This day, that year: MS Dhoni led Team India to 2013 Champions Trophy title, Wasim Jaffer still can’t believe, here’s WHY

On this day in 2013, MS Dhoni-led Team India captured their first ICC Champions Trophy title, defeating England by five runs in the finals at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. Heading into the match, India was undefeated in the tournament, having won all three of their group stage matches and defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the semi-finals. England had won two of their three group stage matches and had defeated South Africa by seven wickets in the semi-finals.

The rain had reduced the contest to a 20 overs per side match. Put to bat first by England, India did not have a very good start, losing opener Rohit Sharma for just 9 at the team’s score of 19 in the fourth over. Later, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan tried to rebuild the innings, but their promising 31-run stand ended with Dhawan falling for 31 to batting all-rounder Ravi Bopara.

Afterwards, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni fell in quick succession, sinking India to 66/5. Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja took in their hands to rebuild things for India, stitching a 47-run stand. Pacer James Anderson took the breakthrough, dismissing Kohli for 43 off 34. Jadeja took India to 129/7 in their 20 overs.

Ravi Bopara was the pick of the bowlers for England, taking 3/20 in four overs. James Tredwell, Anderson and Stuart Broad got a wicket each too. Set 130 run target to take the trophy home, England got off a bad start, captain Alastair Cook fell for 2 in the second over, being dismissed by pacer Umesh Yadav.

Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott attempted to rebuild, but Trott fell for 20 to spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin continued dominating the English batting, with Joe Root (7) and Ian Bell (13) being their next wickets, sinking England to 4/46. With England in trouble, Eoin Morgan (33) and Ravi Bopara (30) stepped up and stitched a 64-run stand that drove their side out of trouble.

When pacer Ishant Sharma broke the partnership by dismissing Morgan, England was 5/110 in 17.3 overs. The equation was down to 20 runs off 15 balls. Former India opener Wasim Jaffer commented on Thursday (June 23) that he still can’t believe India managed to win from this position.

Incredible how we managed to win the game from here! #ENGvIND #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/z3OvKzsh9b — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) June 23, 2022

Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler and Tim Bresnan fell in quick succession and England sunk to 113/8 in 18.4 overs. England needed 17 runs in 8 balls. India displayed an excellent display of death bowling, leaving the English five runs of the title, with their innings ending at 124/8 in their 20 overs.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2/15) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/24) dominated the English batting and emerged as the best bowlers for India. Ishant Sharma also took two wickets while Umesh Yadav took one. Jadeja took home the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his crucial 33 not out and 2/24.

India clinched their maiden ICC Champions Trophy and skipper MS Dhoni became the first skipper to win all the major ICC titles, having won ICC World T20 2007 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Brief Scores: India 129/7 (Virat Kohli 43, Ravindra Jadeja 33 not out; Ravi Bopara 3/20) bt England 124/8 (Eoin Morgan 33, Ravi Bopara 30; Ravichandran Ashwin 2/15)

(with ANI inputs)