The decision to bat first on a different Dubai pitch seemed to work well for Pakistan when Babar Azam started to cash on the offered looseners inside the first powerplay. However, Rohit Sharma’s ploy to summon Hardik Pandya followed by a runout extracted a couple of wickets for the Men in Blue. With 52 runs coming off the first ten, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan adopted an ultra-defensive mindset as the Indian skipper rotated the bowlers. In the first 20th over, Pakistan’s dot ball percentage rose above 50% before the pair extracted a few boundaries against the spinners, propelling Pakistan to 137/2 in 31 overs. After the refreshment break, Axar Patel broke the 104-run partnership by getting Rizwan for 46, making way for Hardik’s bait for Shakeel (62). Subsequently, Ravindra Jadeja cleaned up Tayyab Tahir before Khusdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha propelled them to 197/5 in 42 overs. Suddenly, Kuldeep Yadav enforced back-to-back wickets in the 43rd over setting up Pakistan’s 241 total.
In reply, Rohit Sharma initiated the innings with a trademark blitz, hitting three fours and a six by the fifth over before Shaheen Afridi knocked the wood with a jaffa. Despite India being 31/1 in 5 overs, Shubman Gill continued where he left after a century against Bangladesh, adding 69 runs with Virat Kohli for the second wicket before getting out to Abrar Ahmed. India’s current run rate dropped as the spinners and Haris Rauf tried to keep Shreyas Iyer checked. While the Mumbaikar was scoring at a strike rate lower than 50, Kohli commanded the chase with a half-century in the 27th over. Three overs later, Shreyas switched gears with a couple of boundaries and a 102-metre maximum setting up a 114 runs partnership before Khusdil got him for 56 with 28 required to win. Hardik, who was promoted to No. 5, followed suit without making much impact as India required 19 runs off the last ten overs. With Axar Patel compelling Kohli to go for his hundred, the chase master rose to the occasion and finished off the chase by bringing up his century on the last ball of the match.
Shaheen tried his best to make sure Virat doesn’t hit a century by giving wides but King Virat Kohli found his way to hit the century & win the match simultaneously 🔥pic.twitter.com/xtRlkIG8HA
— Anisht Dev (@cricketcoast) February 23, 2025
More than 80 dot balls in 125 balls! 😱 #INDvsPAK#ChampionsTrophy#PAKvsIND
— Elon Guevera (@nitesh157) February 23, 2025
Century!!!
King Kohli!
VIRAT KOHLI FUCKING LOVE YOU MANMN
— Shōgun (@la_havre_) February 23, 2025
Virat Kohli 💯🔥#INDvsPAK
— Geeक ✽ (@yatharthsingh) February 23, 2025
One and only King!
India win
Cherry on the cake, the 51st century for VIRAT KOHLI #INDvsPAK— ANURAAG ॐ SHARMA 🇮🇳 (@7ANURAGSHARMA) February 23, 2025
King Virat!
There is only one KING and he is KING VIRAT KOHLI pic.twitter.com/1SHMwcWm59
— Mahi (@mahi_tst) February 23, 2025
In the zone 👑
ODI FIFTY number 7⃣4⃣ for King Virat Kohli 👏👏#INDvsPAK #INDvPAK #Gill #ViratKohli #ViratKohli𓃵 #kingkohli #ChampionsTrophy #ChampionsTrophy2025 #RohitSharma𓃵 pic.twitter.com/mHbCMITXX1— Ajeet Kumar (@ajeetkr03) February 23, 2025
Congrats king!
What a Knock!
What a century by Virat Kohli 👏
— Faisal Afzal (@FysalAfzal) February 23, 2025
