There are chokers and there’s England. Much as the we love to have a laugh at the expense of the South Africans, we tend to forget the number of times England have faltered at the final hurdle. Fathom this: 1979 World Cup final, 1987 World Cup final, 1992 World Cup final, 2004 Champions Trophy final.
Now add the 2013 Champions Trophy final to that dubious list. Chasing a modest 130-run target in a rain-curtailed finale reduced to a ‘Twenty20’ affair for their first major ODI crown, the hosts imploded in spectacular fashion to gift-wrap the title to world champions India.
It all came down to 40 off four overs. England had a settled pair in Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara at the crease. Ravindra Jadeja gave away 12 runs to bring it down to 28 off three overs. Ishant Sharma conceded eight runs off his first three deliveries. And it looked like Alastair Cook’s side would break the jinx. What followed was just surreal. Sharma had Morgan caught at midwicket before Bopara holed out to square leg. The hosts needed 19 off two overs and there was no way Jadeja was going to let go. He hit Josh Butler’s middle stick with a floater. Two balls later, Rohit Sharma Tim Bresnan run out.
England needed 15 off the last over bowled by R Ashwin. Stuart Broad And James Tredwell tried their best, bringing it down to six off the last ball. Ashwin ended up bowling a dot ball. And England’s wait continued.
Earlier, India never found momentum in batting owing to intermittent rains.
England reduced them to 66/5, courtesy Ravi Bopara’s three-wicket haul.
However, Virat Kohli (43) and Ravindra Jadeja (33*) breathed life into the innings as India reached a feel-good total.
