<p>An unpredictable Pakistan today stunned England by eight wickets to enter their maiden Champions Trophy final, continuing their sensational run in the tournament.<br /><br />Pakistani 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />It seemed Pakistani batsmen were batting on a different pitch 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.<br />The duo shared an 118-runs stand off 127 balls ensuring Pakistan gets home comfortably.<br /><br />The remarkable result also made a mockery of pre- tournament talk and predictions as the eighth-ranked Pakistan pummeled title favourites England to reach the final at The Oval on Sunday.<br /><br />Pakistan surprised many by bouncing back brilliantly from their heavy loss against India in the tournament opener to beat South Africa and Sri Lanakaenroute to the last four.<br /><br />They have always been an unpredictable side but England, the only undefeated in the league stage, were expected to get past the sub-continent squad with little difficulty.<br /><br />The same England batsmen, who batted with flair and finesse through the tournament, came a cropper in a high stake semifinal. 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.<br /><br />Pakistan, on the contrary, came out for the chase with a plan.<br /><br />Ali batted solidly while Zaman attacked from ball one despite being tested with a lot of short balls.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Thanks to openers' first hundred stand of the tournament, the inconsistent Pakistan middler order was not tested much.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Earlier, Pakistan seamers dished out a superb bowling effort to finish the England innings in 49.5 overs at the Sophia Gardens.<br /><br />Besides Ali (3/35), the other bowlers who impressed were Junaid Khan (2/42) and debutant Rumman Raees (2/44).<br /><br />Young spinner Shadab Khan (1/40) scalped one wicket, while Imad Wasim (0/16) and Mohammad Hafeez (0/33) also bowled well.<br /><br />England rode on useful contributions from top-order batsmen -- Joe Root (46), Jonny Bairstow (43) and captain Eoin Morgan (33) -- but they kept losing wicket at regular intervals due to sustained pressure created by Pakistan bowlers.<br /><br />In the end, Ben Stokes, who played an unusual knock of 34 off 64 balls, helped England cross the 200-run mark.<br /><br />England were dealt an early blow when Hales was sent back by Raees with Babar Azam taking the catch in the sixth over.<br /><br />Bairstow, who was brought in the playing XI in place of Jason Roy, and Root helped England reach fifty in 9.4 overs.<br /><br />However, Bairstow top-edged one off Ali and Hafeez took an easy catch at deep square leg, leaving England at 80 for two.<br /><br />Skipper Morgan then joined Root and the duo batted with purpose to bring up the hundred in 21.4 overs. The 48-run stand for the third wicket was broken by 18-year-old spinner, Shadab Khan, in the 28th over.<br /><br />Looking to cut the ball, Root nicked it to wicketkeeper Sarfraz, as England were reduced to 128 for three.<br /><br />Morgan, too, perished in the 32nd over - while looking to belt it down the ground, he ended up giving a simple catch to the keeper.<br /><br />Seamer Junaid Khan then struck successive blows, dismissing Jos Butler (4) and Moeen Ali (11) in the 35th and 39th over, respectively, as England slumped to 162 for six.<br /><br />Adil Rashid was back in the hut after a direct hit from substitute Ahmed Shehzad at the non-striker's end. <br /></p>
<p>An unpredictable Pakistan today stunned England by eight wickets to enter their maiden Champions Trophy final, continuing their sensational run in the tournament.<br /><br />Pakistani 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />It seemed Pakistani batsmen were batting on a different pitch 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.<br />The duo shared an 118-runs stand off 127 balls ensuring Pakistan gets home comfortably.<br /><br />The remarkable result also made a mockery of pre- tournament talk and predictions as the eighth-ranked Pakistan pummeled title favourites England to reach the final at The Oval on Sunday.<br /><br />Pakistan surprised many by bouncing back brilliantly from their heavy loss against India in the tournament opener to beat South Africa and Sri Lanakaenroute to the last four.<br /><br />They have always been an unpredictable side but England, the only undefeated in the league stage, were expected to get past the sub-continent squad with little difficulty.<br /><br />The same England batsmen, who batted with flair and finesse through the tournament, came a cropper in a high stake semifinal. 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.<br /><br />Pakistan, on the contrary, came out for the chase with a plan.<br /><br />Ali batted solidly while Zaman attacked from ball one despite being tested with a lot of short balls.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Thanks to openers' first hundred stand of the tournament, the inconsistent Pakistan middler order was not tested much.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Earlier, Pakistan seamers dished out a superb bowling effort to finish the England innings in 49.5 overs at the Sophia Gardens.<br /><br />Besides Ali (3/35), the other bowlers who impressed were Junaid Khan (2/42) and debutant Rumman Raees (2/44).<br /><br />Young spinner Shadab Khan (1/40) scalped one wicket, while Imad Wasim (0/16) and Mohammad Hafeez (0/33) also bowled well.<br /><br />England rode on useful contributions from top-order batsmen -- Joe Root (46), Jonny Bairstow (43) and captain Eoin Morgan (33) -- but they kept losing wicket at regular intervals due to sustained pressure created by Pakistan bowlers.<br /><br />In the end, Ben Stokes, who played an unusual knock of 34 off 64 balls, helped England cross the 200-run mark.<br /><br />England were dealt an early blow when Hales was sent back by Raees with Babar Azam taking the catch in the sixth over.<br /><br />Bairstow, who was brought in the playing XI in place of Jason Roy, and Root helped England reach fifty in 9.4 overs.<br /><br />However, Bairstow top-edged one off Ali and Hafeez took an easy catch at deep square leg, leaving England at 80 for two.<br /><br />Skipper Morgan then joined Root and the duo batted with purpose to bring up the hundred in 21.4 overs. The 48-run stand for the third wicket was broken by 18-year-old spinner, Shadab Khan, in the 28th over.<br /><br />Looking to cut the ball, Root nicked it to wicketkeeper Sarfraz, as England were reduced to 128 for three.<br /><br />Morgan, too, perished in the 32nd over - while looking to belt it down the ground, he ended up giving a simple catch to the keeper.<br /><br />Seamer Junaid Khan then struck successive blows, dismissing Jos Butler (4) and Moeen Ali (11) in the 35th and 39th over, respectively, as England slumped to 162 for six.<br /><br />Adil Rashid was back in the hut after a direct hit from substitute Ahmed Shehzad at the non-striker's end. <br /></p>