IND vs PAK: Kohli breaking Tendulkar's record, Kuldeep's twin-strike and other key moments from India’s victory

Team India virtually confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets in Dubai on Sunday. Virat Kohli led the way with an unbeaten 100 as India chased down a target of 242 set by the Men in Green with six wickets and plenty of overs to spare.

The Men in Blue were strong favourites heading into Sunday’s clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, having beaten Bangladesh, also by six wickets, on Thursday. The Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan team, on the other hand, began their title defence with a 60-run defeat against New Zealand .

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Team India did live up to their favourites billing in the end with an all-round display while Pakistan find themselves on the verge of bowing out of the tournament that happens to be the first global event taking place in their backyard in nearly 30 years.

Before we turn our attention to Monday’s Group A fixture between New Zealand and Bangladesh, which could decide Pakistan’s chances of making it to the semi-finals that currently hang by a thread, we take a look at some of the key moments from Sunday’s blockbuster contest.

Shakeel-Rizwan stand gives Pakistan hope of a challenging score

Pakistan found themselves on the back-foot after a positive start by Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq – who had been drafted in as a last-minute replacement for the injured Fakhar Zaman – with both openers departing in a space of six deliveries.

Skipper Rizwan and No 3 batter Saud Shakeel, however, steadied the Pakistani innings with a solid third-wicket partnership that was worth 104. Shakeel would go on to bring up his half-century in 63 deliveries. The Men in Green had reached 150 at the end of the 33rd over and though the prospect of 300 still looked tough, they could have posted a score in the range of 270-280 with an acceleration in the last 10 overs.

Kuldeep strikes twice in two balls

Rizwan was on the verge of bringing up his 16th ODI half-century when an attempt to skip down the track and smash Axar Patel down the ground ended with him missing the ball completely and hearing the death rattle behind him. From thereon, it was India all the way in the remainder of the innings as Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and could not get the attacking partnership that could have steered them towards the ideal score for that surface.

Axar was involved in the next dismissal as well, this time in the capacity of a fielder as Saud Shakeel fell for 62 while attempting to pull seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Tayyab Tahir was then castled by Ravindra Jadeja shortly after. And just when a partnership was starting to form between Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav struck twice in as many balls – dismissing Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Had it not been for some handy runs scored by Khushdil as well as by Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, Pakistan might have been shot out for less than the 228 that Bangladesh had managed the other day.

Afridi, Abrar strike with near unplayable deliveries

Skipper Rohit Sharma was off to a fiery start for the second time in as many outings and was hopeful of bringing up his half-century after playing some delightful shots - including a pick-up shot off Naseem that went for a six over backward square leg.

Rohit, however, has been susceptible to left-arm pace in the past, including and especially against Afridi. And though the speedster was off to an expensive start in the powerplay, he roared back with a searing yorker that was too good even for a well-set, in-form Rohit .

Afridi’s yorker, however, had some competition from a beauty bowled by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed to Shubman Gill that pitched on a length along middle and clipped the bail on the off and middle stumps, beating the opener’s bat completely and leaving him with a stupefied expression.

Kohli eclipses yet another of Tendulkar’s records

After Gill’s heroics against Bangladesh on Thursday, it was Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli’s turn to shine with willow on Sunday as he aced yet another chase and dished out yet another century against Pakistan – a team against whom he has produced some of the most memorable knocks of his career across formats.

There were two standout moments during Kohli’s knock and both came in the form of boundaries towards extra cover. The first one, off Rauf’s bowling in the 13th over, helped him complete 14,000 ODI runs – making him only the third batter to achieve the elusive feat as well as the fastest, breaking the record set by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in the process.

The other, off Khushdil in the third delivery of the 43rd over, helped him seal India’s triumph and also helped him complete his 51st ODI century.