Thu Feb 20 17:12:48 UTC 2025: ## India Triumphs Over Bangladesh in Champions Trophy Opener
**Dubai, UAE:** India launched their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a resounding victory over Bangladesh in the tournament’s second match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India chased down Bangladesh’s 228 with relative ease, winning by 6 wickets with 3.3 overs to spare.
Mohammed Shami spearheaded India’s win, taking a remarkable five-wicket haul to dismantle the Bangladesh batting line-up. The Indian chase was anchored by Shubman Gill’s stunning century (101* off 125 balls, including 9 fours and 2 sixes), his first in an ICC tournament. Gill shared an unbroken match-winning partnership with KL Rahul (41*), who also contributed significantly to the victory. Rohit Sharma added a quick-fire 41 off 36 balls, while Virat Kohli managed only 22 runs.
Despite a spirited performance from Bangladesh, their total proved insufficient against India’s strong batting lineup and disciplined bowling attack. The victory is a significant boost for India, who had suffered narrow defeats to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup and a preceding ODI series. This time, however, India’s experience and superior performance proved decisive. India’s likely playing eleven featured three spinners – Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel – alongside pacers Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh, with Hardik Pandya providing all-round support. Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, offered stiff competition but ultimately fell short. The win sets the stage for an exciting Champions Trophy campaign for the Indian team.
First Piper 