DUBAI – In a high-voltage Champions Trophy encounter, India secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan, thanks to a magnificent century from Virat Kohli.
Chasing a target of 242 runs, India comfortably reached the total in 43 overs with the loss of four wickets.
Pakistan’s Innings
Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, won the toss and opted to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The team managed to post 241 runs before being bowled out in 49.4 overs.
Pakistan suffered its first setback at 41 runs when Babar Azam was dismissed for 23, falling to Hardik Pandya. Imam-ul-Haq followed soon after, getting run out for just 10 runs.
Mohammad Rizwan contributed 46 runs, while Saud Shakeel top-scored with 62 before being dismissed. Tayyab Tahir (4) and Salman Agha (19) failed to make significant contributions.
The lower order struggled, with Shaheen Afridi departing without scoring, while Naseem Shah (14), Khushdil Shah (38), and Haris Rauf (8) tried to push the score further.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav claimed three wickets, Hardik Pandya took two, while Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja picked up one wicket each.
India’s Run Chase
India’s chase began with an early setback as captain Rohit Sharma was bowled by Shaheen Afridi for 20. Shubman Gill followed after scoring 46, falling to Abrar Ahmed.
Shreyas Iyer contributed a solid 56 before being caught off Khushdil Shah’s bowling, while Hardik Pandya (8) also fell cheaply to Shaheen Afridi.
However, Virat Kohli anchored the innings, smashing his 51st ODI century. His unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, featuring seven boundaries, ensured India’s comfortable chase. Kohli’s remarkable performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
India successfully chased the target in 43 overs, losing just four wickets.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi claimed two wickets, while Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah picked up one each.
