In a high-stakes Champions Trophy match, India aced a 242-run chase against Pakistan with six wickets remaining. India’s cricketing superstar, Virat Kohli, delivered yet another remarkable ODI performance. Stepping to the crease after India lost an early wicket in the powerplay, Kohli knitted an unbeaten century off 111 balls to maintain his team’s momentum, marking his 51st ODI century—the highest by any player in the history of this format. Now at the age of 36, he also crossed the 14,000-run milestone, becoming only the third batsman after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara to achieve this feat.
The in-form batsman Shubman Gill contributed significantly, scoring 46 runs off 52 balls. Throughout his innings, India’s centurion from the match against Bangladesh adopted an aggressive approach, striking seven boundaries. Abrar Ahmed finally dismissed the Indian opener with a stunning delivery, providing his team with the much-needed breakthrough.
As Gill approached a half-century, Abrar tricked the right-handed batsman with a leg-spin delivery that smashed into his off-stump. After the fall of the two wickets, Kohli partnered with Shreyas Iyer to form a 114-run partnership. Iyer also brought up his half-century as India surpassed the 200-run mark in the 37th over.
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Pakistan, on the other hand, took two wickets in quick succession just as Iyer was cruising to a comfortable victory. To remove Shreyas Iyer, Imam-ul-Haq grabbed a great catch from Khushdil Shah (56). Hardik Pandya, the new batter, only played six deliveries before losing one to Mohammad Rizwan off Shaheen Afridi. With 45 deliveries in hand, Kohli and Axar Patel would eventually finish the chase.
Mohammad Rizwan, captain of Pakistan, won the toss and chose to bat first in Dubai because they needed to win to keep their hopes of reaching the semifinals alive.
Pakistani player Babar Azam exhibited a positive intent early in his innings after Mohammad Rizwan successfully won the toss and chose to bat first. However, Hardik Pandya soon delivered India’s initial breakthrough by dismissing the former Pakistan captain. Attempting to chase a ball outside the off stump, Babar edged it to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, who comfortably caught the ball. This dismissal was swiftly followed by another, as Imam-ul-Haq (10) was run out due to a spectacular direct throw from Axar Patel during Kuldeep Yadav’s opening over.
With two wickets down in the powerplay, Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan joined Saud Shakeel in the middle. Together, they forged a 104-run partnership for the third wicket, with Shakeel completing his fourth ODI fifty. Axar Patel removed Pakistan’s captain Rizwan with a flighted delivery that deceived the right-handed batsman from around the wicket, hitting the stumps just as the Pakistani pair seemed to be on their way to a big first-innings total. Shortly afterward, Hardik Pandya removed Saud Shakeel to nab his second wicket of the day.
Just as Pakistan was reeling off the twin blows, Ravindra Jadeja made it three wickets for India in four overs, cleaning up Tayyab Tahir to leave Pakistan trailing at 165/5.
After that, Kuldeep Yadav came into his own and scored three wickets in his final spell. Khushdil Shah, a 38-year-old Pakistani, led a final push in the lower order but was dismissed by Hrishit Rana as India managed to keep Pakistan just under 250 in Dubai.