Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has highlighted India’s difficulties in chasing targets during ICC tournaments, stressing the significance of setting runs in finals. He recounted India’s failures to chase in key matches: the 2015 World Cup against Australia, the 2017 Champions Trophy final against Pakistan, and again in 2019. The 2017 final was particularly painful, with India suffering a 180-run defeat after Pakistan scored 338 runs. Raina believes that mistakes from these experiences will not be repeated in the 2025 Champions Trophy, expressing hope that the team will perform better in future tournaments.
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has shared his thoughts on India’s difficulties while chasing targets in ICC tournaments, highlighting the critical nature of setting targets in significant finals. “We couldn’t chase in the 2015 World Cup against Australia. We couldn’t meet the target in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2017 final. We attempted to chase in 2019, but that also didn’t work out. Fortunately, we didn’t need to chase in the 2013 Champions Trophy final. Therefore, it’s essential to put up runs on the board in a crucial final. Sometimes we make errors, but we learn from them. I believe we won’t repeat those mistakes in 2025,” Raina stated, as reported by JioHotstar.
The 2017 Champions Trophy final is a painful memory for India. They endured a heavy 180-run defeat to Pakistan, leaving unresolved issues from the tournament.
Batting first, Pakistan set a formidable total of 338/4 in 50 overs, led by Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant 114 off 106 balls, featuring 12 fours and three sixes.
India’s chase began poorly, with Hardik Pandya getting Rohit Sharma out for a duck on the third delivery of the innings. The situation worsened when Virat Kohli was dismissed for just five runs in the third over, again falling to Amir. India was in trouble at 6/2 within the opening three overs.
A total batting collapse ensued, with only Hardik Pandya showing some resistance. The all-rounder made a spirited contribution of 76 off 43 balls, hitting four fours and six sixes. Unfortunately, his effort was cut short when he was run out by Mohammad Hafeez.
Pakistan’s bowling attack outclassed the Indian batting lineup, with both Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali claiming three wickets each. Ultimately, India was bowled out for a mere 158 in 30.3 overs, granting Pakistan a historic victory.
As India prepares for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Raina remains optimistic that the lessons learned from past setbacks will guide them in avoiding similar pitfalls in their pursuit of ICC success.
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