Whenever India faces Pakistan, Virat Kohli steps up, and today was no different. He delivered a spectacular century in the high-stakes clash, leaving fans in awe. With this dominant performance, India moved one step closer to securing a spot in the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
On Sunday, February 23, the arch-rivals India and Pakistan faced off in the Champions Trophy. Batting first in Dubai, Pakistan managed to post 241 runs in 49.4 overs, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan leading the effort.
Chasing a modest target, India comfortably reached 242/4 in 42.3 overs, securing a six-wicket victory. This loss puts Pakistan’s semi-final chances in serious jeopardy, as they now sit at the bottom of the points table after losing both of their matches. In contrast, India’s back-to-back wins have strengthened their position at the top.
Virat Kohli Shines Against Pakistan Yet Again
Pakistan has always been Virat Kohli’s favorite opponent. Time and again, he has delivered outstanding performances against them, and today he continued that trend by scoring his 52nd career century in ODIs.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, however, couldn’t contribute much with the bat, scoring 20 off 15 balls before getting out. But Kohli found strong support in Shubman Gill, as the duo built a 69-run partnership. Gill was dismissed for 46 off 52 balls. After that, Kohli took full control of the chase, forging a crucial 114-run stand with Shreyas Iyer for the fourth wicket. Iyer scored 56 off 67 balls before falling to Khushdil Shah.
Even though Hardik Pandya departed cheaply for 8, Kohli ensured there were no further hiccups. Partnering with Axar Patel, he guided India to victory, finishing the match in style by smashing a boundary off Khushdil Shah. With this, Kohli not only secured the win but also completed his fourth ODI century against Pakistan.
Kohli Reaches Another Historic Milestone
During his innings, Kohli achieved another historic milestone—becoming only the third player to reach 14,000 ODI runs. He accomplished this feat in just 287 innings, making him the fastest to reach this landmark, surpassing the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Pakistan’s bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi, failed to make a significant impact. Afridi took two wickets but conceded 74 runs, while Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah picked up one wicket each.
Pakistan’s Struggles with the Bat
Earlier, Pakistan, having won the toss and opted to bat, struggled to build momentum. Their opening partnership lasted only 8.2 overs before captain Babar Azam fell for 23 off 26 balls. In the very next over, Imam-ul-Haq also departed after scoring just 10 runs from 26 balls.
Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel then stabilized the innings with a century partnership. However, just when Pakistan needed their skipper to accelerate, Rizwan was dismissed for 46 off 77 balls by Axar Patel. Saud Shakeel followed soon after, scoring 62 off 76 balls before getting out to Hardik Pandya. Tayyab Tahir (4) also failed to make an impact. By the 36.1-over mark, Pakistan was struggling at 160/4.
Agha Salman and Khushdil Shah managed to push Pakistan past 200 runs, but Salman fell for 19 off 24 balls, triggering another collapse. In the very next ball, Shaheen Afridi was dismissed for a duck. Although Naseem Shah chipped in with 14 runs, it was Khushdil Shah’s late effort that helped Pakistan reach 241. He was the last man out, scoring 37 off 39 balls before falling to Harshit Rana. Pakistan’s innings ended with two balls remaining.
Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler for India, picking up three wickets, while Hardik Pandya claimed two.
With this victory, India is now in a commanding position to qualify for the semi-finals, while Pakistan faces an uphill battle to stay in the tournament.
