Images from the ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Pakistan in Cardiff on Wednesday.
An unpredictable Pakistan on Wednesday stunned England by eight wickets at SophiaGardens in Cardiff to enter their maiden Champions Trophy final, continuing their sensational run in the tournament.
Pakistan’s bowlers produced another professional performance to restrict the formidable England batting line-up to 211 after Sarfraz Ahmed opted to bowl on a used surface.
The star with the ball was once again pacer Hasan Ali, who ended up with a three wicket-haul for the third time in as many games.
It looked like Pakistani batsmen were batting on a different pitch from their opponents during the chase as they cruised to complete the target in 37.1 overs, after openers Azhar Ali (76 off 100) and Fakhar Zaman (57 off 58) provided a perfect start.
The duo shared a 118-run stand off 127 balls ensuring Pakistan gets home comfortably.
The remarkable result also made a mockery of pre-tournament talk and predictions as the eighth-ranked Pakistan pummelled title-favourites England to reach the final at The Oval on Sunday.
Pakistan surprised many by bouncing back brilliantly from their heavy loss against India in the tournament opener to beat South Africa and Sri Lanaka en route the last four.
They have always been an unpredictable side but England, the only undefeated team in the league stage, were expected to get past the sub-continent squad with little difficulty.
The same England batsmen, who batted with flair and finesse through the tournament, came a cropper in a high stake semi-final. They found it hard to keep the scoreboard ticking and losing wickets at regular intervals made life tougher for them. Not a single six was hit in their innings.
Pakistan, on the contrary, came out for the chase with a plan.
Ali batted solidly while Zaman attacked from ball one despite being tested with a lot of short balls.
Zaman, playing only his third ODI, went for the big shots and even though he mishit a lot of them, kept on playing in the same vein. The southpaw ended hitting seven fours and a six that came off a top edge over the wicketkeeper.
Thanks to openers' first hundred stand of the tournament, the inconsistent Pakistan middler order was not tested much.
Number three Babar Azam played sensibly for his unbeaten 38 off 45 balls and so did Mohammad Hafeez (31 off 21), who hit the winning boundary to spark wild celebrations.
England struggled on a slow pitch against a disciplined Pakistan attack to limp to a paltry total of 211 all out. In reply, Pakistan cruised to 215 for two in 37.1 overs to register an emphatic victory, courtesy of half-centuries from openers Azhar Ali (76) and Fakhar Zaman (57). Mohammed Hafeez stroked a quickfire 31 not out from 21 balls, while Babar Azam was unbeaten on 38 from 45 balls. They will take on the winners of the second semi-final between India and Bangladesh in the title clash in London, on Sunday.
Earlier, Pakistan bowled and fielded tightly to restrict the sluggish hosts who failed to master a lifeless wicket and collapsed from 128 for two in bright and sunny conditions which normally favour batsmen.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and England openers Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow, replacing the out-of-form Jason Roy, made a solid start.
Hitting boundaries proved difficult, however, and a frustrated Hales, on 13, spooned Rumman Raees to cover with a loose drive.
Bairstow, dropped twice, accumulated 43 runs through good shot placement and quick running between the wickets before he pulled seamer Hasan Ali to Mohammad Hafeez at deep square leg.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bowl against England in the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy.
England replaced struggling opener Jason Roy with Jonny Bairstow, while Pakistan made two changes in their playing eleven.
Joe Root and Eoin Morgan continued to score at about five runs an over against accurate Pakistan bowling and tight fielding.
But Root, on 46, nicked leg-spinner Shadab Khan to wicketkeeper Sarfraz and Morgan (33) aimed an expansive drive at the lively Hasan and gave Sarfraz another catch to leave England in trouble at 141 for four.
Jos Buttler (4) lasted seven balls before edging Junaid Khan to Sarfraz and Moeen Ali (11) was brilliantly caught by a diving Fakhar Zaman running round the mid-wicket boundary.
Adil Rashid was run out for seven trying to pinch a quick single and Ben Stokes, one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, took 30 deliveries to reach 10 and failed to hit a boundary in a scratchy 34 before skying Hasan to Hafeez.
Liam Plunkett made nine and England's misery was completed when Sarfraz ran out Mark Wood for three with one ball of the innings remaining.
Defending champions India play Bangladesh in the second semi-final in Birmingham on Thursday.
