ICC Champions Trophy 2017: India To Face Pakistan In Final, Twitter In Meltdown

India cantered to a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, setting up a clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. Just after India sealed the resounding victory, Twitter went bersek.

Among sportspersons, former India cricketer Virender Sehwag, who is known for his witty and humourous puns on social media platforms, was the first one to congratulate Virat Kohli and Co. in his own way.

"Well tried Pote. Great effort to reach semis.Ghar ki hi baat hai. Father's Day par Bete ke saath final hai. Mazaak ko serious mat liyo bete," Sehwag wrote on his Twitter handle.

Well tried Pote. Great effort to reach semis.Ghar ki hi baat hai.
Father's Day par Bete ke saath final hai. Mazaak ko serious mat liyo bete.

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 15, 2017

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar also sent his wishes to Team India for the victory and the final clash against Pakistan.

So proud. Congratulations team India. Great performance by @imVkohli, @ImRo45 & @SDhawan25! My best wishes for the finals against Pakistan.

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 15, 2017

"So proud. Congratulations team India. Great performance by @imVkohli, @ImRo45 & @SDhawan25! My best wishes for the finals against Pakistan," Tendulkar tweeted.

Here's how other cricketers wished Team India:

Indian road to finals-Hattrick of wins against the green jersey teams (Pak, SA, Ban).Oval wil see our men in blue triumph again.#Jaihind

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 15, 2017

So 10 years after the T20 World Cup , it's going to be an India - Pakistan final in an ICC event . Come on India !!!#CT17

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 15, 2017

It's not a win...It's a statement What a professional performance from Team India Congrats and good luck for the finals #CT17

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 15, 2017

It's not a win...It's a statement What a professional performance from Team India Congrats and good luck for the finals #CT17

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 15, 2017

Consecutive finals it is !!! Cant wait for the 18th

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 15, 2017

Chasing 265 to win after electing to field first, the defending champions did not flinch for one moment as Rohit Sharma scored his 11th career century (123 not out) and captain Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 96 to stitch up an unbeaten 178-run partnership for the second wicket to help India romp home with 59 balls to spare.

While Rohit's innings was laced with 15 fours and one six, Kohli smashed 13 boundaries.

Kohli, in the process, became the fastest cricketer in the world to reach 8,000 runs in ODIs in just 175 innings. Yet the real India hero of this match was part-time spinner Kedar Jadhav, who dismissed both of Bangladesh's top-scorers in Tamim Iqbal (70) and Mushfiqur Rahim (61) in a spell of two for 22 in six overs.

The third-wicket duo shared a stand of 123, but Bangladesh's innings faltered after their exits. India hammered Pakistan by 124 runs in the teams' Champions Trophy opener at Edgbaston 11 days ago.

But Pakistan themselves trounced much-fancied tournament hosts England by eight wickets in another lopsided semi-final in Cardiff on Wednesday. Sunday's match at the Oval in London will be just the second time the Asian giants have met in the final of a major International Cricket Council tournament.

India beat Pakistan by a mere five runs in the 2007 World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg, a victory that led to the creation of the lucrative Indian Premier League.