Wasim Akram thinks Pakistan's Champions Trophy win was a fluke
In a stunning admission, one of Pakistan's greatest all-rounders admitted in an interview that Pakistan's 2017 Champions Trophy win over India was a fluke. Pakistan had beaten India by 180 runs in a stunning upset to claim the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Ironically, Pakistan barely made it to the Champions Trophy as a participant. The Champions Trophy is a tournament of the top 8 teams in the world. Pakistan struggled to get their ODI ranking up to #8 days before the cut-off time for teams to qualify for the Champions Trophy. In their opening game against India, they suffered a lop-sided 124 run loss. But somehow, Pakistan won the next three games- against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and England- and found themselves playing for the title against India. Their incredible 180 run win over India stunned the world and their coach- who only a few days ago had pronounced that his team lacked the confidence to win.
Over a year later, Pakistan entered the Asia Cup 2018 ranked 7th in the ICC One Day International team ranking list. After their CT triumph, Pakistan had series wins against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka while having lost an ODI series in New Zealand.
The Asia Cup 2018 schedule promised at least two and perhaps three India v Pakistan encounters. Notwithstanding Pakistan's ODI ranking, captain Sarfraz and others started pointing to the similarities between circumstances surrounding the Asia Cup 2018 and the Champions Trophy 2017. The clear implication of that comparison was based on the hope that Pakistan would once again better India in the tournament.
The second encounter between India and Pakistan concluded yesterday. Pakistan comprehensively lost that match by 9 wickets. India won by that margin with more than 10 overs to spare. The first encounter between the two teams just four days prior to the second match ended in an 8 wicket win for India. India won by these margins without the services of their best player- Virat Kohli- who chose to sit out the tournament.
Following the twin losses to India, Pakistani fans, media, and former players have heavily criticized their team for its abject performances. Some have pointed fingers to the bowling as the cause for the losses and others have pointed to the batting. The coach curiously has suggested that the team lacks confidence as he had suggested in the Champions Trophy.
Wasim Akram, in a candid conversation on Indian TV, admitted that Pakistan's dismal performance was largely a result of its uncompetitive ODI schedule against low ranked opponents like Zimbabwe. He suggested that a tough road schedule against higher ranked teams is what Pakistan needs to get its competitive edge back. He lauded the Indian team's professional performance and suggested that for Pakistan to recover, it needs to, first, move beyond the euphoria of its one-off the Champions Trophy victory.
It's now clear that Pakistan's #7 rank in the ICC ODI Team rankings, its abysmal performance in back to back losses against India in the Asia Cup 2018, and its lack of a convincing record against formidable opponents since the Champions Trophy, is proof-positive of Wasim Akram's assertion- that Pakistan's Champions Trophy win over India in 2017 was nothing more than a fluke.