KEY POINTS
- India comfortably chased Pakistan’s 242-run target in 43 overs.
- Pakistan’s innings lacked momentum, with slow scoring and 25 overs of dot balls.
- Dropped catches and one-dimensional bowling allowed India’s batters to dominate.
- Pakistan’s semi-final hopes depend on Bangladesh beating New Zealand, followed by Pakistan’s victory over Bangladesh and an Indian win against New Zealand.
ISLAMABAD: India secured a dominant victory over Pakistan in yet another ICC tournament clash, comfortably chasing down a 242-run target in just 43 overs with four wickets down.
Virat Kohli once again proved instrumental, notching his career’s 51st ODI century—his fourth against Pakistan.
Back-to-back defeats have put Pakistan in a precarious position, with the risk of an early exit now overshadowing their chances of qualification.
Their fate hinges on the crucial New Zealand vs. Bangladesh match in Rawalpindi on February 24.
Below par total against quality side
Pakistani skipper Muhammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first. The openers started cautiously but both departed before the powerplay ended, and the following batters played slowly to avoid losing wickets.
As a result, the scoring rate dipped, with Pakistan reaching just 100 runs after 25 overs.
Set batters Rizwan (46 off 77) and Saud Shakeel (62 off 76) spent valuable time at the crease but failed to capitalize when acceleration was needed.
Their dismissals triggered a collapse, as Pakistan crumbled from a promising 151-2 to a concerning 200-7.
A late fightback from Khushdil, along with the tailenders, pushed the total to 241, but it remained below par on a pitch that demanded aggression and skill, especially against a disciplined spin attack.
Pakistan’s inning was marred by 25 overs of dot balls, with their first six coming as late as the 41st over.
The final five wickets fell for just 58 runs, leaving the team with a suboptimal total in a high-stakes match.
One-dimensional bowling & costly dropped catches
Rohit Sharma remains a formidable threat in ODIs, especially with his ability to accelerate early.
He took on both Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah aggressively, but a well-executed swinging yorker from Shaheen eventually sent him back.
However, Pakistan missed crucial opportunities when Shaheen induced edges from both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli—chances that the fielders failed to grasp.
Shaheen, in search of in-swinging deliveries and late-moving yorkers, ended up bowling a predictable and one-dimensional spell.
This allowed the in-form Gill to capitalize, striking consecutive boundaries and releasing built pressure.
Haris Rauf’s arrival did little to change Pakistan’s fortunes, as two more catches—off Gill and Kohli—were put down.
Later, another opportunity to dismiss Shreyas Iyer off Rauf’s bowling also went begging.
Meanwhile, the Indian batters rotated the strike efficiently, turning singles into doubles, finding boundaries regularly and ensuring they never came under pressure.
The experienced duo of Kohli and Iyer built a composed 114-run partnership to take the game away.
Iyer contributed a steady 56 off 67 balls, while Kohli anchored the chase, reaching his century and sealing the win for India in the 43rd over.
Pakistan’s Semi-Final Qualification Scenario
Back-to-back defeats in a short tournament like the Champions Trophy leave little room for error.
However, Pakistan still has a slim chance to qualify for the semi-finals—though it hinges on several favourable results.
For Pakistan to stay in contention, Bangladesh must defeat New Zealand tomorrow—an outcome that seems highly unlikely on paper.
But even if that happens, three more conditions must be met:
- Pakistan must defeat Bangladesh convincingly.
- India must beat New Zealand.
- Pakistan’s net run rate must remain higher than both Bangladesh and New Zealand.
It’s a long shot, but Pakistan cricket is no stranger to dramatic turnarounds. The team defied the odds in the T20 World Cup 2022, reaching the final despite an early loss to Zimbabwe—thanks in part to the Netherlands, who pulled off a shocking win against South Africa to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive. Whether history repeats itself remains to be seen.
