Star Indian batter Virat Kohli once again proved why he is the king of chases, smashing an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls to guide India to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025. However, a dramatic moment in the 42nd over saw Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi drawing criticism for what fans believed was an attempt to deny Kohli his well-deserved century.
Shaheen’s Tactics Spark Controversy
With India needing 17 runs to win and Kohli just 13 away from his ton, Shaheen started the 42nd over. After Axar Patel took a single, Kohli was on strike, but Shaheen then bowled three consecutive wides, bringing India closer to victory while reducing Kohli’s chances of reaching 100.
The crowd at the Dubai stadium booed Shaheen, suspecting an intentional ploy to deny Kohli his milestone. Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal and several fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to slam the Pakistani pacer for what they saw as poor sportsmanship.
Kohli Has the Last Laugh
Despite Shaheen’s antics, Kohli completed his century in style in the very next over, smashing a boundary off Khushdil Shah, which also turned out to be India’s winning runs.
At the post-match presentation, Kohli reflected on his innings:
“It feels good to contribute in an important game. My job was to control the middle overs against the spinners and capitalize at the end. Shreyas accelerated, which allowed me to play my natural ODI game.”
India’s Road Ahead
With two wins in two games, India has sealed a spot in the semifinals and will next face New Zealand on March 2 in Dubai to wrap up the group stage.
