Fakhar Zaman's Oval century helps Pakistan stun India to win Champions Trophy
A debutant-heavy Pakistan side bet on youth, and the gamble paid off with a dominant final win over India at The Oval.
Fakhar Zaman went from a late addition to the story of the Champions Trophy in a matter of weeks. Making his One-Day International debut in Pakistan's group-stage match against South Africa, the left-hander turned a shaky campaign around and then finished the job on the biggest stage of all, a grandstand century in the final against India at The Oval on Sunday, June 18.
The result was more lopsided than the scoreline suggests. Pakistan beat India in almost every department, a sharp reversal from the group-stage meeting, where India had been the dominant side. Zaman's two half-centuries before the final gave the team the stability its fragile middle order had lacked, and his hundred in the decider turned a competitive contest into a rout.
Zaman is the headline name, but he was not the only young player to make an impact. Hasan Ali finished the tournament as its leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps, four clear of second-placed Josh Hazlewood. Shadab Khan, still just 18, had only four wickets, yet two of them, the dismissals of Yuvraj Singh in the final and Joe Root in the semifinal, carried real weight. Faheem Ashraf and Rumman Raees also stepped in when needed and held their own. Coach Mickey Arthur and captain Sarfraz Ahmed deserve credit for trusting inexperienced players at a major event, a call that proved to be a bargain.
Zaman's route to the top was far from direct. He spent a long stretch in domestic cricket after his first-class debut in 2013, scoring 2,269 runs in 35 matches at an average of 42.01 before his opportunity came. Arthur's decision to watch domestic players at a camp in Lahore helped open the door for him. His background in the Navy, where his cricket ability first drew attention before he switched to the game full-time, adds another layer to his rise.
The Pakistan Super League also played a major role. With international teams largely staying away from matches in Pakistan, domestic players had limited exposure to top-class opposition. The PSL changed that by putting them alongside established international stars. Zaman, Shadab and Hasan all made their names there, and the experience reassured them that they could compete globally. For a team that still has plenty of problems to solve, that confidence may prove to be the most valuable outcome of the tournament.
Read the full match report and background at India.com.