Champions Trophy: Kohli's Unbeaten Century Leads India to Six-Wicket Win Over Pakistan
Virat Kohli's masterful unbeaten century propelled India to a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan, edging them closer to the Champions Trophy semi-finals while leaving their rivals on the brink of elimination.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan struggled to build momentum, managing a modest total of 241. Saud Shakeel (62 off 76 balls) and Muhammad Rizwan (46 off 77 balls) steadied the innings, but their cautious approach kept the scoring rate low. Khushdil Shah injected some late energy with a quickfire 38 off 39 balls, but Pakistan's total fell short of the ground’s average first-innings winning score of 258.
India’s disciplined bowling attack, led by spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3-40) and all-rounder Hardik Pandya (2-31), kept the pressure on throughout Pakistan’s innings, never letting them break free.
Pakistan's hopes briefly ignited when Shaheen Afridi bowled India captain Rohit Sharma with a lethal yorker in the fifth over. However, Kohli’s composed presence at the crease soon extinguished any chance of a comeback.
Shubman Gill contributed 46 before falling to a brilliant leg-break from Abrar Ahmed, while Shreyas Iyer added an enterprising 56. But it was Kohli’s day, as he meticulously guided India to victory with an unbeaten 111-ball century, laced with seven boundaries.
In a fitting finale, with India needing two runs to win and Kohli on 96, the Indian star drove Khushdil Shah through extra cover for four, sealing the triumph and sending the Dubai International Stadium into a frenzy.
India now sits atop Group A with two wins from two matches, while Pakistan languishes at the bottom after back-to-back defeats. If New Zealand overcomes Bangladesh on Monday, both India and the Kiwis will progress to the semi-finals, eliminating Pakistan from the tournament.
Kohli’s 51st ODI century added another chapter to his storied career, reaffirming his status as India’s talisman and delivering yet another unforgettable performance on cricket’s grand stage.
