Rohit Sharma Praises Team Effort After India’s Victory Over Pakistan in Champions Trophy 2025

India registered a dominant six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, maintaining their unbeaten streak in the tournament. Captain Rohit Sharma expressed his delight at the team’s all-round performance, crediting both the bowlers and batsmen for executing their plans effectively.

While this win strengthens India’s semi-final chances, qualification is not yet confirmed, as they still have one more group-stage match remaining.

Rohit Sharma Lauds Bowlers for Restricting Pakistan

Pakistan, after opting to bat first, struggled against India’s disciplined bowling attack, managing only 241 runs in their innings. Rohit Sharma praised the bowlers, particularly the spinners, for keeping Pakistan’s batters under pressure.

Rohit Sharma at the Post-Match Presentation:

“The way we started with the ball was superb. We knew it gets slightly better to bat under lights. We backed our experience to get the runs.”

 Bowlers Who Made an Impact:

Kuldeep Yadav: 3 wickets, controlled middle overs

 Axar Patel & Ravindra Jadeja: Tight spells, broke key partnerships

Hardik Pandya, Shami & Harshit Rana: Crucial breakthroughs

Rohit also highlighted how Pakistan’s partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel had the potential to take the game away, but India’s bowlers didn’t allow the game to drift.

“They stitched a very good partnership – Rizwan and Shakeel. It was important not to let the game drift away. Credit goes to guys like Axar, Kuldeep, and Jadeja.”

 India’s Chase: Kohli & Shreyas Shine Under Pressure

India’s chase was anchored by Virat Kohli’s magnificent century (100)* and Shreyas Iyer’s composed 56, ensuring a smooth run chase in 42.3 overs. Rohit was full of praise for Kohli’s match-winning knock.

“(On Kohli) He loves representing the country. He wants to be out there. We’ve seen it with him over the years. People in the dressing room are not surprised.”

Rohit himself got a start but was dismissed early by Shaheen Afridi, which briefly put India under pressure. However, Kohli and Iyer absorbed the pressure brilliantly and guided the team home.

 India Still Not Qualified: What’s Next?

Despite back-to-back wins, India has not officially qualified for the semi-finals yet. Their final group-stage match against New Zealand on March 2 will determine their fate.

India’s Qualification Scenarios:

If India beats New Zealand, they will finish at the top of Group A and qualify directly.

If India loses, their semi-final spot will depend on Net Run Rate (NRR) and other match results.

Group A Standings After IND vs PAK:

Team     Matches              Wins      Losses   Points   NRR

India      2              2              0              4              +0.647

New Zealand      1              1              0              2              +1.200

Bangladesh         1              0              1              0              -0.408

Pakistan               2              0              2              0              -1.087

Next Match for India:  IND vs NZ – March 2, 2025

Rohit’s Final Thoughts: Keeping Focus on the Next Match

Rohit Sharma acknowledged that India has performed well so far, but stressed the importance of staying focused for the final group-stage match.

“We’ve played a lot together in this format. It can be quite tricky at times. Axar and Kuldeep stepped up today. We need to keep the momentum going.”

India will now shift their focus to New Zealand, a team that has troubled them in past ICC tournaments.

Can India seal a spot in the semi-finals by defeating New Zealand? Stay tuned for all the latest updates!

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