On this day in 2013, The Indian men’s team further embellished their ODI credentials, sealing their second ICC Champions Trophy. On the back of a successful home World Cup two years earlier, MS Dhoni’s side held off all-comers, including hosts England in a tantalisingly close final. Breezing through the group stages- in which they won all matches-they would see off Sri Lanka comfortably by eight wickets in the semi-finals.
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The Men in Blue kicked off at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens against South Africa. Put into bat, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma- who completes 15 years of international cricket today– set the tone for the tourney, cracking 127 runs for the opening stand. India settled at 331/7 in their 50 overs, riding on Dhawan’s sterling 114 (off 94 balls). The Proteas’ folded for 305, their innings ending with a final-ball wicket for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Wins against West Indies and neighbours Pakistan would follow. Dhawan starred in both. A match-winning 102* (107) was followed by a brisk 48, paving to the semis for the hot favourites.
Back at the Sophia for the semis, Ishant Sharma’s probing spell of 3/33 laid the foundation for a successful run-chase, once again helmed by the now Midas-like Dhawan. His careful 68 off 92 balls helped India ease to the Lankans’ target of 182. In a rain-marred final at Birmingham’s hot-house Edgbaston ground, the two sides duked it out over 20 overs. High on drama, India battled to 129. Dhawan scored brisk runs, but Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja’s combined charge helped propel India to a respectable score.
In response, England was tottering at 46-4. The slowness of the surface aided the spinners, with Ashwin and Jadeja tying English batters in a maze. But Bopara- who had dealt a sharp hand with the ball- allied with Eoin Morgan to drag England back into the chase. Needing 28 off 18 balls, Morgan and Ishant Sharma crossed swords in the 18th over. A dot ball off the first, Morgan creamed the second for a six over the square-leg boundary. Frazzled, the lanky pacer responded with two wides. The plan was evident still: bowl cutters outside off-stump to a heavily loaded off-side field. Sharma got his execution right in the very next ball. Drawing Morgan out with a slower ball, he deceived the southpaw into playing early, lobbing a simple catch to Ashwin in the process. Bopara would follow immediately after. Attempting a hook off a rising delivery, the all-rounder found the gleeful hands of Ashwin, this time at square-leg.
On his hattrick ball, he greeted Bresnan with a rapid outswinger, nearly grazing his outside edge. The over would close with a single to third-man.
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Within the span of six balls, the final changed hands twice over. England still had a shot with 19 required of 12. But Jadeja twisted the knife further with a tight penultimate over. Castling Jos Buttler for a duck, the spinner appealed unsuccessfully for an LBW against Bresnan. Flummoxed by the delivery, Bresnan led on a merry wander in search of a single that never was. Sent back by Broad, the stocky all-rounder failed to make ground as Dhoni dislodged the bails off a Rohit Sharma throw.
With 14 required in the final over, Broad and Tredwell took nine off Ashwin’s first five deliveries. Needing six off the last, Tredwell looked to heave the spinner over mid-wicket but failed to connect with his canny off-break. The win ensured a perfect record for the Indians and their second ICC Champions Trophy.
