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When Mohammad Amir Dismantled India's Top Order In Champions Trophy Final

Mohammad Amir reduced India to 33/3 single-handedly [x.com]Mohammad Amir reduced India to 33/3 single-handedly [x.com]

On this day (June 18) in 2017, Pakistan faced India in a high-intensity final of the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval. Pakistan was still looking to win their first Champions Trophy, which they did thanks to Mohammad Amir's heroics.

India had already beaten Pakistan once in the group stage, and they invited Pakistan to bat first after winning the toss in the final. Pakistan posted a massive 338-run target, courtesy of a powerful century from Fakhar Zaman and aiding fifties from Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez.


Mohammad Amir tears apart the Indian top-order

India took the field to chase down the huge target but Mohammad Amir had other intentions. On the third ball of his first over, Amir trapped Rohit Sharma in front of the wickets with an inswinger hitting his knee roll and sent him back to the pavilion for a three-ball duck.

The left-arm pacer kept troubling India as he went after the Indian captain, Virat Kohli, in his next over. 

Right after Azhar Ali dropped Kohli in the first slip, Amir again found the edge of his bat as he attempted to move across to flick the back-of-the-length delivery on the off-stump line. Shadab Khan grabbed the top edge on the point as the Indian captain got out for 5 (9).

Right when Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh were trying to steer the run-chase to stability with a partnership, the menacing Amir came in to bowl 5th straight over of his spell and dismissed Dhawan, who was the tournament's highest run-scorer. The opener nicked the cross-seam delivery in the off-stump corridor to the wicketkeeper and went back with 21 (22) to his name.

Just like that, in his 5-over spell, Amir dismantled the in-form Indian top order, reducing them to 33/3. 


Watch: Amir's Champions Trophy final spell vs IND

Pakistan didn't give the middle order any breathing time and won the game by a massive 180 runs in just 30.3 overs. 

Hardik Pandya tried to rescue India with his 76 (43) but fell prey to an unfortunate run-out, which basically killed the game for India. Amir finished the final with match-winning figures of 3/16 from his six overs.