India secured a semi-final spot in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday. They claimed their second consecutive win by defeating Pakistan by six wickets. Star batsman Virat Kohli shined again, playing a crucial role in India's chase of 242 runs. He hit his 51st ODI century, leading India to victory with nearly eight overs left.
Kohli’s Masterclass in Run Chases
Notably, Kohli excels in run chases, especially against Pakistan. The former captain delivered a brilliant innings, scoring 100 runs off 111 balls without losing his wicket. His knock ensured India's place in the knockout stage of the ‘Mini World Cup.’A Historic Achievement for Kohli
Furthermore, this match was historic for Kohli. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record to become the fastest to 14,000 ODI runs. He is only the third batter to reach this milestone. Additionally, Shreyas Iyer (56) and Shubman Gill (46) made key contributions. Their partnerships with Kohli helped India win easily.Pakistan’s Promising Start and Collapse
Earlier, India’s bowlers restricted Pakistan to 241 runs. Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) and Hardik Pandya (2/31) led the attack. At first, Pakistan looked strong at 151/2 in the 34th over. Saud Shakeel (62) and captain Mohammad Rizwan (46) built a solid partnership. However, Rizwan’s dismissal triggered a collapse. Consequently, Pakistan, once aiming for 300, fell short of 250. As a result, India had a manageable target.Pakistan’s Tournament Hopes Diminish
Meanwhile, Pakistan, the hosts and defending champions, suffered their second loss. They had already lost to New Zealand by 60 runs. Ultimately, this defeat almost eliminates them from the semi-finals.Brief Scorecard
Once again, India showed its might against Pakistan. India dominated Pakistan in all departments of the game. When the match started and Mohammed Shami walked off the field, every Indian fan thought that the team might struggle in bowling. However, Shami returned in the 12th over, and all the bowlers played their roles effectively.
Hardik Pandya provided the early breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam. Then, Axar Patel broke the 104-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and others did their job well, eventually bundling Pakistan out for 241. It was not a bad total in ODIs, but Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill wrote the script, and then Shreyas Iyer did the rest. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates !