Champions Trophy 2017 has been one of the most forgetful outings for Team India as they lost against arch-rivals Pakistan in the summit clash by 180 runs. Led by star batter Virat Kohli, Team India featured the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni, and Jasprit Bumrah but miserably failed to clinch their second Champions Trophy title. On the other hand, Pakistan posted a whopping total of 338/4 in 50 overs after Fakhar Zaman smashed 114 off 106 balls. Later, Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali scalped three wickets each and bundled out India for 158 to clinch their maiden title. Despite such a thrilling battle, one thing which became a major highlight of the day was the friendly meet of the players from both the teams at the Oval after the match.
Recalling those days, Amir recalled how a discussion on the famous Saeed Ajmal – Shoaib Malik catch after the Champions Trophy 2017 final with Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, etc. sent everyone into laughter mode.
“If you remember, when we won the Champions Trophy final, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj, you, I and Azhar Ali were standing and the way you were explaining that dropped catch of Saeed Ajmal, it was very funny for me. The manner in which you explained it to everyone,” Amir told Shoaib Malik during the show ‘Cricket Kahani’ on A Sports.
The pacer asked Malik about the infamous catch, which he had missed during an ODI against West Indies at the Dubai International Stadium, as he and Saeed Ajmal were caught up in a state of confusion.
“It’s one of those things that no matter how many times you discuss it, it still makes you laugh. I go into that phase. He was sitting there with his hands representing a flower. When he tried to take the catch, the ball was completely away from his hands. My mistake was that I should have said Yes to that catch, but when I saw him fold his hands like a flower, I felt it was too easy. It was a dolly and that Saeed would catch it,” said Malik.
“So when that catch was put down, I asked him ‘Why didn’t you take that catch?’. He said ‘I folded my hands like that because I was getting ready to take it in case you drop it. I was like ‘Boss, I had let it go already’. Saeed, everyone knows, is a wonderful chap. He makes you laugh so much it’s unbelievable.”
Talking about the Champions Trophy final, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam also played knocks of 59 and 46 respectively and helped their side reach a huge total. For India, only Hardik Pandya played a decent knock of 76 off 43 balls as their top-order collapsed without getting a big score.
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