ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man holds a morning newspaper with front page coverage of Pakistan’s victory against India in the ICC Champions Trophy final cricket match played in London, in Islamabad yesterday. Pakistani newspapers headlined the national cricket team’s victory against India, who they thrashed by 180 runs to win the Champions Trophy final at The Oval in London on Sunday. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: The 600 people of the Dawoodi bohra community were supposed to be gathering to have food together in a hall soon after breaking a 15 1/2 -hour fast on Sunday. Instead, those who gathered at the religious center in Rawalpindi delayed the food in order to watch Pakistan’s historic win over India at the Champions Trophy on a giant TV screen.

For them, and for millions of people across Pakistan, the taste of victory was sweet. “You can expect anything from only one cricket team in the world and that is Pakistan,” Ali Abbas Mandosarwala, who was at the center with his wife, two sons and a daughter, said as India was bowled out for 158 and lost the final by a margin of 180 runs. “Honestly I wasn’t expecting Pakistan to go beyond the group stage,” he added, reflecting on the unpredictable nature of the national team, “but the young players have shown there’s nothing impossible in this world.” Communities gathered around TV screens throughout the country on Sunday night to share the moment as Pakistan won its first ever Champions Trophy, just weeks after being written off following a loss in the tournament’s opening match - also against India. Jubilant fans spilled onto the streets dancing and distributing sweets soon after Hasan Ali claimed the last Indian wicket in the 31st over.

Led by Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive 114 off 106 balls, Pakistan scored 338-4 at The Oval in London after India won the toss and surprisingly opted to field first. In reply India was skittled with nearly 20 overs to spare. The national media on Monday heaped praise on the team. “Pakistan champion, rolled over Indian team,” leading Urdu language Daily Jang printed across its front page.

Seam bowlers Mohammad Amir and Ali took three wickets apiece to lead the Pakistan bowling attack in the country’s first appearance in the final of the limited-overs tournament which is regarded as a mini-World Cup. “India couldn’t even make half of the score, whole team booked in 30.3 overs,” the Daily Jang said. It was a stunning turnaround for Pakistan, which was ranked eighth in the eight-team competition and lost its opening group match against India by 124 runs.Under Sarfraz Ahmed’s captaincy, Pakistan beat South Africa and Sri Lanka in the remaining group matches before surprising host England in the semifinals. Ali, the rightarm seamer, took 13 wickets to win the player-of-thetournament award “All hail the champs,” the English-language Express Tribune headlined its lead front page story. The Daily Dawn noted Amir’s three wickets in his opening spell, which included the key wicket of Virat Kohli, while describing Fakhar’s century in only his fourth ODI as scintillating. — AP