Key Points:
- India defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai.
- Mohammed Shami shone with a five-wicket haul, becoming the fastest Indian to reach 200 ODI wickets.
- Vice-captain Shubman Gill anchored the chase with an unbeaten century, his eighth in ODIs and first in an ICC tournament.
- Bangladesh, after a disastrous start at 35/5, managed to post 228 thanks to Towhid Hridoy’s fighting century.
- India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in their next Group A match on February 23.
Dubai: The Indian cricket team began their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on a high note, defeating Bangladesh by six wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. This Group A fixture saw standout performances from Mohammed Shami and Shubman Gill, who played pivotal roles in securing India’s victory.
Bangladesh’s Struggle with the Bat
Winning the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat first but found themselves in deep trouble early on. Mohammed Shami struck in the very first over, dismissing opener Soumya Sarkar. His fiery spell dismantled Bangladesh’s top order as they slumped to 35/5 within nine overs. Axar Patel also contributed with crucial breakthroughs, nearly achieving a hat-trick.
Towhid Hridoy (100 off 118 balls) and Jaker Ali (68 off 114 balls) staged a remarkable recovery with a record sixth-wicket partnership of 154 runs. Hridoy battled cramps throughout his innings but managed to bring up his maiden ODI century. However, Shami returned in the death overs to clean up the tail, finishing with figures of 5/53 in his 10 overs. Harshit Rana provided solid support with three wickets as Bangladesh were bowled out for 228 in 49.4 overs.
Shami’s Record-Breaking Feat
Mohammed Shami’s stellar performance not only helped India restrict Bangladesh but also earned him a place in the record books. The veteran pacer became the fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets, surpassing Zaheer Khan as India’s highest wicket-taker in ICC tournaments.
India’s Chase Anchored by Gill
Chasing a target of 229, India got off to a brisk start with skipper Rohit Sharma (41 off 36 balls) and Shubman Gill adding 69 runs for the first wicket. Rohit’s aggressive knock saw him surpass the milestone of 11,000 ODI runs, becoming the second-fastest Indian to achieve this feat after Virat Kohli.
After Rohit’s dismissal, scoring became difficult on the sluggish pitch. Virat Kohli (19) and Shreyas Iyer (15) struggled to find rhythm against Bangladesh’s spinners. However, Shubman Gill held his ground, showcasing immense composure and adaptability. His unbeaten knock of 101 off 129 balls included nine boundaries and two sixes.
Gill found an able partner in KL Rahul (41* off 47 balls), who joined him at a critical juncture when India was at 144/4. The duo stitched an unbeaten partnership of 87 runs for the fifth wicket, guiding India to victory with 3 balls remaining in the 46th over.
Key Performances:
- Shubman Gill: Scored his slowest ODI hundred (101*), anchoring India’s chase under challenging conditions.
- Mohammed Shami: Took five wickets for 53 runs, becoming the fastest Indian to reach 200 ODI wickets.
- Towhid Hridoy: Rescued Bangladesh with a valiant century despite battling cramps.
- KL Rahul: Played a crucial supporting role with an unbeaten knock of 41.
Looking Ahead
India’s win places them in a strong position in Group A alongside New Zealand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Their next match is against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23 at the same venue in Dubai—a highly anticipated clash that could determine group standings.
For now, India can celebrate their dominant start to the tournament while addressing areas for improvement, particularly middle-order stability and fielding lapses that allowed Bangladesh to recover from a dire position.
This victory not only sets the tone for India’s campaign but also reaffirms their status as tournament favorites.
