England vs Pakistan, Highlights, ICC Champions Trophy: Pakistan Crush England By 8 Wickets To Reach Final

Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zamam's solid opening stand set up Pakistan's easy 8-wicket win over England in the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Wednesday. This win ensures Pakistan a final berth in the tournament where they await the winner of the second semi-final between India and Bangladesh at Edgbaston on Thursday. While Fakhar was stumped after he completed his second ODI half-century to bring an end to the partnership, Azhar continued with Babar Azam till the time he was bowled by Jake Ball in the 32nd over. He departed for 76. Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez remained unbeaten on 38 and 31, respectively, to take Pakistan to the final. 

Earlier, a brilliant effort in the field helped Pakistan bowl out England for 211 all out in 49.5 overs. Fast bowler Hasan Ali was the star of the show, taking three wickets for 35 runs in his 10 overs. Junaid Khan and Rumman Raees also bowled well and took two wickets each. England started off well with Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root putting England in a strong position. Eoin Morgan and Root consolidated the hosts' position but once the duo were dismissed, England fell like nine pins. Pakistan kept picking wickets at regular intervals as England lost all momentum in the end and had to settle for an under par score. (Scorecard)

ICC Champions Trophy Highlights and Updates between England and Pakistan straight from Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

21:47 IST: Thanks for joining us this evening. Do join us tomorrow when India take on Bangladesh in the second semi-final! Good night!

21:44 IST: Hasan Ali is the man of the match for 3/53! 

21:40 IST: Hafeez slams a boundary for the win! Pakistan make 215/2!!!! Pakistan win by 8 wickets!!!  

21:39 IST: No they didn't finish it in the last over. One run needed

21:39 IST: A single! Just 1 needed!

21:38 IST: Four!!! Another boundary from Hafeez! 2 for a win!

21:37 IST: Four!! Hafeez slams a boundary off Moeen. 6 more needed to win

21:36 IST: Pakistan are 202/2 after 36 overs. Just 10 needed for a win now. Can they finish it off in the next over? 

21:34 IST: Four! Beautiful shot through the on side from Babar. The fans are celebrating already! 

21:31 IST: Free hit! Hafeez punishes Stokes with a six! 

21:29: Stokes comes back into the attack after refreshments.

21:26 IST: Four runs off the over. Pakistan are 187/2 after 35 overs. 25 needed in 90 balls! 

21:22 IST: Six! Hafeez smashes a maximum much to the fans' delight off a Rashid delivery on the last ball of the over. Pakistan are 183/2 after 34 overs

21:18 IST: Good over from Ball but a bit too late. Pakistan are 176/2 after 33 overs. Just 36 needed for victory.

21:16 IST: Hafeez comes to the crease 

21:15 IST: OUT!! Azhar Ali is bowled by Jake Ball! He departs for 76. Pakistan are 173/2 (32.2 ovs)

21:14 IST: Just 39 needed now! Pakistan are 173/1 after 32 overs

21:11 IST: Just 3 runs off the over. Pakistan are 169/1 after 31 overs 

21:08 IST: Jake Ball comes back into the attack

21:07 IST: Pakistan are 166/1 after 30 overs. Just 46 needed for a win

21:05 IST: Azhar and Babar manage 3 on the third ball of the over. Great running as Rashid looks on

21:04 IST: Four! The over was going well for Plunkett but alas for the last ball! Azhar drives it straight for a boundary as Plunkett watches in dismay. Pakistan are 163/1 after 29 overs.

21:00 IST: Five runs coming off the over. Pakistan are 157/1 after 28 overs

20:58 IST: Four! Babar finds the gap and hits a boundary off a Rashid delivery. 

20:56 IST: Pakistan seem to be closing in on a victory. Just 60 runs needed from 23 overs. They are 152/1 (27 overs)

20:52 IST: Azhar and Babar not taking risks, keeping it simple with singles and 2's. Pakistan are 149/1 after 26 overs. Rashid doesn't seem happy. 

20:49 IST: Just four runs. Pakistan are 142/1 after 25 overs. 70 runs needed for victory 

20:46 IST: Plunkett comes back into the attack.

20:45 IST: Rashid concedes 10 runs in the over. Pakistan are 138/1 after 24 overs. 

20:43 IST: Six! Babar smashes a maximum down the track off a Rashid delivery. The Pakistan fans cheer on. England can't seem to find an answer

20:41 IST: Oh that's a good shot from Azhar as they manage 2 runs in the last ball off the over. Pakistan are 128/1 after 23 overs. Just 84 runs away from victory

20:38 IST: Good over from Rashid. A wicket and four runs. Pakistan are 122/1 after 22 overs. 

20:35 IST: Babar Azam comes to the crease

20:34 IST: OUT! Fakhar is out!! Stumped by Buttler off a Rashid delivery. The opener departs for 57. Is this the breakthrough England had been waiting for? (Pak 118/1 in 21.1 ovs)

20:32 IST: Pakistan are 118/0 after 21 overs. England's frustration seems to keep growing.

20:31 IST: Nope. Fakhar is saved. The ball seems to have hit the back pocket

20:30 IST: Is that a caught behind? England have appealed. 

20:29 IST: This is a great opening partnership. Can they keep it going?

20:28 IST: Four! Azhar brings up his 11th ODI half-century with a boundary off a Wood delivery.

20:26 IST: Good over from Rashid. Just concedes 3 runs. Pakistan are 111/0 after 20 overs

20:23 IST: Just 3 runs. Pakistan are 108/0 after 19 overs

20:20 IST: Mark Wood comes back into the attack after the drinks break

20:17 IST: Four! Fakhar hits his seventh boundary! Pakistan are 105/0 after 18 overs. The Fakhar-Azhar partnership has crossed the century-mark 

partnership for Pakistan's opening duo!#ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/aDktysacjH

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

20:15 IST: 100 up for Pakistan. Need 112 from 32.4 overs

20:14 IST: Moeen Ali has come into the attack, can he halt the duo?

20:13 IST: Pakistan are 99/0 after 17 overs. 

20:11 IST: Fakhar brings up his half century with a single off a Rashid delivery. 50 off 49 balls, great effort by the 27-year-old to bring up his second ODI half ton. 

20:09 IST: Four! Stunning boundary by Fakhar off a Plunkett delivery. Inches closer to a fifty. Pakistan are 95/0 after 16 overs 

20:06 IST: Pakistan are 88/0 after 15 overs

20:05 IST: What a shot! Fakhar slams a boundary off Rashid  

20:03 IST: Fans are tweeting continuously about the match. Shoaib Akhtar tweets his views:

Gr8 bowling effort on slow pitch by every1..perfect start by Azhar & fakhar all they need to do is just stay there& mint English bowling ..

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) June 14, 2017

20:02 IST: Adil Rashid comes into the attack

20:01 IST: Just 3 singles. Pakistan are 81/0 after 14 overs

19:58 IST: Good over for Pakistan, putting England under pressure. They are 78/0 after 13 overs

19:57 IST: Four! Azhar is on fire! 

19:55 IST: Six! Great way to start the over! Azhar smashes a maximum as the Pakistan fans cheer on! Stokes is just disappointed.

19:53 IST: Not a boundary as Moeen Ali saves a run for his team but Pakistan get 3 runs off the last ball of the over. Pakistan are 66/0 after 12 overs 

19:52 IST: Four! Fakhar is on fire!

19:51 IST: Plunkett comes into the attack

19:50 IST: Pakistan are 56/0 after 11 overs. The Azhar-Fakhar partnership is going well for the team.

19:48 IST: Four! Azhar smashes a boundary. Stokes looks disappointed

19:47 IST: 50 for the team comes up with a single. Pakistan need 162 runs from 39.3 overs to win

19:45 IST: Ben Stokes comes into the attack

19:44 IST: 10 overs gone and Pakistan are 49/0. 

19:42 IST: Four! That's good hitting from Fakhar to deep mid-wicket. Ball seems to be at a loss as the Pakistan fans go wild!

19:41 IST: England will have to stop giving away easy runs if they want a win. Pakistan are 41/0 after 9 overs

19:40 IST: Four! What a beautiful shot from Fakhar to backward square leg off a Wood delivery. 

19:36 IST: Five from the over. Pakistan are 35/0 after 8 overs

19:35 IST: Four! Azhar hits it square off the wicket off Ball's delivery.

19:32 IST: Just 1 off the over, a leg bye. Pakistan are 30/0 after 7 overs. That's a maiden over from Wood. Good going!

19:29 IST: Fakhar is hit on the helmet off a Wood delivery!

19:28 IST: Pakistan are 29/0 after 6 overs. Fakhar and Azhar are steadily building up a partnership with singles and 2's. 

19:24 IST: Just 3 singles. Pakistan are 26/0 after 5 overs. A very solid start from the opening duo. 

19:22 IST: Five off the over. Pakistan are 23/0 after 4 overs

19:20 IST: Four!! Fakhar charges down the track and smashes a boundary off Ball

19:18 IST: Just 2 singles. Good bowling from Wood. Pakistan are 18/0 after 3 overs

19:15 IST: 6 runs off the over. Pakistan are 16/0 after 2 overs

19:12 IST: 5 wides! Ball will be regretting that! 

19:11 IST: Jake Ball comes into the attack

19:10 IST: Good start for Pakistan. They are 10/0 after the first over.

19:09 IST: Six! Fakhar smashes a maximum off a Wood delivery. 

19:07 IST: Three runs from Azhar Ali. 

19:05 IST: Wood begins with a wide. 

19:04 IST: And we are back for the second innings. The players are walking out. Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali to open for Pakistan. Mark Wood has the ball. 

18:37 IST: Excellent stuff from Pakistan in the field and a special mention for Hasan Ali, who was just brilliant.

What an effort with the ball by Pakistan!

Their fans certainly appreciated it! #ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/XHINVXT0sn

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

18:35 WICKET!! Mark Wood is run out. England have been bowled out for 211 in 49.5 overs.

18:33 IST: He misses it completely. What a waste!

18:32 IST: Junaid starts off with a no-ball. Free-hit for Jake Ball.

18:31 IST: Last over of England's innings.

18:29 IST: WICKET!! The very next ball he tries to pull for another boundary but finds the fielder in the deep. England are 206/9 in 48.5 overs.

18:28 IST: Four!! Plunkett gets an outside edge and the ball runs away to third man boundary.

18:23 IST: WICKET!! Ben Stokes' sluggish innings finally comes to an end and Hasan Ali has third wicket.

WICKET! Hasan Ali has his third wicket as Ben Stokes skies to Hafeez at cover

England 201/8

https://t.co/acLuLL3IBn pic.twitter.com/8VKIsLCAnf

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

18:21 IST: And still no boundaries but the 200 comes up for England in the 48th over.

18:20 IST: Free-hit for England as Hasan Ali bowls a front foot no-ball.

18:17 IST: Just six off the Raees over. Last 5 overs have yielded just 19 runs and a wicket.

18:14 IST: Still no boundaries for England. They are 190/7 in 46 overs.

18:12 IST: Stokes tries to hoick Hasan Ali but still only manages to get an inside edge for a single. Desperate stuff this!

18:11 IST: Five runs from Raees' over. England 187/7 in 45 overs.

18:08 IST: Having played 52 balls, Stokes is yet to hit a boundary.

18:06 IST: Another brilliant over from Hasan Ali, just two from it and a wicket. England 182/7 in 44 overs.

18:02 IST: WICKET!! Direct hit and Adil Rashid is well short of his crease. Things going from bad to worse for England.

18:01 IST: Stokes just can't find the boundary right now. England 180/6 in 43 overs.

18:00 IST: Three dot balls from Raees.

17:55 IST: Dot ball brings to an end Shadab's over. England are 177/6 in 42 overs.

17:54 IST: Shadab has fielded brilliantly off his own bowling today.

17:53 IST: A forceful shot from Stokes but only a single. 

17:48 IST: Stokes is looking completely at sea against the leg-spin of Shadab. England are 169/6 in 40 overs.

17:44 IST: Stokes will have to play out of his skins if England are to cross 250 here. Pakistan well on top.

17:41 IST: WICKET!! Moeen is gone for 11. A brilliant catch from Fakhar Zaman at square leg off the bowling of Junaid. 

17:40 IST: Meanwhile, Indian skipper Virat Kohli is speaking to the media ahead of the semis against Bangladesh.

17:39 IST: Four!! Moeen brings out the slog sweep to great effect and finds the mid-wicket boundary.

17:38 IST: Stokes is on 9 off 29 balls. He has really found the going hard.

17:31 IST: Four!! Moeen breaks the shackles with a lovely drive. Much-needed boundary for the hosts. England are 153/5 in 36 overs.

17:30 IST: Junaid with four dot balls to Moeen. 

17:29 IST: Lot of play and misses from Stokes and Moeen. Hasan Ali seems to unplayable today.

17:23 IST: WICKET!! Jos Buttler's short stay comes to an end as he edges a Junaid delivery to Sarfraz Ahmed.

WICKET! The drinks break brings another wicket as Jos Buttler edges behind off Junaid Khan!

England 148/5

https://t.co/acLuLL3IBn pic.twitter.com/88tkTo0T2h

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

17:18 IST: Another brilliant over from Hasan Ali, just two runs from it. England are 148/4 in 34 overs. 

17:16 IST: Stokes is finding it hard to rotate the strike and Pakistan are getting in some crucial dot balls.

17:10 IST: England in a spot of bother now. They need a big innings from Stokes today. While for Pakistan Hasan Ali has been absolutely brilliant and they will want him to continue his good work.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man!#ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/gzRED9R6p0

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

17:07 IST: WICKET!! Huge wicket for Pakistan and Hasan Ali as Morgan walks back. The English captain came down the track and tried to smash a wide delivery but only managed to get an edge. England 141/4 in 31.4 overs. 

17:04 IST: Another good over from Hafeez, just 3 from it. England are 139/3 i 31 overs.

16:59 IST: Four!! Morgan gets out the reverse sweep and this time makes a proper connection and helps himself to a boundary,

16:58 IST: Excellent over from Hafeez. Just a single from it.

16:54 IST: Pakistan have not allowed the English batsmen to have their way, and just when it was looking as if the partnership would threat them, they have found a breakthrough.

16:51 IST: WICKET!! Short and wide, and Root gets an edge, which is easily pouched by Sarfraz. England are 128/3 in 27.3 overs.

WICKET! Shadab Khan with the breakthrough as Joe Root edges behind for 46

England 128/3

https://t.co/acLuLL3IBn pic.twitter.com/Z4AGhi5gDD

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

16:49 IST: Two more runs for Root as he moves on to 46.

16:46 IST: Four!! Juicy half-volley from Shadab and Morgan smashes it through the covers for another boundary. England are 123/2 in 26 overs.

16:44 IST: Big shout for caught behind and the umpire raises his finger but Morgan straightaway asks for a review. And the English captain has got it bang on. Not out is the decision! Another good review from England. They have been spot on today.

16:39 IST: Four!! A little short from Hafeez and Morgan quickly dispatches it to the mid-wicket boundary. 

16:32 IST: Quick single from Morgan. England are 108 /2 in 23 overs.

16:30 IST: Four!! Short from Hasan Ali and Morgan get an under-edge that beats Sarfraz and runs away to the fine-leg boundary.

16:28 IST: 100 comes up for England in the 22nd over. With wickets in hand, they will be aiming to get near the 300-run mark. 

16:27 IST: Root is nonchalantly doing it in singles and doubles at the moment. Looks in good touch today.

16:26 IST: Morgan down the track and tries to flat bat Hasan but to no avail. The English captain is yet to find his timing.

16:25 IST: Morgan drives the ball well but just a single.

16:21 IST: Big shout for LBW but the umpire shakes his head. Morgan tried an ambitious reverse sweep there but missed it completely. England are 93/2 in 20 overs.

16:19 IST: Root gets the ball past the backward point fielder for a double. Hasan Ali has been impressive so far in his 2 overs -- just six runs and a wicket.

16:17 IST: Hasan Ali has managed to keep Morgan under check. 

16:14 IST: Just three runs from his first over. England are 84/2 in 18 overs.

16:11 IST: Hafeez into the attack.

16:07 IST: Captain Eoin Morgan is the next man in for England.

16:05 IST: WICKET!! This time Bairstow doesn't get lucky. Short delivery from Hasan Ali and the English opener (43 off 57 balls) tried pull it for a six but failed to get the connection he wanted. Easy catch for Hafeez at square leg, England are 80/2 in 16.3 overs.

WICKET! Jonny Bairstow picks out Hafeez in the deep off Hasan

England 80/2

https://t.co/acLuLL3IBn pic.twitter.com/RCYXlfWzPZ

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

16:03 IST: Dropped! Another difficult chance put down. Bairstow again gets lucky! He went for the booming drive of a Shadab delivery, got a thick edge but Babar at first slip put it down.

16:00 IST: Single for Bairstow to end the Imad Wasim over. England are 77/1 in 15 overs.

15:59 IST: Bairstow moves on to 40 while Root has without much fuss already reached 22.

15:57 IST: Good comeback from the Pakistani leggie. He dragged the length back a little and was much more difficult to get away.

15:56 IST: Four!! Full and flighted for Shadab and Bairstow bludgeons it straight down the ground. That was hit with some power!

15:55 IST: Just two runs from the Imad Wasim over. England are 67/1 in 13 overs.

15:50 IST: Four!! Half-tracker from Shadab, Root hops on to the backfoot and smashes it to mid-wicket.

15:38 IST: Imad Wasim easily picked off for singles. England are 58/1 in 11 overs.

15:44 IST: Dropped!! Azhar Ali gets a hand to Bairstow's pull shot but fails to hold on to it. Good try nevertheless! It was a difficult chance.

15:41 IST: LBW shout from Imad, but going down the leg. He is causing Bairstow a few problems.

15:38 IST: Four!! Raees drifts on to the pads of Root, who flicks it to deep mid-wicket for his first boundary. England are 44/1 in 8 overs.

15:34 IST: Short and wide from Imad Wasim and Bairstow gets it past backward point for a double.

15:31 IST: Joe Root is the next batsman in for England.

15:28 IST: WICKET!!;Pakistan draw first blood as Hales departs for 13. England 34/1 in 5.5 overs

WICKET! Alex Hales spoons a catch to cover and Raees has his maiden ODI wicket #ENGvPAK

England 34/1

https://t.co/acLuLL3IBn pic.twitter.com/zBaT3aYqCi

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

15:27 IST: Four!! Full and straight from Raees and Bairstow drives it beautifully. 

15:22 IST: Things going England's way early on. England are 29/0 in 5 overs.

15:19 IST: Big shout for LBW! And the umpire raises the finger. However, Hales has taken the review. Replays show that the ball is pitching outside the leg stump. Not out is the decision! Good review from England. 

15:14 IST: Four!! This time a little shorter but gets the same treatment. Back to back boundaries for Bairstow. England are 20/0 in 3 overs.

15:13 IST: Four!! Junaid drifts on to the pads of Bairstow and is picked off.

15:10 IST: Good start from Raees, concedes only two runs in his first over.

15:08 IST: Debutant Rumman Raees introduced into the attack. 

15:07 IST: At the end of the first over, England stand at five for no loss.

15:06 IST: Four! Full from Junaid and Hales punches the ball straight down the ground for the first boundary of the innings.

15:03 IST: Not Out! Bairstow survives an early scare as Pakistan loses their review in the first over of the match.

15:02 IST: Huge shout for leg before from Junaid Khan as Bairstow misses the ball. On-field umpire turns down the appeal. Sarfraz Ahmed goes for a review.

15:01 IST: First ball - Yorker from Junaid and Bairstow negotiates it nicely. 

15:00 IST: Junaid Khan leading the bowling attack for Pakistan.

14:59 IST: Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow to open the batting line-up for England. 

14:55 IST: The national anthems of the two countries.

14:35 IST: Big news is that Pakistan are without Mohammad Amir today while England have dropped Jason Roy and brought in Jonny Bairstow. Here's how the two teams line-up.

PAK XI: A Ali, F Zaman, B Azam, M Hafeez, S Malik, S Ahmed (C) (W), I Wasim, R Raees, S Khan, H Ali, J Khan #ENGvPAK

— NDTV Live Scores (@CricketNDTVLive) June 14, 2017

ENG XI: A Hales, J Bairstow, J Root, E Morgan (C), B Stokes, J Buttler (W), M Ali, A Rashid, L Plunkett, M Wood, J Ball #ENGvPAK

— NDTV Live Scores (@CricketNDTVLive) June 14, 2017

14:32 IST: Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed wins toss, elects to field.

Pakistan has won the toss and elected to bowl v England! #ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/6niSPEarEx

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

14:30 IST: Toss time!!

14:20 IST: The two teams arriving for today's mega clash.

England arriving at the ground today for a big Semi Final match v Pakistan! #ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/n4scyHvF4p

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

Pakistan arriving for today's Semi Final! #ENGvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/0INXCwioai

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2017

14:15 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of first semi-final between England and Pakistan. The hosts are the in-form team and are yet to a lose a game this tournament. Pakistan have been the surprise package but can they spring another surprise and knock one of the favourites out of the tournament?

But the rain, which had played havoc with the league encounters, came to their aid as they snatched a Duckworth-Lewis aided win over South Africa. Then they escaped with a victory when Sri Lanka dropped the trophy, not once but several times, and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, in company with left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir, took Pakistan to the semi-finals.

Pakistan were ranked 8th and last in the field. Those numbers are now out of the window.

But they did their best to lose to Sri Lanka, and for a while it was a contest between who was worse.

England will give them no such quarter.