Virat Kohli roared back to form with a magnificent century to help India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Dubai on Sunday. India, chasing 242, needed just four runs to win from 46 balls, and Kohli was the batter on strike, unbeaten on 96. Spinner Khushdil Shah delivered a length ball to Kohli and on this occasion, Kohli came down the track and guided the ball through extra cover to his the winning runs.
He removed his helmet and raised his bat to celebrate his century and India’s win. Along with his celebrations, Kohli sent a message to the Indian dressing room, asking his team members to “relax” and “calm down”, gesturing to say that “I am here”. Earlier during the match, Kohli became the quickest batter to get to 14,000 runs in ODIs.
Post match, Kohli was honest about his innings and how he paced it. “To be honest, it feels good to be able to bat in that manner in an important game to seal qualification,” he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Feels good to contribute in a game where we lost Rohit early, had to put in the understanding of what we learnt in the last game. My job was to control the middle overs against the spinners without taking too many risks, towards the end Shreyas accelerated and I got a few boundaries as well. It allowed me to play my usual ODI game.”
“My job is to stay in the present and do a job for the team. My keynotes to myself are to put my 100% every ball in the field, and then God eventually rewards you.”
This is the Delhi cricketer’s first ODI century since November 2023, and his 50th century in ODIs. Pakistan had won the toss and opted to bat. The Men in Green were 52/2 at the end of the first powerplay after having lost openers Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq. However, Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Saud Shakeel (62) forged a 104-run stand to put Pakistan back on track. Pakistan were 151/3 when Rizwan was dismissed and losing wickets at regular intervals meant that the co-hosts were all out for 241 in 49.4 overs.
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India lost skipper Rohit Sharma in the fifth over of the run-chase, but Kohli and Shubman Gill forged a 69-run stand for the second wicket. Gill, however, was cleaned up for 46 by spinner Abrar Ahmed, who delivered a stunning carrom ball. India were 100/2 in the 18th over but weren’t affected by Gill’s dismissal as Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then forged a 114-run stand for the third wicket.
India lost Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya between the 39th and 40th overs but at 223/4, the damage had already been done. Kohli and Axar Patel (3*) ensured that the Men in Blue crossed the finish line without further trouble. The win over Pakistan helps India maintain their 100 per cent record and go top of the Group A standings with four points. Pakistan, on the other hand, are all but knocked out of the Champions Trophy with two losses in as many matches.
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