8th ranked Pakistan beating India in 2017 CT final still gives me goosebumps, reminisces Hasan Ali

8th ranked Pakistan beating India in 2017 CT final still gives me goosebumps, reminisces Hasan Ali

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Hasan Ali was one of the stars in CT 2017

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Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali, Man of the Tournament in CT 2017, recalled the 2017 Champions Trophy final and stated that it still gives him goosebumps as a low-ranked side beat a top side like India. He added that to do so with a young team was an unbelievable achievement on Pakistan's part.

Pakistan winning against India in the final of Champions Trophy was one of the biggest upsets of the decade gone by. India were not only higher ranked and had a straight forward progress to the finals but they had a star studded line-up with the likes of Kohli, Rohit, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Hardik, Bumrah, Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the XI. They were favorites to win the ICC title under Virat Kohli but it was not the case as Fakhar Zaman and Mohammed Amir performed exceptionally well and it turned out to be a one-sided game and an easy win for the Men in Green.

Hasan Ali, one of the stars of the 2017 Champion Trophy, asserted that it still gives him "goosebumps" when he reminiscences the 2017 Champions Trophy Final as he can't describe the feeling in words. He also added that it was a young side but they all performed well.

“Remembering the Champions Trophy win still gives me goosebumps. You cannot describe the feelings of that tournament in words,” Hasan Ali said in an interview on Cricket Baaz, reported HT.

“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.”

The right-arm pacer, who's currently playing in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, also reckoned that India were a stronger side be it in terms of ranking or on paper but momentum and hunger helped Pakistan overcome all odds.

“Imagine, An eighth-ranked team went to a mega event and defeats the teams ranked in the top three and then beats India in the final. 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,” Ali added.

“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.”

Constant injuries have since forced Hasan Ali out of the Pakistan set-up. The pacer's last national appearance came in the 2019 World Cup group game against India, where he returned figures of 1/84. 

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