Virat Kohli hit a composed unbeaten century as India beat Pakistan by five wickets which put them on the cusp of reaching the Champions Trophy semi-finals and left their opponents on the brink of elimination.
Pakistan mustered a rather unthreatening total of 241 after they won the toss and batted first, lacking power, intent and belief against a disciplined India attack.
Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan top scored with 62 and 46 respectively, but they fashioned them off a rather ponderous 76 and 77 balls each.
Khushdil Shah boosted the total with a late cameo – whacking 38 off 39 balls – but Pakistan’s total felt light at a ground where the average first-innings winning score in one-day internationals is 258.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav finished the pick of India’s bowlers with 3-40 while Hardik Pandya’s economical eight overs brought him 2-31.
Pakistan’s hopes flickered when a brutal yorker from left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi swung into India captain Rohit Sharma’s middle stump in the fifth over.
However, from that point it was a relative cakewalk for India as Kohli guided them to the target with his usual elan.
Abrar Ahmed produced a fizzing leg-break to dismiss Shubman Gill for 46 with a beauty although it only staved off the inevitable.
Shreyas Iyer made an enterprising 56 but the day belonged to Kohli as his hundred off 111 balls, featuring seven fours, guided India home with 45 balls to spare.
Ever the showman, Kohli gave the crowd at the Dubai International Stadium a signature moment as he reached three figures in the process of wrapping up the win.
With two runs left for victory, and Kohli on 98, the 36-year-old thrashed a powerful drive off Khushdil Shah through extra cover for four to send the India fans wild.
India have two victories from their opening two group matches and sit top of Group A while Pakistan have lost both and are at the foot of the table.
Should New Zealand beat Bangladesh on Monday then India’s place in the knockout phase will be assured along with the Kiwis, and Pakistan will be out.
