Virat Kohli once again displayed his unmatched class under pressure, steering India to a commanding victory over Pakistan in their highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The modern-day batting maestro brought up his 51st ODI century in spectacular fashion, ensuring India successfully chased down Pakistan’s 241-run target with a composed and well-paced knock.
With this comprehensive win, India solidified their position at the top of Group A, while Pakistan now finds themselves in a precarious situation. A second consecutive defeat means that their semifinal hopes are hanging by a thread. Rizwan and his men must now rely on Bangladesh to defeat New Zealand on Monday, before defeating Bangladesh themselves in their final group-stage match. Even then, Pakistan’s qualification hopes will rest on net run rate calculations, making this loss even more crushing.
Virat Kohli’s Century: A masterclass in chasing under pressure
Batting with immense composure and determination, Kohli crafted a sensational unbeaten 100 off 111 deliveries, anchoring India’s chase to perfection. His innings was a perfect blend of flawless shot selection, impeccable timing, and tactical acceleration, ensuring Pakistan never had a chance to claw their way back into the contest.
The most poetic moment of the match arrived on the very last ball, when Kohli reached his century with a stunning boundary, sealing India’s victory in dramatic style. His innings featured seven elegant boundaries, each a testament to his precise footwork and unwavering focus.
Kohli was ably supported by Shreyas Iyer, who registered a crucial 50 off 63 balls. Iyer started cautiously, absorbing pressure early on, before shifting gears in the middle overs to keep India’s chase on track. The duo’s partnership was instrumental in guiding India to the finish line, ensuring there were no last-minute hiccups.
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Fastest to 14,000 ODI runs: Kohli creates yet another record
During his sensational knock, Kohli achieved yet another historic milestone, becoming the fastest batter to score 14,000 ODI runs. He accomplished this feat in just 287 innings, shattering the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar (350 innings).
Kohli also surpassed Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (378 innings), reaffirming his status as one of the most dominant run-scorers in the history of ODI cricket.
The historic moment arrived when Kohli reached 15 runs during India’s chase, marking another chapter in his illustrious career. Interestingly, Kohli had reached 13,000 ODI runs against Pakistan as well, during the Asia Cup in Colombo in September 2023, making this milestone even more special.
Pakistan’s batting struggles: Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya lead India’s bowling attack
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s batting faltered yet again, as they were bowled out for 241, despite being in a promising position at one stage. Saud Shakeel top-scored with a resilient 62 off 76 balls, while skipper Mohammad Rizwan labored to 46 off 77 deliveries. The duo stitched together a 104-run partnership for the third wicket, offering Pakistan some stability after early wickets.
However, just when Pakistan looked set to accelerate, India’s bowlers struck back with precision and control. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) was the pick of the bowlers, dismantling Pakistan’s middle and lower order with his deceptive variations. All-rounder Hardik Pandya (2/31) delivered two crucial blows, dismissing both Babar Azam (23) and Shakeel, which shifted the momentum firmly in India’s favor.
Despite Khushdil Shah’s fighting knock of 38 off 39 balls, Pakistan failed to gain any real momentum towards the death overs, ultimately setting a below-par total of 241, which India chased down comfortably. With two wins in two games, India has virtually sealed their place in the semifinals, while Pakistan now stares at an early exit, needing a miracle to stay alive in the tournament.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Over the last 15 years, I have often rooted for Virat Kohli to get a century. Rarely has he deserved one more than today and rarely have I been as emotionally invested in watching him score it! Congrats, @imViratKohli! pic.twitter.com/Oi83RYMJmt
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 23, 2025
Match winning 💯 from Virat Kohli 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 23, 2025
On a tough pitch Virat kohli does it again.. loves batting against Pakistan.. great player, great ambassador. #INDvsPAK
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 23, 2025
💯 Century Numero. 8️⃣2️⃣ for King Virat Kohli. 👑
📸: Star Sports | #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #CT2025 #PAKvIND pic.twitter.com/2IB1UtKfio
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 23, 2025
What a match! Congratulations to Team India on a fantastic victory! A special commendation to @imVkohli for that brilliant century! Wishing the team all the best for the rest of the tournament. Keep the momentum going, boys! 🇮🇳 @BCCI #INDvsPAK #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/1LKQzHMqFV
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) February 23, 2025
Cometh the hour cometh the King! Well played @imVkohli 👏🏻 #INDvPAK #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/yQZDWa7JzM
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 23, 2025
Century by the GOAT @imVkohli . Congratulations Indiaaaaaaa 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 🔥🔥🔥#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/c61ZBWRoD9
— Wazhma Ayoubi 🇦🇫 (@WazhmaAyoubi) February 23, 2025
No record too big for @imVkohli👑#ChampionsTrophy #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/h4kQOZPLbT
— Mayank Agarwal (@mayankcricket) February 23, 2025
What a player @imVkohli
What a win for India#ViratKohli@BCCI #INDvsPAK #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/SSA8nVpr51— Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) February 23, 2025
Well Played, Team Bharat! 🇮🇳
ICC चैंपियंस ट्रॉफी के एकदिवसीय मैच में भारत की पाकिस्तान पर शानदार जीत पर हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं!@imVkohli को शानदार शतकीय पारी के लिए हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं। युवा खिलाड़ियों का जोश, आत्मविश्वास और उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन हर भारतीय के लिए गर्व… pic.twitter.com/Jj6hwOVP9U
— Ravi Kishan (@ravikishann) February 23, 2025
India triumphs yet again! 🇮🇳
A thrilling six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025 brings us one step closer to the semi-finals! 🏏
Hats off to @imVkohli for his breathtaking century 💯, a true masterclass in resilience and skill. The Men in Blue continue to… pic.twitter.com/VgeuNjmjOg
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) February 23, 2025
