Kohli’s Masterclass Seals India’s Victory Over Pakistan in Champions Trophy 2025

In a thrilling clash at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India outclassed Pakistan by six wickets, thanks to a sensational unbeaten century from Virat Kohli. The dominant performance at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium strengthened India’s semi-final hopes while leaving Pakistan on the brink of elimination.

Pakistan Struggles to Build Momentum
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan faced early setbacks as openers Imam-ul-Haq (10) and Babar Azam (23) fell cheaply. The innings found stability with a gritty 104-run stand between Saud Shakeel (62) and skipper Mohammad Rizwan (46). However, India’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) and Hardik Pandya (2/31), restricted Pakistan to a modest 241 all out in 49.4 overs.

Kohli Leads India’s Chase with Unbeaten Ton
Chasing 242, India had an early hiccup as Shaheen Afridi dismissed Rohit Sharma with a fiery yorker. Shubman Gill (46) provided resistance before falling to Abrar Ahmed. The spotlight, however, belonged to Kohli, who yet again displayed his mastery in run chases. His unbroken 100-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer (56) guided India to victory with 45 balls to spare, reaching his 51st ODI century in the process.

Records and Tournament Implications
Kohli’s remarkable innings saw him surpass 14,000 ODI runs, making him the fastest cricketer to achieve the feat, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. With this win, India remains unbeaten at the top of Group A, virtually securing a semi-final spot. In contrast, Pakistan’s fate now hangs in the balance, relying on other match results to stay in contention.

Post-Match Reactions
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted that pressure led to the middle-order collapse, stressing the need for better shot selection in crucial moments. "It's disappointing to depend on other teams' results. We needed to take charge of our fate," he remarked.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma praised his team's all-round performance, emphasizing the disciplined bowling and Kohli’s brilliance as key factors behind the emphatic win.
With India surging ahead as strong title contenders, Pakistan faces an uphill battle to keep their Champions Trophy hopes alive.