In the fifth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, India defeated Pakistan by six wickets at the Dubai International Stadium.
Having won the toss, the home team asked the Men in Blue to field first. With the pitch being sluggish for the batters, the decision was quite right but the batters did not take full advantage of it, as they were bundled for 241 runs. Mohammad Shami was economical, but Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav troubled the batters from time to time.
The Men in Blue began their chase with some fireworks from their skipper Rohit Sharma (20). The captain got an excellent start but couldn’t bat long. On the other end, Shubman Gill (46) continued his remarkable form, but his innings was cut short by a stunning leg break from Abrar Ahmed. Then, it was time for the legend himself, Virat Kohli (100*), to take charge. As usual, Kohli was in his element against Pakistan, striking his 51st ODI century, his fourth against their bitter enemies. On a slow wicket, Kohli took his time and, once set, unleashed his entire repertoire of strokes, making him practically unstoppable.
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Alongside him, Shreyas Iyer (56) gave ideal support, forging a century partnership with Kohli. Both played with incredible control, taking few risks and as the target was within touching distance, it was evident that this would be another iconic victory. It was only a matter of time until India’s streets erupted in joy, with fireworks lighting up the sky to commemorate yet another victory.
Pakistan’s batting started well, with Babar Azam (23) playing some quality shots through the gaps. However, the former skipper was unable to bat for long. Captain Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Saud Shakeel (62) accelerated the scorecard and helped the team surpass the 240-run mark. Both batters scored 104 runs for the third wicket partnership. Towards the end, both batters lost their wickets while attempting to increase the team’s run rate. Following this, the unit experienced a mini collapse but still managed to achieve a good score owing to Khushdil Shah’s (38) valuable contribution.
Kuldeep was the star for India as he plucked three wickets in nine overs. Hardik Pandya also scalped two wickets, while Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja grabbed one wicket each.
At no point in the second innings did Pakistan put pressure on Indian batters. Shaheen Afridi took two wickets, with Abrar and Khushdil taking one each. Notably, the majority of the wickets fell late in the innings, which could be just viewed as a consolation prize for the hosts.
Virat Kohli was adjudged Player of the Match for his outstanding century. With this win, India have most likely secured a qualification berth for the semi-finals.
Scorecard:
Pakistan: 241/10, Overs 49.4, Saud Shakeel 62, Kuldeep Yadav 3/40
India: 244/4, Overs 42.3, Virat Kohli 100*, Shaheen Afridi 2/74