India vs Pakistan, Champions Trophy 2025 Highlights: Virat Kohli's unbeaten ton powers India to six-wicket win over Pakistan in Dubai

INDIA HAVE SECURED A STRONG POSITION FOR THE SEMI-FINALS! India have earned the right to celebrate in this intense rivalry and have levelled the score at three wins each in their head-to-head encounters with Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan, on the other hand, find themselves in a precarious position, and the defending champions face a real possibility of elimination before they play their last group match.

Virat Kohli hits century

INDIA WIN BY 6 WICKETS

Virat Kohli finishes off in style. He hits Khushdil Shah for a boundary to complete his century and help India rom home in style. He takes off his helmet, raises his bat in celebration.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli. The right hander smashes the ball towards deep mid-wicket. He takes a single and runs for another one. He is into 90s now.

India need 10 runs in 51 balls

A loud LBW appeal from Salman Agha against Virat Kohli. Umpire is unmoved. Rizwan speaks to Agha and takes a review. There is a big spike on UltraEdge. It's NOT OUT.

WICKET! Shaheen Afridi removes Hardik Pandya for 8 runs. End of a brief but entertaining stay for Hardik. Down the leg from Shaheen. Pandya looks to pull but the ball kisses the gloves and keeper makes no mistake and takes an easy catch.

India 223/4, need 19 runs in 60 balls

WICKET! Khushdil Shah ends Shreyas Iyer's stay at 56. Brilliant take by Imam-ul-Haq! As Iyer steps back, Khushdil adapts his delivery accordingly. He bowls a perfect yorker, and whilst Iyer shifts towards the leg side attempting to elevate the ball through the cover region, he strikes it flat. The ball travels towards cover where Imam launches himself rightward to complete an outstanding catch.

India 214/3, need 28 runs in 67 balls

FIFTY! Shreyas Iyer brings up his half century off 63 balls. What a knock from the right hander. 21st ODI fifty for Iyer! The partnership between Virat and Iyer is now 101 runs.

India need 41 runs in 79 balls

200 comes up for India. They are favourites to win this match. Pakistan are completely on the backfoot. They lost their opening match against New Zealand in Karachi and today's defeat will completely dent their chance to qualify for the semifinals.

India need 42 runs in 82 balls

FOUR! Lovely pull shot from Virat Kohli. A bit shot from Haris Rauf. Virat Kohli pulls this towards backward square leg fence for a boundary.

India need 44 runs in 85 balls

Time for the last drinks interval, and India hold complete control of the proceedings.

Although Shubman Gill's dismissal could have shifted momentum towards Pakistan, and Abrar Ahmed maintained tight lines, his fellow bowlers couldn't sustain the pressure. A few spilled catches have further dented Pakistan's prospects. Virat Kohli appears to be back in his characteristic form after quite some time, whilst Shreyas Iyer has transformed his cautious beginning into a meaningful knock. Given India's batting depth extending to the eighth position, Pakistan appears to be in a difficult situation and requires something extraordinary to turn this around.

TimesofIndia.com in Dubai

For two matches in a row, there was slowburn in the middle-overs when India were bowling at the Dubai International Stadium. Against Bangladesh, on February 20, and during the Pakistan game today, the opposite camp seemed content by just rotating the strike when there was a heavy dose of spin. Risk percentage was very minimal in both games and it meant the Men in Blue remained wicketless for a combined 53.2 overs.

They did manage to suck momentum out of the innings on both occasions but the wickets column didn't see any additions before Hardik Pandya created that opportunity, only for Harshit Rana to make a mess of the running catch in the deep. Pandya was furious, at first, but maintained composure. Even when he was about to release the steam on multiple occasions, the all-rounder did well to keep it inside.

He almost had Mohammad Rizwan but the Pakistan skipper got a life off the last delivery of the 33rd over. The wicketkeeper-batter had been out in the middle for 76 deliveries and seemed itchy to make a move on as there were far too many dot balls during the stand with Saud Shakeel. Rizwan knew it was time to step on the gas and gave India the opening they were looking for. Axar Patel ended the long wait and Rana would have taken a sigh of relief as Rizwan was cleaned up for 46, just one delivery after that drop.

Relief followed for Pandya next over as he scalped Saud Shakeel and Pakistan lost their set pair in quick succession. They say one brings two but for India it was three as Ravindra Jadeja, too, opened his account when he knocked timber in the 37th over.

Shreyas Iyer down the track vs spin in ODIs

60 balls

150 runs

Avg 75

SR 250

4s/6s 9/14

In the last ten years, only Shubman Gill scores faster than Shreyas coming down the track against spin (50+ shots).

FOUR! Shreyas Iyer goes on backfoot and slashes the ball hard towards deep backward point for a boundary. Excellent shot from the right hander.

INDIA 172/2 in 31.1 overs, need 70 runs to win vs PAKISTAN

SIX! Shreyas Iyer dances down the track and smashes the ball over deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. That's mammoth. India are on top at the moment.

INDIA 167/2 in 30.3 overs, need 75 runs vs PAKISTAN

Khushdil to Shreyas Iyer. The right-hander plays a reverse sweep towards deep backward point and then sweeps this towards fine leg fence. Back-to-back boundaries for Virat.

INDIA 158/2 in 29.3 overs, need 84 runs vs PAKISTAN

FIFTY! Virat Kohli gets to his half century off 62 balls. Virat hits a boundary to reach his 74th ODI half-century! Contests with Pakistan consistently draw peak performances from him, and his focus has been evident since the start. The delivery lands on a good length outside off-stump, and he executes a perfect drive, sending the ball soaring over extra cover for four runs. He raises his bat to celebrate his half ton. Gautam Gambhir is clapping. Entire stadium is cheering for their hero.

FOUR! Short from Haris Rauf. Virat Kohli pulls this with full power and the ball races towards fine leg fence for a boundary.

INDIA 114/2 in 20.4 overs, need 128 runs vs PAKISTAN

WICKET! Abrar Ahmed castles Shubman Gill for 46 runs.What an extraordinary dismissal! Abrar Ahmed has produced a masterclass of spin bowling. He delivered the ball at 88 kph, floating it perfectly on a testing length towards middle and leg stump. Shubman Gill attempted to defend from the back foot, playing straight, but the ball turned sharply away, beating the outside edge and clipping the top of off stump. Gill is in complete disbelief.

INDIA 100/2 in 17.3 overs, need 142 more to win vs PAKISTAN

DRINKS!

The scoring rate has slowed down in the past four overs with fewer boundaries, yet India maintains the upper hand as Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill efficiently rotate the strike through singles. Pakistan desperately requires multiple quick wickets to shift the match dynamics. Though they have introduced spin bowlers from both ends, the Indian batsmen have handled them comfortably.

Virat Kohli ticked along to 14,000 runs in One Day International (ODI) cricket in his 299th match against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy on Sunday. The right-handed batter collected his milestone run off Haris Rauf in the 13th over of India's chase of 242 runs in the Group A fixture.

Kohli had entered the contest on 13985 runs, needing 15 runs for the big mark, from 286 innings. The 36-year-old has scored 50 centuries and 73 fifties in his ODI career.

Virat brought up the mark with a classy drive that beat the in-field and ran off to the boundary rope for a four.

The 36-year-old is second on the list of most runs for India in ODIs. The list is helmed by legendary Sachin Tendulkar who collected 18,426 runs during his 23-year career.

Tendulkar is also the highest-scorer overall in ODI cricket. The second on the list is former Sri Lanka batter Kumar Sangakkara who scored 14,234 runs during his storied 15-year career.

In the contest in Dubai, Pakistan's Saud Shakeel and skipper Mohammad Rizwan hit gritty knocks to take the tournament hosts to 241 all out.

Pakistan stuttered after the left-handed Shakeel, who hit 62, and Rizwan, who made 46, added 104 in a slow but solid third-wicket partnership.

But a late cameo by left-hander Khushdil Shah boosted the Pakistan total on a seemingly sluggish pitch.

Khushdil was the last batter out for 38 as the innings folded on 49.4 overs.

India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned figures of 3-40.

A defeat to India, who won their first match against Bangladesh, will severely dent Pakistan's chances of making the semi-finals.

Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah have bowled some tight overs. 9 runs off the last three overs. Pakistan are trying to create pressure over India. But Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli are looking solid in the middle. India CRR is 5.81 and REQ is 4.38.

INDIA 93/1 in 16 overs, need 149 runs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Virat Kohli is on fire. This shot comes off the meat of the bat. Good length and a bit wider from Haris Rauf. Kohli leans forward and sends the ball through extra cover region.

INDIA 84/1 in 13 overs, need 158 runs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Virat Kohli finds the gap and hits Haris Rauf for a boundary with a brilliant cover drive.

14000 ODI runs for VIRAT KOHLI

INDIA 77/1 in 12.3 overs, need 165 runs vs PAKISTAN

Shaheen's initial bowling performance demonstrated maximum swing during the Powerplay phase of CT 2025. Despite generating significant movement, his spell proved costly, conceding 40 runs in five overs, making it the most expensive opening spell of the competition.

DROPPED!

Haris Rauf to Shubman Gill. Short from Rauf. Shubman pulls this hard. Khushdil Shah has dropped a catch at mid wicket. Big big chance for Pakistan and they have missed out on this.

First change in the bowling. Haris Rauf comes into the attack. Can he get another success here?

10 overs gone!

Shubman Gill is looking solid with 35 off 35 balls with a lot of support from Virat Kohli at the other end.

INDIA 64/1 in 10 overs, need 178 runs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Shaheen Afridi to Shubman Gill. The Indian vice captain dances down the track and hammers this over Shaheen's head. One bounce and a boundary. Superb shot from the right hander. Another expensive over from Shaheen. 14 runs off his over.

INDIA 63/1 in 9 overs, need 179 more to win

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Sunday reached a significant milestone, claiming his 200th international wicket across formats. He achieved this feat during India's crucial ICC Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan in Dubai.

Known for his explosive batting and effective seam bowling, Hardik has been a vital asset for India across all formats. He was at his best during the match, delivering an impressive spell of 2/31 in eight overs at an economy rate of 3.87. He dismissed Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, who was in attacking form, and later removed a well-set Saud Shakeel, who had reached a half-century.

In 216 international matches, Hardik has taken 200 wickets at an average of 30.76, with his best figures being 5/28 — his only five-wicket haul in international cricket. He currently ranks as the 24th-highest wicket-taker in Indian cricket history.

In 11 Tests, he has taken 17 wickets at an average of 31.05, with a best of 5/28. His ODI record includes 89 wickets in 91 matches at an average of 35.26, with best figures of 4/24.

In T20Is, Hardik has claimed 94 wickets in 114 games at an average of 26.43, with a best of 4/16.

Hardik continues to shine against Pakistan in ODIs, now boasting 10 wickets at an average of 24.60, with his best figures of 2/31 coming in this high-stakes encounter.

On the match front, Saud Shakeel and skipper Mohammad Rizwan played gritty knocks to help Pakistan reach 241 all out against arch-rivals India.

Pakistan, the defending champions, opted to bat first in this must-win encounter after losing to New Zealand in their tournament opener. A defeat against India, who started with a win over Bangladesh, would severely dent their semi-final hopes.

After an early wobble, left-hander Shakeel (62) and Rizwan (46) steadied the innings with a slow but solid 104-run partnership for the third wicket. However, their dismissals triggered another collapse before a late cameo from Khushdil Shah (38) provided a much-needed boost on a sluggish pitch.

Pakistan's innings wrapped up in 49.4 overs, with India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav shining with figures of 3/40.

50 comes up for India in 8.1 overs. He plays Shaheen Afridi towards backward square leg. He takes a single and then runs for another one. It was so close. A direct and he would have been gone. Brilliant running between the wickets by Kohli and Gill.

INDIA 53/1 in 8.1 overs, need 189 runs vs PAKISTAN

Shubman Gill hits Shaheen Afridi for three boundaries in the over. 14 runs off the Pakistan pacer's over. Superb batting from Gill.

INDIA 46/1 in 7 overs, need 196 runs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Shubman Gill plays this magnificently. He sends Shaheen Afridi straight down the ground for a boundary. Elegant shot from the India's vice captain.

INDIA 42/1 in 6.4 overs vs PAKISTAN

Did you hear the noise? Team India superstar Virat Kohli is making his way to the middle. Crowd erupts in joy as Kohli arrives. Electric atmosphere in Dubai.

WICKET! Shaheen Afridi strikes, Rohit Sharma falls for 20 runs. At last, Shaheen delivers the perfect ball, proving to be Rohit's undoing once again! A precise inswinging yorker at the base of the stumps, curling towards middle. Rohit Sharma fails to bring his bat down quickly enough, and the ball strikes the stumps in an instant.

FOUR! Rohit Sharma dances down the track and slams it over wide mid-off for a boundary. India openers are off to a solid start. That's the kind of start India wanted against the arch-rivals Pakistan. Rohit is doing what he always does.

INDIA 26/0 in 4 overs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Shaheen Shah Afridi tries to bowl a yorker but ends up bowling a full toss. Gill punches it through cover point for a boundary. Cracking shot from the India's vice captain.

INDIA 20/0 in 3 overs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Shaheen Afridi to Shubman Gill. The right hander gets an inside edge and the ball goes towards fine leg fence. The ball trickles past leg stump. Shaheen has a big smile on his face. Lucky Gill.

INDIA 16/0 in 2.2 overs vs PAKISTAN

SIX! That's a typical Rohit Sharma shot. He goes for a 81m biggie, smashes Naseem Shah over backward square leg. Crowd loving it.

INDIA 12/0 in 1.4 overs vs PAKISTAN

FOUR! Naseem Shah to Rohit. The Indian skipper steps out an tries to hammer. He gets a leading edge and the ball goes over first slip. One bounce and a boundary.

What a start from Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi started with a yorker and then bowled short of a length and good length. Superb bowling from him. Just 2 runs off his over.

INDIA 2/0 in 1 over vs PAKISTAN

Welcome back!

India openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are in the middle. India need 242 runs to win the match. Shaheen Shah will open the attack for Pakistan.

Here we go ... !!!

Virat Kohli broke the tie with Mohammad Azharuddin and is now the Indian player with most catches in ODI cricket. The 36-year-old reached 158 catches in 50-over matches in his 299th ODI match, playing against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy on Sunday.

Kohli reached the milestone in the 47th over of the Pakistan innings, who had decided to bat after winning the toss in Dubai. With Naseem Shah on strike, Kuldeep Yadav forced him to play an uppish drive which went flying to Kohli at long-on who slid forward and completed the catch with ease.

Virat then ticked his tally along further with the catch of Khushdil Shah, the last wicket to fall for Pakistan, who finished on 241 runs. Shah's slog sweep went towards deep mid-wicket where Kohli was a safe pair of hands.

Azharuddin had taken 334 matches for his 156 catches in ODI cricket. Among the current players, Rohit Sharma is next up with only 96 catches in 270 matches.

Kohli is third in the list of most catches as a fielder in ODIs. Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for most catches in the 50-over format with 218 of them. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has the second-most with 160 wickets. Kohli, thus, has moved within two of the ex-Aussie batter.

Most catches by a fielder for India in ODIs

Virat Kohli - 158 catches
Mohammad Azharuddin - 156 catches
Sachin Tendulkar - 140 catches
Rahul Dravid - 124 catches
Suresh Raina - 102 catches

Most catches by a fielder in ODIs

Mahela Jayawardene - 218 catches
Ricky Ponting - 160 catches
Virat Kohli - 158 catches
Mohammad Azharuddin - 156 catches
Ross Taylor - 142 catches

I could have easily taken some more time there, it was not a good time to get out.

Earlier, the ball wasn't coming onto the bat that nicely. Little bit of swing as well. As the spinners came, we made some runs there. The pitch was slightly on the slower side. We have to put up a fight there. If we take early wickets, we can put pressure on them. We have to strike early.

- SAUD SHAKEEL