Sun Feb 23 17:40:21 UTC 2025: ## India Crushes Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Hopes in Dominant Victory

**Dubai, UAE** – India dealt a near-fatal blow to Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 aspirations on Sunday, securing a comprehensive six-wicket victory in a Group A clash in Dubai. Virat Kohli’s masterful century (100* off 111) spearheaded India’s chase, comfortably surpassing Pakistan’s 241.

Pakistan, already reeling from a previous defeat to New Zealand, struggled throughout the match. Saud Shakeel (62) and captain Mohammad Rizwan (46) offered some resistance, but India’s bowling attack, featuring Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) and Hardik Pandya (2/31), kept Pakistan’s total in check. Babar Azam’s early dismissal for 23 further hampered their efforts.

While India’s chase was largely smooth, thanks to contributions from Shubman Gill (46) and Shreyas Iyer (56), Rohit Sharma’s brief but explosive cameo (20) ended with a stunning delivery from Shaheen Afridi.

The victory places India firmly on the path to the semi-finals with two wins from two matches. Pakistan, however, faces a daunting task. Their hopes now hinge on winning their final group match against Bangladesh and relying on other results to improve their net run rate, potentially squeezing into the semi-finals if New Zealand loses their remaining matches. A narrow path remains, but Pakistan’s chances of progressing are critically diminished.

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