India stormed into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with a dominant victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, chasing down a target of 242 in Dubai with more than seven overs to spare. This win marked India’s second consecutive triumph in the tournament after their opening victory against Bangladesh.
For Pakistan, however, the campaign has unraveled quickly. Back-to-back defeats have left them on the brink of elimination. If New Zealand beats Bangladesh, Mohammad Rizwan’s men will be officially out of contention.
So, what went wrong for Pakistan in this high-stakes clash? Here are three key reasons behind their loss:
1. A Staggering 152 Dot Balls Halted Pakistan’s Momentum
Pakistan’s batting approach lacked fluency, and the numbers tell the story—152 dot balls in a 50-over game. That’s more than 25 overs where they failed to rotate the strike. While Saud Shakeel (62) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) stitched together a 104-run stand to stabilize the innings, the lack of intent to keep the scoreboard ticking proved costly.
With boundaries hard to come by, finding gaps and pushing for singles was crucial—but Pakistan simply didn’t do it. Hardik Pandya was a key enforcer, delivering 31 dot balls in his eight overs. India’s pace attack, featuring Pandya, Harshit Rana, and Mohammed Siraj, combined for 85 dot balls, suffocating Pakistan’s innings.
2. Reckless Shot Selection from Set Batters
Pakistan’s innings had some stability after early stutters, with Shakeel and Rizwan leading the fightback. But just when they needed to push further, both batters fell to poor shot selection in quick succession, derailing their team’s progress.
Rizwan, looking well set, went for an unnecessary charge against Axar Patel in the 34th over and was clean-bowled. Shakeel followed suit in the very next over, miscuing a pull shot off Hardik Pandya straight to deep mid-wicket. This dismissal was even more frustrating given he had just survived a dropped catch by Kuldeep Yadav.
With over 14 overs left, Pakistan needed their set batters to stay longer and build partnerships. Instead, they threw their wickets away at a crucial juncture, leaving the lower order with too much to do.
3. The Kohli Factor—A Masterclass in Chase Management
Virat Kohli once again proved why he is the undisputed king of run-chases. After the early dismissal of Rohit Sharma, Kohli anchored India’s innings with a calculated approach.
First, he stitched a 69-run stand with Shubman Gill, who played a counter-attacking knock. Then, alongside Shreyas Iyer, he formed a match-winning century partnership—their seventh in ODIs. The duo played smart cricket, respecting Pakistan’s spinners, especially Abrar Ahmed, while working singles and twos to keep the scoreboard moving.
Kohli’s acceleration post-fifty was textbook. As the pressure mounted on Pakistan, he took control, finishing with his 51st ODI century and his 28th in run-chases—where he now averages a staggering 64.34.
With Kohli in his element, Pakistan’s chances faded quickly.
