Virat Kohli bludgeoned a cracking century (100*) as India thumped Pakistan to pull off a breathtaking six-wicket victory over bitter rivals on Sunday in Dubai in the ongoing Champions Trophy. India once again proved their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan with a resounding performance from both their batters and bowlers. Chasing Pakistan’s modest total of 241, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill put on a huge show, blazing (20) and (40) respectively to give India a cracking start.
Later, Virat Kohli made light work of the chase, steering India to a comfortable win. Kohli's contribution was invaluable, powering the team to victory without breaking a sweat. Alongside him, Shreyas Iyer cracked a composed and vital knock of 56 runs off 67, providing steady support and ensuring the chase never veered off course. Together, the duo saw India through the required runs, finishing off the game in style with 45 balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, Pakistan, opting to bat first, struggled to build partnerships and were restricted to a total of 241 runs. Saud Shakeel top-scored for the Pakistani side with a gritty 62-run knock, showing some resistance in the face of mounting pressure. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan also played a crucial role, contributing with a well-made 46 runs.
However, the lack of support from the rest of the batting lineup put Pakistan at bay. However, there was a little cameo from Khushdil Shah, but that didn’t help Pakistan either. This is the second consecutive defeat for Pakistan in the ongoing Champions Trophy, having started off their campaign with a defeat against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener.
Indian bowlers, on the other hand, displayed discipline throughout the innings, with key wickets at critical moments. They kept the pressure on Pakistan, never allowing them to gain momentum, which ultimately led to their downfall. For India, Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya took three and two wickets respectively. And, Harshit Rana, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with one wicket each.