February 22, 2025: Sarfaraz Ahmed, former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, recently took a trip down memory lane as he reflected on Pakistan’s historic victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
Speaking in a video posted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Instagram, Sarfaraz expressed his optimism about the current team’s chances of defending the title during the ongoing Champions Trophy, which is being held on Pakistani soil after almost three decades.
Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to their maiden Champions Trophy triumph in 2017, remains hopeful that Pakistan will replicate their success and defend their crown in front of their home fans. He mentioned, “We hope Pakistan will successfully defend their crown on home soil,” conveying his confidence in the team’s abilities to deliver once again.
However, Pakistan’s title defense did not start as planned. In the tournament opener against New Zealand, Pakistan’s top-order struggled to put up a fight, leading to a 60-run defeat in Karachi. This defeat, in front of their home crowd, dampened the team’s spirits, but the pressure is now on for the Men in Green to regroup and perform in their upcoming match against arch-rivals India.
The India-Pakistan match is always filled with high expectations, and Sarfaraz acknowledged the immense pressure both teams face during such encounters. “Any India vs Pakistan game is always a pressure encounter. The hype surrounding that match is always greater than any other fixture,” he said.
Recalling their 2017 triumph, Sarfaraz shared a fond memory from the final, where Pakistan defeated India in one of the most remarkable matches in cricket history. He described the moment when he requested the players to allow him to lift the Champions Trophy for a brief moment before everyone else joined him. “It’s a great moment, and these moments are safe in my memory bank. Whenever the date of 18th June comes, these cherished memories are recalled,” Sarfaraz said.
He further reminisced with the rest of the 2017 team about how quickly time had passed since their historic win. Despite the challenges ahead, Sarfaraz’s belief in the current squad remains strong as they continue their pursuit of defending the title they earned with so much pride.
As Pakistan prepares for their showdown with India, all eyes will be on the Men in Green, hoping they can rise to the occasion just as they did in 2017.