Virat Kohli was the star for India as they defeated Pakistan by 6 wickets in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 encounter in Dubai on February 23. With this win, and as a result of New Zealand defeating Bangladesh, India has qualified for the semi-final of the tournament as well.
Virat Kohli scored an amazing 100* in 111 balls with 7 fours as India chased down 241 runs against Pakistan with ease. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav’s 3 and Hardik Pandya’s 2 wickets kept Pakistan to 241 runs in Dubai, despite a fifty by Saud Shakeel.
In response, Shubman Gill made 46 and Shreyas Iyer made 56 runs, but it was Virat Kohli, who kept the Indian innings together and took the side past the finishing line.
Meanwhile, his coach Rajkumar Sharma was in midst of an interview, when he had to excuse himself to take a call. On returning to the video, Rajkumar Sharma revealed to the interviewer that it was Virat Kohli who called him.
Rajkumar Sharma was in the middle of a live interview when his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he said, "Usi ka phone hai (He is calling)."
Already overflowing with happiness, Rajkumar halted the interview and slipped out of sight to speak to his ward. His smile widened upon his return.
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"I congratulated him. You feel really happy during these times," he told Rohit Juglan after resuming the interview.
"Ab to nahi poochhoge ki Virat form mein nahi hai?" (I hope, you won't ask me that Virat is not in form)," Sharma, who was in Dubai to watch Kohli play, told 'PTI Videos'.
Sharma maintained that Kohli has never been out of form.
"He has been a big match player as I have always said and that is what he has proved today. He has always performed well against tough opposition. He has been doing this for the last so many years. He is a guy who has won most matches for the country," he added.
This was Kohli’s 51st ODI hundred, 82nd hundred in international cricket and Kohli also went past 14,000 runs in ODI cricket and now only trails Kumar Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar.
"Apart from 51st ODI & 82nd overall hundred, he has completed 14,000 ODI runs as well. It is a big achievement and I am proud of him that he has made the whole country proud. We are all happy that he has given happiness to the whole country," he remarked.
When asked what he would advise him to do from here on to clinch the Champions Trophy, the coach said: "Look, he is such an experienced guy. He has played for so long and he knows what is right and what needs to be done and his role in the team and he has been delivering. He knows his role in the team."
