ENG VS PAK - 1st Semi-Final (A1 v B2), ICC Champions Trophy, 2017

If you'd ask me I did not see Pakistan in the final. We all go by reputation and current form and when a team proves that wrong, it only adds to the beauty of the game. So full credit to Pakistan for proving millions wrong. As far as England are concerned, they would feel that it just was not their day. Their wait for a 50-over trophy continues. Nothing went right for them. They lost the toss and never got going. Would take heart from the fact that they were the favourites for as long as they played in this tournament. Can now sit back, contemplate and enjoy the two games that remain. Tomorrow is a big day. Bigger than what was today. Bangladesh have once again defied odds and pushed limits to set-up a clash against their neighbours. They have a history. Some of which has been ugly as well. We will be up and early for that as well. Join us then. This is Abhishek Chaudhary signing off on behalf of namesake Kumar Abhisekh Das, Srivathsa, Pradeep, Ramakrishnan Vamsi and Venkatesh.

There will be factions who will term this a fluke. Some would attribute this to luck as well. But that does not change the truth that Pakistan played with a lot of heart and they were clearly the best side today, never allowed England to flourish. Once again after a year or so, they came on top against England at Cardiff.

Sarfraz Ahmed: Credit goes to the bowlers and then the batsmen finished really well. Rumman bowled very well today. We decided to adapt to conditions, we knew if we could restrict them to 250-60, we could chase it. After the India game, the credit goes to the team management how they boosted us. Every game was a knockout game. Today as well they told us to not think about the match and just play the natural game. That helped us. Both teams are playing really well, all the best to them (India and Bangladesh). He (Hasan Ali) is very energetic and he is bowling well. If he takes wickets for us in the final that will help us for sure.

Eoin Morgan: One thing which we did not do well today was to adapt to conditions, coming from Edgbaston. Full credit to Pakistan, they did that well. I don't think we were used to it. We did not prepare. Pakistan bowled well. We did not manage to adjust with the bat. 200 was not a competitive score. 250-60 would have been competitive. It's the way tournament is. We knew that coming into the tournament. It's the test of the Champions Trophy and you have to be prepared for it. There is no home advantage for any side. We bowled okay. I think we will continue to learn that. I don't think we played anything rash today. Everything that we played was pretty calculative. But simply the fact that Pakistan had played here, helped them. One of the things about knockout cricket is that you have to adjust to conditions as you go from venue to venue. With the World Cup coming up, it's important for us to go through games like today.

Stat-capsule from Deepu!

**Ten wickets by Hasan Ali in CT17 is the most by a PAK bowler in CT eclipsing Saeed Ajmal's eight wickets in SA in the 2009 edition.

**The last time before today England batted into the 50th over in an ODI without hitting a six was against NZ at Lord's in 2013.

**118-run stand between Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali is the highest ever for Pakistan for the opening stand in CT history. It was also the first time Pakistan openers have put together four successive stands of over 40 in ODIs outside Asia.

Semifinal wins for PAK in ICC ODI events:
by 4 wickets vs NZ, Auckland 1992
by 9 wickets vs NZ, Manchester, 1999
by 8 wickets vs ENG, CARDIFF, 2017 *

Winning with most balls to spare while chasing 200+ in CT:
83 SL v Pak, Colombo, 2002
77 Pak v Eng *, today
65 Ind v WI, Oval, 2013
63 Ind v Eng, Colombo, 2002

Hasan Ali (Man of the Match): England are a big team and we have bowled well. The way I bowled against South Africa, I tried to bowl the same way today. Against India, things did not go well in the last few overs but Azhar Mahmood helped me and I stuck to my plans. Eoin Morgan was my best wicket today. It's my brother's birthday tomorrow, so I dedicate this award to him.

Harsha Bhogle: How good have the new entrants been! Each has played a role in Pakistan's stunning win.

What happened to England today? They were bogged down by expectations - of crowd, experts, fans, romantics - who marvelled at their transformation - and numbers. Pakistan had the advantage of the pitch - they played on the same track a couple of days ago and had a fair idea of it. The middle overs, where the spinners came in and throttled the trunk of the English batting, is when the game was lost for England. But 211 was not bad. Certainly not a cakewalk in a pressure game. However, the Pakistani openers had different plans. Before England could realize and delve into the bag for plans B and C, half the target was erased. What does this leave us with then? A potential India v Pakistan in the final? The dream for many. But there is a match to be played and Bangladesh would believe they too can upset the applecart. Anyway, they don't have to look far for inspiration. Here's the Man of the Match

Predictability is worse than mediocrity, I once wrote in my heydays. Pakistan have exemplified the statement in this tournament. They were mediocre against India but kept predictability at bay, recovered and, with a bit of luck, bumped into the mighty England. That was it. A flyweight amateur boxer against a super-heavyweight giant in a ten-round pro clash. This was expected to be a mauling of the highest degree. But the timid boxer had different plans, he worked it out. Tired the giant in the first half and restricted him into a corner by moving around; and then flurry of swift punches sealed the glory for him.

Handshakes all-around. Hafeez swishes his bat around and hugs Babar Azam. No wild celebrations as such. Pretty calm considering how big the win is

Stokes to Hafeez, FOUR, short ball. Pulled to the deep backward square leg fence. This catapults Pakistan into the final. An 8-wicket win. As authoritative as a win can get.

Moeen Ali to Babar Azam, no run, sharply turns in. Babar Azam can wait for the winning runs, defended

Moeen Ali to Hafeez, 1 run, works with the turn through square leg to level the scores. Captain Sarfraz jumps in the balcony

Moeen Ali to Hafeez, FOUR, room again, cut again. Manages to find the gap once again, this time square on the off-side. There is no protection near the fence

Moeen Ali to Hafeez, no run, slightly tossed up. Hafeez blocks

Moeen Ali to Hafeez, no run, touch fuller and Hafeez slips back to defend into the pitch