Vidushi Gaur/ New Delhi

In a thrilling encounter at the Champions Trophy, India won over Pakistan, chasing down a target of 242 runs with six wickets in hand. The match, held at the Dubai International Stadium, saw a brilliant century from Virat Kohli and a solid innings from Shubman Gill, sealing a dominant victory for India.

Pakistan, electing to bat first after winning the toss, struggled to put together a substantial total. Despite a steady knock of 62 runs from Saud Shakeel and a valuable contribution of 46 runs from captain Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s batting collapsed under pressure. The team was bowled out for just 241 runs in 50 overs.

Kuldeep Yadav was the star with the ball for India, taking three wickets and stifling Pakistan’s middle-order. Hardik Pandya also impressed with two crucial wickets, limiting Pakistan's potential for a late surge.

Chasing 242, India’s openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were aggressive from the outset, aware that Pakistan’s bowlers would become more dangerous as the ball aged. Rohit played a few fine strokes before being clean bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for 20 runs, with Pakistan’s bowlers continuing their attacking approach.

Enter Virat Kohli. The Indian captain’s composed knock was the backbone of India’s chase. Kohli not only anchored the innings but also reached a remarkable personal milestone, completing 14,000 runs in ODI cricket — a feat achieved by only two other players in history. Alongside Kohli, Shubman Gill played a solid knock of 46 runs before being dismissed by Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

The pair shared a 69-run partnership for the second wicket, with Kohli and Gill handling the Pakistani attack with finesse. Despite a fielding mishap from Khushdil Shah, who dropped an easy catch off Gill, the Indian duo remained unshaken.

Kohli’s century, coming in just 85 balls, helped India reach the target comfortably in the 44th over. Shreyas Iyer also played his part, contributing a steady 56 runs to help finish the chase with ease.

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With this victory, India have once again shown their dominance over Pakistan in ICC tournaments, maintaining their undefeated record against their rivals in the Champions Trophy.