5 iconic moments that define India's 2013 Champions Trophy triumph
On this day in 2013, the Indian team led by MS Dhoni lifted the ICC Champions Trophy for the second time in their history, beating England by 4 runs in a rain-shortened final.
In the process, the Indian skipper became the first-ever captain to have won all three ICC tournaments, with the World Cup and the T20 World Cup being the other two.
India's 2013 Champions Trophy: Iconic moments
Shikhar Dhawan was awarded the Man of the Tournament and the Golden Bat, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was adjudged the Man of the Match in the final of the competition. The Indian left-arm spinner was also the highest wicket-taker in the 2013 Champions Trophy and finished with 12 scalps to his name.
In this article, we take a look at the five most iconic moments from India's famous Champions Trophy triumph.
#5 Virat Kohli's catch against Pakistan
In the months leading up to the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, the Indian fielding was under the scanner, and rightly so.
Players like Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin were perhaps not the sprightliest of fielders and with MS Dhoni's bold statements after the 2011 World Cup win regarding playing the veterans still fresh in mind, Indian fans didn't quite know what to expect.
However, the young guard of Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli ensured that the team was never found wanting in the field. In India's third match of the tournament against Pakistan, Virat Kohli pulled off a blinder at leg slip to dismiss the dangerous Kamran Akmal.
Ashwin's ball lobbed up off wicket-keeper Dhoni's thighs after taking an inside edge off Akmal's bat, and Kohli sprung to his right to snatch it out of thin air with one hand.
India went on to win the match quite easily, getting Pakistan all out for 165 before chasing the DLS-adjusted score of 102 comfortably with 8 wickets in hand.
#4 Shikhar Dhawan's twin centuries
India opener Shikhar Dhawan's love affair with ICC tournaments started at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. The southpaw scored 363 runs in the tournament in 5 innings at a ridiculous average of 90.75, scoring two centuries.
The first of the tons came in India's first game against South Africa - a blistering 114 off 94 balls. India went on to win the match by 26 runs, thereby setting the tone for the rest of the tournament.
Dhawan's excellent form continued in the second game against West Indies, as his confident, almost run-a-ball 102 anchored the Indian chase of 234. Gabbar also scored a useful 48 in the next match, a high-pressure clash against arch-rivals Pakistan.
Dhawan was adjudged the Man of the Tournament and also won the Golden Bat award for the most runs in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
#3 Ishant Sharma's game-changing over in the final
An excellent tournament seemed destined to come to an anticlimactic end when the final was reduced to 20 overs a side owing to rain. Indian fans were further desolate when Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara, who were both set at the crease, appeared to be on course to take England over the line.
However, the 18th over bowled by Ishant Sharma changed the course of the match completely. The lanky speedster had conceded 27 runs in his 3 overs, and even went for a six off the second ball of the over before bowling a couple of wides.
However, he picked up the wicket of Morgan with a well-disguised slower ball, as the current England captain could only chip it towards short midwicket. Sharma then proceeded to remove Bopara off the very next delivery, the batsman pulling him straight to Ashwin at square leg.
With 19 runs needed off the last 2 overs and both batsmen new to the crease, England crumbled and conceded defeat in the Champions Trophy final.
#2 MS Dhoni's celebrations after the final ball
Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has never been one to celebrate wildly, and even the historic World Cup win of 2011 was met with only a smile and a few hugs. However, when Ashwin beat the bat of James Tredwell off the last ball of the last over (5 runs were needed), Dhoni erupted.
The wicket-keeper failed to collect that ball but then let out a loud roar, and proceeded to jump up and down in unbridled joy. The outpouring of emotion was definitely understandable as the Ranchi man had just become the first (and only) captain to lift all three ICC trophies.
Dhoni then proceeded to uproot a stump in his typical fashion.
The moment still puts a smile on the face of Indian fans around the world. Interestingly, Ashwin also spoke about a shrewd plan Dhoni devised to get rid of Jonathan Trott in the same Champions Trophy final:
#1 Virat Kohli's dance at the Champions Trophy presentation
By Virat Kohli's current standards, he had an underwhelming 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. The batsman scored 176 runs over the course of the tournament, and although he scored these runs at an excellent average of 58.66, his highest score in the competition was a mere 58*.
However, the current Indian captain scored a crucial 43 off just 34 in the Champions Trophy final. He was also electric in the field throughout the competition, and after the post-presentation, he broke into a rendition of the famous 'Gangnam Style' dance.
Kohli led the celebrations during the victory lap of the ground, and at that point, most Indian fans had realised that the Delhi boy was going to not only become one of the greatest batsmen of all time but an Indian captain as well.