DUBAI: Virat Kohli smashed his 51st ODI century to power India to a resounding six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the high-octane ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 clash here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 242-run target, India comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and 45 balls to spare, thanks to a match-defining 114-run partnership between Kohli and Shreyas Iyer.
The former champions got off to a brief flamboyant start to the pursuit as their openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 31 runs in 29 deliveries until Shaheen Shah Afridi gave Pakistan their first success by bowling the Indian captain on 20.
India’s star batter Kohli then joined Gill in the middle and kept India in control with a 69-run partnership which culminated with the opener’s dismissal in the 18th over.
Gill scored 46 off 52 deliveries with the help of six boundaries.
Kohli then joined forces with Iyer and put India in touching distance to the victory by stitching a 114-run partnership, amid which, both batters scored their respective half-centuries.
The duo appeared in complete control to steer India over the line but Khushdil Shah caused a minor stir by dismissing Iyer, who struck five fours and a six on his way to a 67-ball 56.
India then suffered another blow to their run chase in the next over when Shaheen got Hardik Pandya (eight) caught behind.
The back-to-back blows, however, did not bother India much as Kohli ensured that there were no further hiccups in the run chase.
Virat Kohli remained the top-scorer for India with an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, laced with seven boundaries.
For Pakistan, Shaheen picked up two wickets, while Abrar and Khushdil made one scalp apiece.
Opting to bat first, the hosts could accumulate 241 runs before getting bowled out in the final over despite an anchoring half-century by Saud Shakeel.
Pakistan’s new opening pair of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq looked in fine touch as they added 41 runs before Hardik Pandya provided a much-needed breakthrough to India by getting the former caught behind.
Babar scored 23 off 26 deliveries, smashing five boundaries in the process.
Making his return to the national team, Imam could not convert a cautious start into a big knock as he was run out by Axar Patel in the next over, resulting in Pakistan slipping to 47/2 in 9.2 overs.
Following the back-to-back blows, skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Saud partnered to force recovery.
The pair batted sensibly to add an important 104 runs for the third wicket until Rizwan was cleaned up by Axar Patel in the 34th over.
The Pakistan captain mustered 46 runs from 77 balls with the help of three fours.
Pakistan’s batting mainstay Saud followed suit just eight deliveries later, walking back after top-scoring with a 76-ball 62, comprised of five fours.
Experienced Ravindra Jadeja then strengthened India’s command by cleaning up Tayyab Tahir (four) and reduced Pakistan to 165/5 in 36.1 overs.
Pakistan vice-captain Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah then forged a 35-run partnership to take their team’s total to the 200-run mark but Kuldeep Yadav denied them a comeback by striking twice on consecutive deliveries.
Khushdil then took the reins of Pakistan’s batting expedition and scored 38 off 39 deliveries with the help of two fours.
He was also involved in brief partnerships with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, who made 14 and eight respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler for India, taking three wickets, followed by Pandya with two, while Harshit Rana, Jadeja and Patel made one scalp apiece.
