Sunday 23 / February / 2025
Dubai: India's batting talisman Virat Kohli produced an ODI classic as India aced a 242-run chase against Pakistan with six-wickets in hand in a Champions Trophy high-stakes encounter.
Coming in to bat after India went one down in the powerplay, Kohli knitted 100 off 111 deliveries to keep the momentum in India's favor, bringing up his 51st ODI ton - most by anyone in the format.
The 36-year-old also crossed the 14,000 run-mark to become only the third batter to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Kohli partnered alongside Shreyas Iyer after the loss of the two wickets, with the duo shouldering stitching together a 114-run stand - Iyer also bringing up his half-century as India crossed the 200-run mark in the 37th over.But just as Iyer were cruising to comfortably closing the game, Pakistan pulled two wickets in quick succession.
Imam-ul-Haq latched onto a fine catch off Khushdil Shah to get rid of Shreyas Iyer (56). Incoming batter Hardik Pandya lasted only six deliveries before he nicked one behind to Mohammad Rizwan off Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Earlier, the defending champions were handed an early advantage when Shaheen rammed one onto Rohit Sharma's stumps to give Pakistan their opening breakthrough.
Having started off the chase on a positive note - bashing three fours and a six - Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was deceived by late movement from the left-armer before getting his stumps rattled in the poweplay.
In-form batter Shubman Gill then piled on 46 off 52 deliveries. India's centurion in the opener against Bangladesh took to counter-attacking, lacing seven boundaries during his stay.
Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav turned up the ante with the ball to lead India's push with the ball in the Champions Trophy heavyweight clash against India in Dubai.
The left-arm spinner snared Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi off successive deliveries before claiming Naseem Shah as India managed to dismiss Pakistan for 241.Abrar Ahmed eventually got rid of the Indian opener as he snuck in an absolute ripper to produce a much-needed breakthrough. With Gill closing in on a half-century, Abrar deceived the right-hander with a leg-breaker that crashed into his off-stump.
Requiring a win to keep their hopes of a semifinals spot alive, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first in Dubai.
Pakistan talisman Babar Azam had displayed positive intent early on in his innings after Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first. The regal opener dispatched a couple of glorious boundaries as Pakistan opened their account.
With Harshit Rana steaming in during his opening burst, Babar flicked the Indian pacer through mid-wicket for his first boundary and followed it up with a textbook cover drive in the same over.
Not too later though, Hardik Pandya provided India with their opening breakthrough to remove the former Pakistan captain. Chasing a delivery outside the off stump, Babar edged one behind to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, who safely pouched the catch.
The dismissal was quickly followed by another as Imam-ul-Haq (10) was run-out by a brilliant direct hit from Axar Patel in Kuldeep Yadav's first over.
Two wickets down in the powerplay, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan joined Saud Shakeel in the middle. Together, the duo forged a 104-run stand for the third wicket as Shakeel went on to notch his fourth ODI fifty.
But just as the Pakistan duo seemed on their way to a big first innings total, Axar Patel removed Pakistan skipper Rizwan with a flighted delivery that deceived the right-handed batter from round the wicket to hit the stumps.
Shortly afterwards, Hardik Pandya removed Saud Shakeel, who had forged his fourth ODI fifty, to nab his second wicket of the day.
Just as Pakistan were 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.
Kuldeep Yadav then came into his own, snapping three wickets in his final spell. For Pakistan, Khushdil Shah (38) powered a final push in the lower order but was eventually dismissed by Harshit Rana as India managed to keep Pakistan just under 250 in Dubai.
