Champions Trophy 2025 qualification scenarios: How can India qualify for the semifinals after their 6-wicket win over Bangladesh?
Rohit Sharma and company made a promising start to their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday, February 20. With the win, the Men in Blue placed themselves second in the Group A points table.
India have a +0.408 net run rate (NRR) only behind New Zealand (+1.200). They are above third-placed Bangladesh and rock-bottom Pakistan. The two teams lost their opening games in the tournament and have toughened their road to the semifinals.
India made a brilliant start with the ball reducing Bangladesh to 35/5, thanks to double strikes from ace pacer Mohammed Shami and left-arm spinner Axar Patel. The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side made a tremendous fightback, thanks to a 154-run sixth wicket stand between centurion Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali, who scored 68.
Shami broke the partnership to become the fastest to 200 ODI scalps in terms of balls bowled. The 34-year-old then removed the tailenders to bag his sixth fifer. Harshit Rana also bagged three wickets as Bangladesh were bundled out for 228 in 49.4 overs.
Chasing 229, skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a flying start by sharing a 69-run stand for the first wicket. Rohit smashed 41 off 36 balls, including seven boundaries.
Gill continued his innings despite wickets falling at regular intervals. The 25-year-old smashed an unbeaten 101 off 129 balls, a knock laced with two sixes and nine boundaries, to take India over the line with 21 balls to spare. Meanwhile, KL Rahul stayed unbeaten on 41 off 47. The wicketkeeper-batter also smashed the match-winning six.
Team India favorites to qualify for 2025 Champions Trophy semifinals
With a thumping win over Bangladesh, Team India has become favorites to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinals. The Men in Blue will next lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan and New Zealand in their remaining two group matches on February 23 and March 2, respectively.
A couple of wins will ensure India’s qualification in the semifinals. The Rohit Sharma-led side will stay alive in the race to the last four even if they lose one of these two aforementioned games.
The focus will now shift to the high-octane Indo-Pak clash, where Mohammed Rizwan-led Pakistan will play a must-win game in Dubai. The Men in Green had beaten India by 180 runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. In their last meeting, India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup. They will be looking to continue their winning streak in the tournament.
Click here to check out the full IND vs BAN Champions Trophy scorecard.