Pakistan defy all odds and make it into their first final in the history of the tournament as they beat England by 9 wickets at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.
Preview: Having swept aside all opposition in the group stage, hosts England are expected to face a strong pace attack when they take on Pakistan in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament in Cardiff on Wednesday. He was caught by Babar Azam off Rumman Raees' ball.
"I am under no pressure and looking forward to ending ICC Champions Trophy as the best bowler of the tournament", Hassan had told Geo.tv before the commencement of the eight-nation tournament.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to field. Azhar was responsible for the first three of the match, from a pull at Mark Wood, and Fakhar added a six with a mistimed hook at the England strike bowler.
Their opposite number Bairstow - brought in to open for the first time in global cricket in place of the out-of-form Jason Roy - had responded with a battling 43, but on a used pitch that precluded fluent strokeplay as the ball swung too, England could never get a foothold and folded tamely in their attempt to set a defendable total. Jonny Bairstow was well settled on 43 and England were cruising at 80/1 and his sudden dismissal pegged back the run rate.
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Raees, denied the wicket of Alex Hales on an lbw review, got his man for 13 when the opener sliced a drive to extra-cover.
Joe Root and Eoin Morgan continued to score at about five runs an over against accurate Pakistan bowling and tight fielding. His brilliant off-cutters and in-swingers have helped him outfox batsman and this once again brought him success against England.
Morgan tried to dominate Hasan at the start of his second spell, but instead edged behind from up the wicket when the seamer pushed the ball wider.
In his quota of 10 overs he bowled he gave away just 35 runs and picked up three crucial wickets.
England hit 15 boundaries today, the least in a completed innings since the WC 2015.
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