India vs Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy: Kohli shuts down 'noise' with landmark century

Dubai: A high-stakes India-Pakistan clash, and a chase tailor-made for Virat Kohli. The pressure was immense, the stadium packed, and the target set. India needed a steady hand, and Kohli delivered in style. From the moment he walked in, he owned the stage, threading cover drives through the gaps and dictating the chase with surgical precision. When he sealed the win with a boundary to bring up his 51st One-Day International century, and become the fastest to cross 14,000 runs in One-Day Internationals, there was no doubt — King Kohli was back. He is behind Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara in the elite list.

India didn’t get the ideal start against a potent Pakistan attack, but Kohli’s presence ensured there was no panic. From the first ball, he looked in complete control, piercing gaps with his trademark cover drives and keeping the scoreboard ticking. At no point did he seem troubled, and when he reached his milestone — a century that also sealed India’s victory — the celebrations in the stands made one thing clear: the chase master had done it again.

“It feels good to bat in that manner in an important game. My job was clear — to control the middle overs, not take risks against spinners, and take on the pacers. I was happy with the template; it’s how I play in ODIs,” Kohli told the official broadcasters after receiving the Player of the Match award.

“I have a decent understanding of my game. It’s about keeping the outside noise away, taking care of my energy levels and thoughts. It’s easy to get pulled into expectations and the frenzy around games like these. When you put your head down and go about your work, things work out. Clarity is important.”

Before the match, former Indian greats Sanjay Manjrekar and Anil Kumble had advised Kohli to relax, enjoy his game, and not overcomplicate things. He did exactly that. Coming in after Rohit Sharma fell to a beauty from Shaheen Shah Afridi, Kohli looked assured from ball one.

His footwork was precise, his cover drives effortless — a stark contrast to his previous outing against Bangladesh. The wicket was different, but Pakistan’s bowlers never troubled him. His champion qualities were on display not just with the bat, but also in his sportsmanship, as he congratulated Abrar Ahmed on an impressive spell.

Chasing a modest target on a slow pitch, Kohli anchored the innings, showcasing his mettle against a quality Pakistan attack determined to stay in the contest.

The same venue where he scored his first T20 century during the Asia Cup in 2022 witnessed another masterclass, as he brought up his 51st ODI ton with a four to seal India’s victory. Kohli shared two crucial partnerships — 69 runs with Shubman Gill, who was bowled by a beauty from leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, and a match-winning 114-run stand with Shreyas Iyer.

“We started superbly with the ball. We knew the wicket could slow down, but we backed our experienced batters to chase 240,” Rohit Sharma said. “Virat loves representing the country and doing what he does best, which is what he did today. No one in the dressing room is surprised.”

Cautious approach Electing to bat on a surface offering pace and bounce, Pakistan never found momentum. Their cautious approach, coupled with a flurry of wickets, denied them a competitive total. While the world’s No 1 ODI team brought their A-game, Pakistan failed to produce the magic needed to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

After openers Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq fell inside the powerplay, skipper Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Saud Shakeel (62) stitched together a 104-run stand. But unlike India, both set batters failed to capitalise, and Khushdil Shah’s battling 38 was only enough to push the total to 241 before they were bowled out with two balls to spare.

India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav struck at crucial moments, while Hardik Pandya bowled an economical spell, using his variations to claim two key wickets, including the dangerous-looking Babar Azam.

Failed to capitalise “We won the toss but didn’t capitalise. We aimed for 280, but their bowlers did really well in the middle overs. When Saud and I were batting, we wanted to go deep. But our shot selection was poor, and we lost wickets, which is why we were kept to 240,” Rizwan admitted after the loss.

With this defeat, Pakistan’s semi-final hopes now hang by a thread. Their fate depends on other results, with a must-win scenario and a prayer for Bangladesh to stun New Zealand.

Kohli will likely take field against New Zealand next Sunday in their final group match for his 300th ODI since his debut in 2008.

But while Pakistan look for external lifelines, India continue their dominant march — led by a familiar force, one who thrives under pressure and delivers when it matters most.

Virat Kohli, the chase master, had spoken.