ISLAMABAD: Renewed team effort, after a huge loss to India in the opening match, helped Pakistan lift the prestigious ICC Champions Trophy in England, says captain Sarfraz Ahmed.

Speaking at a reception hosted by Hashoo Group to honour national team for winning the Champions Trophy for the first time by defeating arch-rivals India in the big final last month, the skipper said the start to the tournament for the green-shirts was extremely difficult.

“It was tough going earlier in the event but then my players combined magnificently. It all was all team effort that helped us win the Champions Trophy title,” Sarfraz told the audience at the reception organised here at a local hotel on Wednesday night.

The wicketkeeper-batsman was referring to Pakistan’s 124-run loss in their opening group match against India at the elite eight-team event.

However, after this defeat Sarfraz’s men combined magnificently to record a stunning comeback defeating top-ranked South Africa, Sri Lanka and hot favourites England in a row on their way to the all-important final.

And in the decider, they outclassed defending champions India in all departments registering a thumping 180-run triumph at The Oval, a happy hunting venue for Pakistan over the years.

Sarfraz also thanked the entire Pakistani nation for their prayers for the team’s victory which the captain said worked.

Earlier, Najam Sethi, chief of the PCB executive committee and chairman of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), reckoned the league had helped Pakistan to win the Champion Trophy as a number of youngsters who played important role in the victory were produced by PSL.

Chairman Hashoo Group, Sadruddin Hashwani, lauded the team for uniting the entire nation by clinching the Cham­pions Trophy. He announced a cash award of Rs500,000 for Sarfraz and Rs300,000 for each player of the triumphant squad.

On Thursday, Centaurus Shopping Mall Management also hosted a reception for the national team. Besides awarding a one kanal plot to Sarfraz, the Centaurus management gave Rs500,000 to opener Fakhar Zaman who displayed a brilliant show in the Champions Trophy and Rs200,000 to each member of the remaining squad.

Sarfraz, speaking on the occasion, expressed the resolve to make Pakistan number one team in all three formats.

“We will try our best to come up to the nation’s expectations by continue winning in future events. It will be our effort to make Pakistan number one team in all formats,” said the skipper.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2017