Dominant India win Champions Trophy

Dominant India won the Champions Trophy by beating the exhilarate English by 5 runs in a rain curtailed encounter that saw the match reduced to a 20 over per side. This after the ICC had not considered it fit to place a reserve day for this all important final encounter. The inclement and unpredictable weather could not prevent the Indian brigade who are intently focused despite the frequent interruptions in the game.

 

This is invariably the way the team played throughout the tournament and at the end of it all it can best described as a dominant campaign from Edgbaston to Edgbaston. They remained unbeaten and became rightful owners of the 2013 Champions Trophy, a trophy that long eluded them. Before this the Indian side shared the Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002 in a rain curtailed game that saw the teams play 100 overs without a result. 

 

Batting first with interruptions the Indian side managed to put together 129 for the loss of 7 wickets. Virat Kolhi and Ravindra Jadeja steering the side to the score. Coming out to bat England had a shaky start with Cook being dismissed by Umesh Yadav. However Eion Morgan and Ian Bell resurrected the inning with a strong partnership almost leading the hosts to shores of victory, their first in an ICC tournament. However once they departed the batting caved in, managing 124 for 8. 

 

Architects of India’s dominance in the tournament Shikhar Dhawan was adjudged the Man of the Series and also won the golden bat award for his 363 runs at a bradsmenque average of 90.75 with 144 as highest. He dedicated his award to flood victims of Uttarkhand. Ravindra Jadeja was awarded the golden ball for his 12 wickets in the tournament. 

 

Moreover this win is also an ode to the Indian side that arrived at the United Kingdom with disturbing developments of the spot fixing scandal. There is no revenge in the gentlemen’s game but certainly it was a lesson well learned for the Indian side that adapted to the conditions and played valiantly putting to rest the disturbing memory of the test and one-day losses suffered just after being crowned World champions in 2011. It is also an ode to MS Dhoni’s excellent captaincy. England would be mourning considering the fact that they came so close to wining this tournament and were defeated for the fifth time in a final.