The hosts have a strong unit that recently successfully chased down 350 for the first time in their history, but apart from India, they will also be wary of NZ
Will Pakistan become the first team to win the Champions Trophy on home patch outright? Can they also become the first side to successfully defend the Champions Trophy title since Australia in 2009? Will their familiar foes from across the border make it two triumphs in three editions? Will South Africa translate their all-format consistency into a repeat of their heroics at the inaugural edition of this tournament, albeit in a different avatar, in 1998? Or will New Zealand, the 2000 champions but perennial bridesmaids in limited-overs tournaments thereafter, rise to the top? In so many ways, this is a wide open tournament and yet, almost every one of the eight participating teams well knows that if the India that crushed England at home last week turns up, the rest will have their work cut out, the absence of the magnificent Jasprit Bumrah notwithstanding
March 9, the night of the final, seems a long way off just yet. For now, there is the small matter of high-quality cricket returning to Pakistan for the first time since 1996, when they hosted the final of the longer World Cup in Lahore.
Pakistan’s last tryst with a major continental event in the capacity of a host was in 2008, when they staged the Asia Cup. Within eight months of Sri Lanka drubbing India by 100 runs in the final of that competition in Karachi, their team bus was attacked by masked terrorists when it was on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for what would have been day three of the second Test, on 3 March 2009. Some of the world’s most celebrated cricketers were fortunate to escape with minor injuries, thanks to their brave-heart bus driver, but that event sent such shock waves across the cricketing world that Pakistan didn’t host a single international fixture until 2015, when Zimbabwe mustered the courage to travel there.
Much has changed in Pakistan since then though a lot of things still remain the same. Especially in the last four years, all major cricketing nations have been given the go-ahead by their security analysts to play in Pakistan. All, expect India, for whom Pakistan still remains out of bounds. The Indian government’s move to refuse permission for its cricket team to play in Pakistan has necessitated a hybrid model with all of India’s games, including against Pakistan this Sunday, to be held in Dubai.
Pakistan vs India has been the marquee contest in any major cricketing event from the time they ceased bilateral showdowns at the beginning of 2013. It’s the final before the final, the game neither side wants to lose, but that match is merely a means towards an end, not an end in itself, never mind the hype and the hoopla that invariably surrounds it
The hosts have a strong unit that recently successfully hunted down 350 in an ODI chase for the first time in their history, but apart from India, they will also be wary of New Zealand, who bested them in a tri-series final last week and must be delighted at Kane Williamson’s excellent form. Bangladesh, the other team in Group A, are in the middle of a crisis of sorts, without experienced former captains Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan and looking for inspiration from someone, anyone
Group B an open house for all four teams
Group B is more of an open house, especially after Australia lost five towering names in the bat of an eyelid. Skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh are out through injuries, Marcus Stoinis retired without warning and Mitchell Starc pulled out due to ‘personal reasons’ at the proverbial last minute. Worse, Australia were hammered 2–0 last week by Sri Lanka, who aren’t even at this tournament. But Steve Smith, back at the helm, is a masterful captain who loves the leadership role in this part of the world and as history will testify, to ignore Australia’s challenge at a world event is steeped in naivety, if not foolhardiness.
