Kuldeep snaps 3-fer as IND wrap up PAK innings for 241 in Champions Trophy blockbuster

Having lost the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand in Karachi, Mohammad Rizwan and co are in search of a win to keep semi-finals hopes alive.

Kuldeep Yadav turned up the ante with the ball to lead India's push with the ball in the Champions Trophy heavyweight clash against India in Dubai.

The left-arm spinner snared Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi off successive deliveries before claiming Naseem Shah as India managed to dismiss Pakistan for 241.

Requiring a win to keep their hopes of a semifinals spot alive, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first in Dubai.

Pakistan talisman Babar Azam had displayed positive intent early on in his innings after Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first. The regal opener dispatched a couple of glorious boundaries as Pakistan opened their account.

With Harshit Rana steaming in during his opening burst, Babar flicked the Indian pacer through mid-wicket for his first boundary and followed it up with a textbook cover drive in the same over.

Not too later though, Hardik Pandya provided India with their opening breakthrough to remove the former Pakistan captain. Chasing a delivery outside the off stump, Babar edged one behind to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, who safely pouched the catch.

The dismissal was quickly followed by another as Imam-ul-Haq (10) was run-out by a brilliant direct hit from Axar Patel in Kuldeep Yadav's first over.

Two wickets down in the powerplay, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan joined Saud Shakeel in the middle. Together, the duo forged a 104-run stand for the third wicket as Shakeel went on to notch his fourth ODI fifty.

But just as the Pakistan duo seemed on their way to a big first innings total, Axar Patel removed Pakistan skipper Rizwan with a flighted delivery that deceived the right-handed batter from round the wicket to hit the stumps.

Shortly afterwards, Hardik Pandya removed Saud Shakeel, who had forged his fourth ODI fifty, to nab his second wicket of the day.

Just as Pakistan were reeling off the twin blows, Ravindra Jadeja made it three wickets for India in four overs, cleaning up Tayyab Tahir to leave Pakistan trailing at 165/5.

Kuldeep Yadav then came into his own, snapping three wickets in his final spell. For Pakistan, Khushdil Shah (38) powered a final push in the lower order but was eventually dismissed by Harshit Rana as India managed to keep Pakistan just under 250 in Dubai.

The Dubai International Stadium is playing host to the grand contest in Group A, with Pakistan in desperate search of a win, having lost their opening contest against Black Caps by 60 runs at the fiercely contested eight-team tournament. The loss means Pakistan are virtually facing a knockout against their old rivals.

India, on the other hand, kickstarted their campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh.

The victory saw Mohammed Shami notch a five-wicket haul, and become India's leading wicket-taker at ICC ODI tournaments while Shubman Gill starred with the bat and nabbed a century.

The two teams have previously faced each other five times at the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan holding the edge over India having won thrice including their last meeting at the tournament back in 2017 that saw the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side lift the trophy for the first time.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav