IND vs PAK Highlights, Champions Trophy 2025: Kohli Hits Century as India Seal 6-Wicket Win

Virat Kohli’s brilliant hundred and a lively show from young Shubman Gill helped India win by eight wickets against Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday. This was India’s second win by chasing in a row in the tournament, which made Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals very slim. Once again, captain Rohit Sharma made the beginning by taking on Naseem Shah after just eight balls, striking a four and a six. Gill also followed up with two more boundary strikes against Shaheen Shah Afridi, as the left-arm bowler could not bowl within the lines while attempting to swing the ball.

Rohit Sharma looked set for a big score at 20 off 15 balls after hitting a superb drive over covers off Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, Afridi responded with a perfect yorker that bowled Rohit, marking his sixth wicket against the opener in nine international encounters. The delivery resembled the one that got Rohit out for a golden duck in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but this time India had an in-form Shubman Gill. Even after facing five dot balls against Naseem Shah in the sixth over, Gill remained calm and struck five brilliant boundaries plus one lucky streaky shot off Afridi, reversing the momentum in India’s favor and sparing Virat Kohli from facing Afridi during his hot spell.

Kohli returned the favor after Shubman Gill was dropped by Khushdil Shah off Rauf’s bowling, as the senior batter took on the fast bowler, hitting two boundaries. Gill continued to look in control until Abrar Ahmed’s brilliant delivery got him out. The spinner set him up with a googly and followed it with a perfect carrom ball, which hit the top of the toff stump. Kohli was impressed by the wicket, but his own batting was solid. Facing both Abrar and Pakistan’s fast bowlers, his technique became even tighter. He reached fifty off 62 balls, and with Shreyas Iyer taking on the bowlers with some rare yet brilliant reverse sweeps, India’s run rate soared.

Iyer quickly reached his fifty but got out when he tried to score more, and Pandya, who was a bit too eager, also fell for 8 (6). As Iyer chased his hundred, Axar Patel made sure he kept the strike. With just two runs needed, Kohli was on 96 and hit Khushdil through the covers to reach his 51st ODI century and finish the game.

Axar, Kuldeep, and Jadeja Shine in India’s Commanding Bowling Display

India started the first innings shakily, with Mohammed Shami bowling five wides in an 11-ball opening over the longest first over by an Indian in Champions Trophy history. Meanwhile, Babar Azam hit five boundaries in his first 25 balls, and it felt like the team had only 35 minutes to warm up because of heavy Dubai traffic affecting their rhythm. But Babar’s poor performance opened the door for India; after he hit Hardik Pandya with a fine cover drive on the first ball of the ninth over, he tried another shot and ended up giving an easy catch to KL Rahul.

Imam-Ul-Haq, playing his first ODI since 2023, was dismissed for the sixth time in the format when he got run out. He tried to drive Kuldeep Yadav toward mid-on and take a quick single, but Axar Patel threw the ball to the non-striker’s end quickly, just like Ravindra Jadeja’s famous run-out of Shoaib Malik in the 2017 edition of the tournament. Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel put together a solid 104-run partnership, but after that, it was all India’s game.

Axar and Kuldeep bowled tight lines, while Pandya and Harshit Rana used slower deliveries, leaving the Pakistani batsmen with no choice but to take singles, showing they couldn’t accelerate. The rebuilding process took 24 overs, with only seven boundaries during that time, increasing the pressure on Pakistan. As the second drinks break came, the message from the dressing room was clear: shift the momentum, but it was a tough challenge on a slow pitch, almost like putting a frozen hand into the fire. 

Rizwan tried his luck first but was dropped by Rana in the deep off Pandya’s bowling. However, Axar soon dismissed him and, in the following overs, Saud was dropped off Axar’s bowling before Pandya caught him out off a short ball, getting him to hole out at deep square leg for 62 (76).

Jadeja then bowled the delivery of the match to clean-bowl Tayyab Tahir, and Kuldeep followed it up with two wickets in two balls, dismissing Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Afridi cheaply, before getting Naseem Shah in the 47th over. Both spinners continued to dominate the Pakistan lineup. Khushdil, who earlier hit the first six of the match in the 42nd over against Pandya, hit another one against Shami in the 49th. Haris Rauf, too, managed a six on the second-last ball but was run out on the next. Rana needed just four more balls to dismiss Shah for 38 (39), bringing down Pakistan’s total to a disappointing 241/10.

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