India emerged victorious over Pakistan in a high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, chasing down a target of 242 with ease. Virat Kohli’s masterful unbeaten century (100* off 111) guided India to a comfortable six-wicket win, securing their place in the semi-finals while dealing a major blow to Pakistan’s chances of progressing.
Pakistan Innings: Struggles with the Bat
Opting to bat first, Pakistan struggled to build momentum, managing only 241 in 49.4 overs. Despite a promising start, they failed to capitalize, losing wickets at crucial moments. Saud Shakeel (62 off 76) and Mohammad Rizwan (46 off 77) steadied the innings after early setbacks, but India’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) and Hardik Pandya (2/31), restricted them to a below-par total.
Batting Performance
- Saud Shakeel: 62 (76), 5×4, SR 81.57
- Mohammad Rizwan: 46 (77), 3×4, SR 59.74
- Khushdil Shah: 38 (39), 2×6, SR 97.43
- Babar Azam: 23 (26), 5×4, SR 88.46
- Extras: 17 (lb 8, w 9)
- Total: 241/10 in 49.4 overs (RR 4.85)
Bowling Performance (India)
- Kuldeep Yadav: 9-0-40-3, Econ 4.44
- Hardik Pandya: 8-0-31-2, Econ 3.87
- Harshit Rana: 7.4-0-30-1, Econ 3.91
- Axar Patel: 10-0-49-1, Econ 4.90
India Innings: Kohli’s Brilliance Seals the Win
India’s chase started aggressively, with Rohit Sharma (20 off 15) and Shubman Gill (46 off 52) setting a strong foundation. Kohli took charge from there, anchoring the innings and finishing with an unbeaten 100, his 51st ODI century. Shreyas Iyer (56 off 67) provided ample support as India reached 244/4 in 42.3 overs, winning comfortably.
Batting Performance
- Virat Kohli: 100* (111), 7×4, SR 90.09
- Shubman Gill: 46 (52), 7×4, SR 88.46
- Shreyas Iyer: 56 (67), 5×4, 1×6, SR 83.58
- Extras: 11 (w 11)
- Total: 244/4 in 42.3 overs (RR 5.74)
Bowling Performance (Pakistan)
- Shaheen Shah Afridi: 8-0-74-2, Econ 9.25
- Abrar Ahmed: 10-0-28-1, Econ 2.80
- Khushdil Shah: 7.3-0-43-1, Econ 5.73
- Naseem Shah: 8-0-37-0, Econ 4.62
Key Moments
- Early Blow: Rohit Sharma’s stumps were shattered by a 143kph Shaheen Afridi yorker.
- Middle Order Collapse: Pakistan went from 151/2 to 241 all out, struggling against India’s spinners.
- Kohli’s Milestone: He reached 14,000 ODI runs and secured his 51st century.
Player of the Match
Virat Kohli – 100* off 111 balls (7×4), guiding India to victory with a composed and calculated innings.
Points Table Update
| Teams | M | W | L | T | N/R | PTS | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.647 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1.200 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.408 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.087 |
India’s victory secured their semi-final berth, while Pakistan must rely on other results to stay in contention for the next round.
Next Matches
- India vs New Zealand – A crucial battle for the top spot.
- Pakistan vs Bangladesh – A do-or-die encounter for Pakistan.
With the stakes rising in the ICC Champions Trophy, India’s dominance continues, while Pakistan faces a tough road ahead. Stay tuned for more thrilling cricket action!
