Champions Trophy: With Pakistan through to final, it's South Asia Cup

Bengaluru: An accident of history or poetic justice? The tournaments in the run up to the ICC Champions Trophy final have been dominated by not one but four South Asian teams, of whom three have made it to the semis.

It is the South Asia final in the offing in the land that gave birth to the sport. As England, who were by far the dominant force winning all their Group engagements at home, were nudged out by a resurgent Pakistan on Wednesday, the tournament’s fate was sealed. The home side added more mileage to their tag of perennial under-achievers, in a sport of their own creation, in a tournament that saw the Asian sides bring the frills and thrills along with the whistles, as people of South Asian origin filled the stands.

Sri Lanka, who beat India was crushed by Pakistan, and a Bangladesh that convincingly destroyed New Zealand will face India, in the semi-final at Edgbaston, raising the prospect – if India win – of an exhilarating final against Pakistan, a team capable of swinging from mediocre to incisive to reckless with nonchalant ease. A South Asia final! India-Pakistan fans are salivating! And to think, all three nations were a product of British rule.