Kohli's century sinks Pakistan as India edge closer to semis

Virat Kohli's sublime century guided India to a commanding six-wicket win over Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy on 23 February 2025, putting them on the brink of the semi-finals.

Pakistan's hopes now hinge on Bangladesh beating New Zealand in their upcoming fixture.  

Opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan made a steady start through openers Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam, who added 41 runs. However, Babar fell for 23 off 26 balls, and Imam followed soon after, managing just 10 from 26 deliveries as Pakistan stumbled to 47 for 2.  

Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the innings, surviving thanks to missed chances by India's fielders. Shakeel batted fluently, while Rizwan adopted a more cautious approach. Despite their resilience, neither managed a significant score. Rizwan fell for a laboured 46 off 77 balls, and Shakeel followed in the next over after reaching his fifty, scoring 62 from 76 deliveries.  

Agha Salman chipped in with 19 off 24 balls, but it was Khushdil Shah who kept Pakistan afloat with a gritty 38 off 39 balls. Nasim Shah added 14 from 16 deliveries before Khushdil fell as the last wicket, leaving Pakistan bowled out for 241 in 49.4 overs.  

India's bowlers shared the spoils, with Kuldeep Yadav claiming 3 for 41, while Hardik Pandya took 2 for 43. Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja picked up a wicket each.  

Chasing 242, India's Shubman Gill and Kohli ensured a solid start. Both looked comfortable, with Gill falling just short of a fifty, scoring 46 from 52 balls. Kohli, however, continued to anchor the innings alongside Shreyas Iyer.  

The Kohli-Iyer partnership flourished as the pair added 114 runs for the third wicket. Iyer reached his fifty before falling for 56 off 67 balls with India cruising at 214 for 2. Hardik Pandya fell for 8 off 6 balls, but by then, India were well in control.  

With 46 runs needed from 42 balls, Kohli stood four runs away from his century. He reached the landmark in style, smashing a boundary to seal India's win and bring up his ton. India reached 242 for 4 with 45 balls to spare, virtually guaranteeing their place in the semi-finals.  

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed 2 for 48, while Khushdil Shah and Abrar Ahmed took one wicket each.