In a one-sided Champions Trophy match on Sunday in Dubai, India chased down Pakistan’s target of 241 runs in just 42.3 overs. Player of the Match Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 51st ODI century.
Lifting the spirits of Indian fans, Team India handed Pakistan a crushing defeat. Despite winning the toss, Pakistan failed to capitalise on the advantage. Both in batting and fielding, they looked completely lacklustre and ineffective. Kohli’s century was not just match-defining but also took him past 14,000 runs in ODIs—a major career milestone.
The high-voltage match at Dubai International Stadium began in the afternoon. Under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Their start was decent, with a slow yet steady run rate that initially put them in a comfortable position. The turning point came after they lost their second wicket at 47 runs. A solid partnership between Rizwan and Saud Shakeel added over 100 runs, stabilising the innings. However, Axar Patel’s clean-bowled dismissal of Rizwan triggered a collapse. Tayyab Tahir and Salman Agha attempted to rescue the innings, but wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. Pakistan was bowled out for 241 runs with two balls remaining.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets for 40 runs in nine overs. Hardik Pandya claimed two wickets while conceding 31 runs in eight overs. Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with one wicket each.
Pakistan’s entire innings was unimpressive and never looked like it could challenge a team of India’s calibre.
In response, India dominated the chase effortlessly. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a steady start. Rohit departed at 31 runs, but Gill and Kohli kept Pakistan’s bowlers under pressure, never allowing them a breakthrough. Gill was dismissed for 46, just four short of his half-century. Shreyas Iyer then joined Kohli and formed a crucial 114-run stand. Iyer’s 56-run knock further tilted the game completely in India’s favour.
At a later stage, Hardik Pandya fell cheaply for eight runs, but by then, India was well on course for victory. Kohli, remaining unbeaten, finished the match with a boundary, completing his 51st ODI century in the process.
India sealed the win in just 42.3 overs, securing a six-wicket victory. With this, India registered its second consecutive win in the Champions Trophy, claiming the top spot in Group A and virtually ensuring a semi-final berth. Meanwhile, Pakistan faces an early tournament exit after suffering back-to-back defeats.
Key Takeaways
- India dominated from start to finish, while Pakistan failed to put up even a respectable fight.
- Virat Kohli smashed his 51st ODI century, becoming the first Indian batter to score a century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.
- Kohli was named Player of the Match.
- For Pakistan, Saud Shakeel (62) and Rizwan (46) were the only notable contributors, with Khushdil Shah’s late 38 off 39 balls helping them cross 200.
- India will face New Zealand next Sunday in a Group match at Dubai International Stadium.
