Birmingham: India crowned themselves as the new champions of the Champions Trophy in style conquering hosts England by five runs at the Edgbaston stadium.
They stamped their authority as the reigning world champions and proved that they are unbeatable in the 50-over format of the game. They pocketed the prize money of $2 million and shattered England’s dream of winning a 50-over global tournament after 38 years of wait.
With the contest reduced to 20 overs due to rain, India posted a challenging 129 for 7 and restricted England to 124 for 8 despite a spirited chase through Ravi Bopara (30) and Eoin Morgan (33). They had put on a fighting 64 runs partnership for the fifth wicket.
India’s new rising stars Virat Kohli (43) and Shikhar Dhawan (31) and Ravindra Jadeja (33n.o) had helped India post the challenging total. England chasing a run rate of 6.45 crashed under pressure with Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma picking two wickets each.
Jadeja was adjudged the man of the match for his all-round display.
England lost their skipper Alastair Cook to the fifth ball of the second over. Umesh Yadav made Cook attempt a late cut but landed up being caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at slip for 2.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni introduced his spinners from the fifth over. Strike bowler Jadeja bowled his first over for just three runs and Ashwin, who bowled the sixth over had Jonathan Trott stumped for 20. Ashwin also had Joe Root top edge to Ishant Sharma for 7 after a nine ball stay.
In the ninth over from Jadeja, Dhoni produced a lighting stumping to dismiss Ian Bell for 13 and England slipped to 46 for 4.
With required run rate mounting to 7. 63, Ravi Bopara joined Eoin Morgan. Ashwin went on to bowl a maiden over to Morgan. Bopara pulled Sharma for a huge six over mid-wicket and Morgan too picked the gaps well. Through yet another splendid pull to mid-wicket for a six off Jadeja, Bopara recorded the 50 runs partnership. From the 15th 16th and 17th overs England picked 31 runs to inch closer to the India total.
Three overs to go and England needing 28 runs, Morgan effortlessly pulled Sharma for a six but fell in the same over caught by Ashwin at mid-wicket for 33 runs. With the next ball Sharma removed the dangerous Bopara too. England lost four wickets for three runs in eight balls to crash to a stage of needing 15 runs to win off the last over with two wickets in hand. Ashwin gave away just nine runs in the last over.
Earlier, Kohli, Dhawan and Jadeja lifted India out of trouble after Ravi Bopara had reduced India to 66 for 5 through a three wicket spell. With sinister black clouds hanging around the stadium India’s inform openers Dhawan and Rohit Sharma began confidently by taking quick singles. Stuart Broad struck by clean bowling Sharma for 9 in the fourth over with a delivery that seamed back.
Dhawan’s 24 ball knock contained two boundaries and one six. Dhawan’s departure dipped the run rate but Kohli took charge and played a superb knock. Though Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni got out for a duck caught at third man by Tredwell, Jadeja played some lovely shots to ensure a fighting total.
