legends 

Underdogs No More

Pakistan’s campaign began underwhelmingly: they lost to India by 124 runs in the group stage. Yet, the team rallied in true champion fashion, stringing together victories against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and England to enter their maiden Champions Trophy final . Their semifinal win over hosts England was particularly commanding—a steady 8‑wicket triumph that set the tone for what was to come 

Fakhar Zaman's Centurion Audacity

The final belonged to debutant Fakhar Zaman, whose astonishing century of 114 off 106 balls lit up Pakistan's innings. A no‑ball call by Jasprit Bumrah gave him an improbable reprieve at 3 runs, triggering a match‑defining surge theguardian.com+5icc-cricket.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5. Fakhar became the first Pakistani to score a century in an ICC final, anchoring a monumental total of 338 ⁠— the highest ever in an ICC tournament final en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4.

Hasan Ali: A Bowling Sensation

While Fakhar led with the bat, Hasan Ali dominated with the ball. His 13 wickets made him the tournament’s top wicket‑taker—and he was named Player of the Series, earning the Golden Ball award en.wikipedia.org. In the final, Ali's incisive spell exploited Indian top‑order fragility, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Virat Kohli to spark India’s dramatic collapse en.wikipedia.org.

A Historic Win and its Legacy

The 180‑run victory did more than secure silverware; it symbolized Pakistan’s resurgence on the global stage. It was the nation’s first ICC ODI trophy since their 1992 World Cup win and their first major title since 2009’s T20 World Cup facebook.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3. For coach Mickey Arthur, who assumed leadership in May 2016, this was vindication of his vision and impact en.wikipedia.org.

Moreover, this triumph rekindled Pakistan’s belief in limited‑overs cricket. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s leadership throughout the tournament—including the nerve‑wracking chase against Sri Lanka in the semi—earned him respect despite not making headlines in the final wisden.com.

Numbers That Speak Volumes

The Moment’s Enduring Impact

The win garnered an estimated global viewership of 400 million, making it one of cricket’s most-watched matches reuters.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2thetimes.co.uk+2. It also served notice that Pakistan, once written off, was back in top-tier ODI contention. The foundation laid in 2017 continues to influence Pakistan cricket today, inspiring players and supporters alike.


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