Remembering the Champions Trophy win against India still gives me goosebumps: Hasan Ali
Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali says that he still gets goosebumps whenever anyone broaches the topic of his nation's Champions Trophy triumph against India in 2017. Pakistan had trumped against overwhelming odds to put it across their arch-rivals to win the prestigious tournament.
The right-arm pacer made this disclosure during a conversation about his cricketing career and the road ahead, on the YouTube show Cricket Baaz.
When asked about the 2017 Champions Trophy final triumph against India, Hasan Ali said that the emotions of that win are indescribable. He lauded the performances of the youngsters in that team and the brilliant captaincy of Sarfraz Ahmed.
Hasan Ali also noted that it was a fabulous achievement by the lower-ranked Pakistan team to defeat a top side like India, saying in this regard:
"Remembering the Champions Trophy win still gives me goosegumps. You cannot describe the feelings of that tournament in words. There were a lot of players who made their debuts - Rumman Raees, Faheem Ashraf and Fakhar Zaman, and there were a few players whose careers had just started - like me and Shadab Khan. So, it was a young team, and a new captain was handling it: Sarfraz bhai."
Hasan Ali further said in this regard:
"You imagine the 8th ranked team suddenly goes to a mega event and defeats the teams ranked in the top three and then wins the final against India. So, it was just by the grace of God and the way Sarfraz bhai captained the side and every single player performed, I cannot tell it in words."
Pakistan registered a convincing 180-run against a formidable Indian side in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
"When a team has momentum ,they can defeat any team in front of them" - Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali was asked if Pakistan were confident of winning the final against India, a team that had beaten Pakistan earlier in the tournament. He responded that although the team had suffered a hammering against India in the league phase, they did not feel any undue pressure in the final.
The 26-year old observed that Pakistan were on a roll after their defeat against India in the league stage, and a few outstanding performances in the final saw them win the tournament.
"We had lost the first match very badly. There were 2-3 players who got injured during that match and left the field. So, it was a bad time for us. But after that the way we got the momentum, honestly, I personally didn't feel anything because the final was against India. It was just like another final; we had a good momentum, and we wanted to win that," observed Hasan Ali.
Hasan Ali further said in this regard:
"No doubt India were stronger on paper, and their performance was also going good, but when a team has the momentum, they can defeat any team in front of them. So everyone had the hunger to perform."
Hasan Ali concluded by saying:
"So that is what happened. There were 3-4 performances that won us the final. Amir and me got three wickets each; Hafeez bhai scored a fifty; Fakhar Zaman played a great innings, and Azhar Ali scored a fifty. So, it was a team effort, and the momentum had been created."
Hasan Ali was awarded the Player of the Tournament in the 2017 Champions Trophy for his outstanding performances with the ball, especially in the middle overs and at the death.
The Pakistan speedster finished as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, claiming 13 scalps including the wickets of MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah in the final.