Varun Chakravarthy helps IND win by 44 runs

It was a slower wicket than what we have come against. We knew that going in. India controlled the middle phase better. Shreyas played a great knock that was finished off well by Hardik. It spun a bit more than we thought, and they squeezed us well with four quality spinners. (On Matt Henry) The key for us was getting wickets in the powerplay, and that was good to see. Our next game is in Lahore where Henry will be massive. On those wickets with some pace and bounce, we might have to play four pacers. We have to wait and see if it is a used surface.

First of all I did feel nervous in the initial stages. I have not played many matches for India in the ODI format but as the game went on I felt better. Virat, Rohit, Hardik and Pandya were talking to me and that helped. (on when he knew he was playing this game) I found out last night. I was definitely expecting to play for the country but on the other side I was nervous. It was not a rank turner, but if you bowled in the right places it was giving help. The way Kuldeep, Jaddu and Axar bowled, even the pace bowlers, it was a total team effort.

Varun Chakarvarthy picked up Santner and Matt Henry to finish his five-wicket haul, and Kuldeep Yadav came back to pick up the final wicket of William O Rourke. It has been a spin web that India has put on New Zealand. The wicket just kept getting slower and slower, and after a point, New Zealand was suffocated to an extent that they did not have a way out and crumbled under pressure. India will play Australia in the semifinal here on Tuesday, and New Zealand will play South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday. While New Zealand was the second best team in this tournament this game has shown there is a gulf between India and the rest yet again and it will take something remarkable to push them out of the tournament. We will be right back with the presentation.

Mitchell Santner is hitting a few hefty blows here in the end. It is hard, but when compared to modern T20I numbers, it is doable. But everything is up against him: the conditions and even the partners he has to bat with. But the skipper is taking the responsibility to get the job done here. Even if New Zealand won't win, if his innings can get New Zealand to about 10-15 runs close, that will scar India, especially the spinners. It will also be interesting to see what Rohit Sharma does here after those couple of overs. While pursuing with the spinners or will he bring back seamers for a spell to close out the game.

Axar Patel has bowled exceptionally well here. And he got rewarded for his efforts with the wicket of Williamson. The batter tried to come down the wicket and push one through the mid-wicket; however, he missed the ball completely as it seemed like he was beaten in the air, and KL Rahul did the rest. So with the wicket, it seems like now it is over for New Zealand. Matt Henry has walked into the middle for the Kiwis. We might just see New Zealand slog everything here as they don't need to worry about NRR either as per to bat time and get as close as possible.

Bracewell lunged forward, and the ball from Chakarvarthy hit the pad first before the bat, and he was given out. Bracewell did not review and has walked back; however,on replay, it did show the wickets were missing. It is unfortunate, but that has been how this chase gone about for New Zealand-Muddled. This is getting difficult here for New Zealand and it seems like it is going to be India who will take on Australia on Tuesday here and New Zealand might have to go back to Lahore to face South Africa. what a contrasting change that would be for the Blackcaps to deal with in terms of pitch.

The ball before the wicket, Varun Chakravarthy dragged one down, and Phillips, who picked the length of the ball pulled one behind the wicket for a six however, Chakarvarthy tossed up the following delivery and Phillips clearly did not read the length right and was trapped in front of the wicket and has to walk back. Williamson needs someone here to score at run-a-ball and every time New Zealand loses a wicket and the new batter comes in he will need 20-25 delievries to get adjusted to the pace of the surface and now we are getting to a stage with the game that New Zealand cannot afford to have that luxury. 

One thing which has been quite tricky on this wicket has been batters trying to find singles. Most of these players, be it Williamson, Rizwan, or some of the Bangladeshi players from the first game, are quite good at finding a single; however, the slowness of the wicket just seems to take away that extra zip when batters are trying to whip the ball for a single with soft hands. Even when Gill scored his ton against Bangladesh, after a certain point, it did get quite tricky, but he has had a good partnership with KL Rahul and Kohli when he got his ton he had a good partnership with Iyer and so far Williamson just does not have that partnership batters after getting their eye in have fallen.

India has turned back to Mohammed Shami here. He only bowled three overs in his opening spell but did not go for many. It seems like Rohit wants him to bowl in this stage of the game with a bit of softer ball. He tends to use the bumper quite effectively at this stage of the innings, and who could forget the havoc he created in Mumbai at the 2023 World Cup with his seven-wicket haul? It is not quite the same wicket; in fact, it is the polar opposite. The go-to deliveries for him, which might create breakthroughs, will be the slower ones and cutters which he did use with immediate effect as he came back. As we update Ravindra Jadeja picks up Tom Latham.

Kane Williamson has got to half-century. He did start with quite a nice tempo in the early phase; however, during that partnership with Daryl Mitchell, it just seemed like he did lose a bit of momentum during that passage of that play. Now that he has got to his half-century and is well adjusted to the pace of the innings it becomes imperative that he bats through. Shreyas Iyer in the first innings could not do it and Saud Shakeel in the last game could not do it. If Kane Williamson can get to his three-digit mark, New Zealand might be just there for a few overs to spare like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill could do.

Daryl Mitchell has departed here. It was a tossed up delivery, which Mitchell tried to push and missed it completely and was caught in front of the wicket. He was playing against what he naturally is used and eventually it has caused his downfall. He could have been a lot more proactive, and if a few shots had come off, maybe India would have been hoping to do something different; however, it did not happen. Tom Latham has walked into the middle and he is a good player is Tom Latham of spin but what New Zealand needs is a but of counterpunch as this innings at the moment is going nowhere from New Zealand perspective.

Both Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja have started quite well here. There is not much turn at the moment, but the surface is extremely slow, and it seems like it will get only slower and slower. Unless someone gives it their all, it will be very hard to clear the boundaries with the current pace on this surface. While Mitchell is batting well, he has the power to go downtown, and it just might be the right time in this inning to pull the trigger as it has been all too easy for Rohit Sharma. He is just going through the bowling changes without having to worry about what New Zealand might come up with everything Rohit has done New Zealand just seem to be obliging to the plan.

Kuldeep Yadav is brought into the attack here. And it might be wise for New Zealand to be a bit more proactive against either him or Ravindra Jadeja, as the overs are just slipping away quite quickly here. While Williamson is very much capable of playing the anchor role, the quick-fire knock might have to come from Mitchell here. He has faced 30 balls here if he can change the gear slightly and attack the new bowlers it might take New Zealand to a bit of ascendancy as of now the game is on the knife edge and both the teams are just waiting for either to commit a mistake. 

It is quite a fascinating passage of play. Rohit is persisting with Varun and Axar, who have bowled well here. He did not use either Kuldeep or Jadeja 19 overs into the innings. It just might be a question of who blinks first. As of now, New Zealand seem to be in no urgency to go after the bowling. They are rotating the strike nicely and waiting for the poor deliveries to come, which Axar did bowl in the last 10 minutes or so when he dragged one short to Williamson and bowled one down the leg side to Mitchell. It is the patience game in the middle at the moment proper old-fashioned ODI cricket. 

Things have come to a standstill here. The likes of Varun and Axar are going through the overs quite quickly, not giving away many runs. Daryl Mitchell, since coming in, has been quite uncertain in dealing with spinners. Usually, in Test matches, he tends to be a tad bit proactive with his batting, trying to get a few boundaries away and then settle into his innings but today it just seems like he is going to approach it this innings differently. Meanwhile, what it has done is Kane Williamson batting from the other end too seems to have lost a bit of momentum in this innings. This is the phase where India got stuck while they were batting.

Will Young was playing the ball quite late, and he was troubled a few times in the brief innings he played by Axar Patel; however, it is Chakarvarthy who had the last laugh when he picked the wicket. While playing on backfoot has its advantages, the Indian spinners are quite quicker and flatter through the air, and you are exposed chopping the ball onto the stumps and that is what happened to Young. Daryl Mitchell has walked into the middle for New Zealand. He does bat quite well against India does Mitchell hence India will be wary of his threat. However, conditions are quite different here compared to what he faced India in.

We are done with the opening Powerplay, which is 60 New Zealand 40 India. While India has picked up one wicket, New Zealand has ensured that they do not lose too many wickets in that powerplay. In fact, India has lost three wickets in the same phase in an attempt to score a few extra runs. Meanwhile, New Zealand have gone with more orthodox approach of keeping wickets in hand in the opening phase. It can get quite tricky, these chases at times. But New Zealand has the right personnel in order to do the job. As we update Varun Chakarvarthy picks up Will Young. India picks up the second wicket.

Hardik Pandya has bowled quite well here so far. Apart from the one no-ball he delivered, the rest of the spell from him has been quite good. He has the ability to swing the ball, which he developed over his career. Early on, he was predominantly hit the deck bowler and could get something move of the seam, but now he has become more skillful with both the new ball and also is quite competent at the death. It will be interesting to see how Rohit Sharma will use his pacers today. He just has two of them, and if dew does set in and starts to affect the game, he has to go back to seamers to make an impact as the deliveries from spinners just might skid on nicely for the batters. 

Kane Williamson has had a quiet tournament so far by his standards. And it is not usual that he goes on poor form for a long time. The stage is set for him today. New Zealand does not have much to chase, and the surface here suits him. It is about rotating the strike and getting the odd boundary away through the middle overs. A tempo which suits him to the dot. However, he has to execute the innings. The challenge for him will be how will he deal with the Indian spinners through the middle overs and so do his partners. This attack has got lot of variety in it, and all of these can win the match on their own on any given day. As we update, Axar Patel has come into the attack in the powerplay. And there is a bit of turn from him as he tossed one up to Williamson. There are two right-handers in the middle it is quite an attacking move from Rohit. 

Hardik Pandya bowled a no-ball early on here, and the ball went to a boundary thanks to Varun Chakarvarthy's odd-fielding effort. He tried to take the catch and missed it, and the ball ran away for a boundary. This is where India needs to be a bit careful and give their 100 percent. As we update, New Zealand lost their first wicket it was Hardik Pandya who got the wicket. Rachin Ravindra tried a square cut, the ball got the top edge, and the ball carried to third man Axar Patel, who judged it magnificently. There are times that the ball gets misjudged and goes in between the legs of the player for a boundary, with the fielder completing the dive to show for nothing, but Axar judged it well. New Zealand has lost one now. 

Mohammad Shami and Hardik Pandya have taken the new balls from either end for India. Hardik Pandya was getting some nice moments in his opening over. He did beat both Rachan and Young on the outside edge a couple of times in that opening over. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami has bowled one onto the pads of Young which he flicked away to get the innings underway. If India has to restrict New Zealand, they have to strike early. They need a couple of early wickets with the new ball so that spinners coming on later will have a platform to work with. 

We are back with the chase here. It is not a lot of runs, but the wicket is quite tricky, and the good part for India is the natural light is still on, and whatever slowness we have seen in the noon will remain for a bit longer. Once lights come in, it all depends on the dew when it sets in and the rest.

I think the way we came out there and the surface helped and put India under pressure. Very happy with the total but still need to do a big job with the bat. We talked about getting wickets and the pressure was getting us wickets. There are some ebbs and flows on this wicket and if we can put the pressure back on, that should help us.

Matt Henry has picked up five wickets in the end. He got rid of both Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya in the final over. He always seems to up his performance against India. It must be said that it has been a subpar total from India. They needed Shreyas Iyer or Axar Patel to score a big one; however, did not happen in the end. they kept losing wickets through the innings and ended up with that total. New Zealand has been stunning with their bowling plans and fielding there were moments where it seemed like India where getting away however, New Zealand with its street-smarts and clever field-sets, has pulled things back. We will be right back for the chase in the second innings do stay with us to get all the updates. 

That was an expensive over from Jamieson. Hardik Pandya seems to have just understood how to hit boundaries on this surface. He is waiting a fraction longer to execute his shots, which have extracted about 15 runs of Jamieson's over. It's a timely big over for India.

The onus is now on Hardik Pandya to take the bulk of the strike and score as many runs as possible. The Kiwi pacers are bowling nice pace-off deliveries and digging them into the surface. There were several points in this innings where it did seem like India would get to the 280-run mark; however, now them scoring 250 would seem like a huge win. However, it will need an out-of-skin bowling effort o restrict New Zealand. They have batters who are equipped to bat in chases like this. The likes of Kane Williamson, Will Young, and Tom Latham would be more comfortable on surfaces like these in the big 330-340 type of wickets. Also what this bowling effort from New Zealand has shown is it is very difficult to bat on this surface in the first innings and no matter how long or skillful are the batting orders the slowness of the pitch just sucks the momentum out of the innings. 

It will be interesting to see what options New Zealand opts to go with here in the final overs. While this side has many strengths, bowling at the death is not one of New Zealand's biggest strengths and with Trent Boult not available anymore, it might be an even difficult challenge for them. All three in the attack, Henry, Jamieson and O'Rourke, are quite skilled with the new ball in this format of the game; however, to be a complete entity they need to deliver in this phase as well. Ideally, for them, they don't need to nail that yorker; these conditions are not as demanding, but they need to get the slower ones right. As we update, Henry picks up Ravindra Jadeja. It was a slower bumper which Jadeja tried to play it through point; however, Kane Williamson fielding there dived to his left and took a stunning catch. India has now lost the seventh wicket. 

Both Hardik and Jadeja are quite experienced in these situations when it comes to finishing off the innings. While Hardik did have had some hits in the ,tournament it is the first time Jadeja has come out to middle to bat. And this surface will suit Jadeja to bat on. He is quick between the wickets, and the boundaries are quite long here, which enables to run hard between the wickets to get some runs under his belt before taking the attack on. At times in the past,, he has been found wanting when he had to come in and go after the bowling right from word go, but this is perfect. Meanwhile, Hardik needs to do differently. He is a touch player and loves the ball coming onto the bat, but today, he has to adap,t give himself some time and pick the areas of the ground to hit boundaries differently. 

The ball did seem like it turned a bit when KL Rahul tried to push the ball through covers with an angled bat however, the keeper has taken the catch of the edge. India has lost three wickets since the water break. This has been quite a nice turnaround by New Zealand. In fact, it does seem like India is getting a taste of their own medicine batting first. While they might get to 250 the bowling and captaincy of Rohit Sharma will be tested in the evening. The batting will get easier under lights, and the ball will come on better onto the bat, and that is where India has to be smart with their bowling plans. Also they have opted to rest Harshit Rana and give Varun Chakarvarthy a game He is a decent bowler on flat wickets, but this surface will test him in a different way with mediocre score to defend. 

KL Rahul needs to bat through here it is the only way India can post something of a par score on the board. Hardik Pandya has walked into the middle. While he loves to get on with the scoring, this is not the sort of wicket he needs to spend some time in the middle just to get adjusted to the pace of the wicket. This has been an inspired bowling change from Santner. he has brought in O'Rourke, and with his height and pace, he is bowling back-of-the-length deliveries in this phase of the game which is troubling the batters quite a bit. We have seen the likes of Mohammed Shami do something in the middle overs at this ground; however, he has quite different physicality to O'Rourke and he is not as quick as him but did use the tactic with a reasonable success. As we update Santner picks KL Rahul

We have reached the second water break, and India has recovered quite well in the middle phase. However, they have to finish it off strongly. They need to get 280 runs here, which will be quite a good total on this surface, but getting there will need Iyer to get a century. As we update, Iyer has fallen here. It was a short pitch delivery which Iyer tried to pull and caught at mid-wicket by Will Young. That is a poor time to lose a wicket, and most importantly, it is Iyer who has fallen. It also must be said that it was a poor shot selection from Iyer. The boundaries on this ground are massive, and the wicket is quite slow It was not the first time in this innings that he tried to pull and got himself in trouble but he tried to take it on again and again which caused his demise on the day.

While Rachin Ravindra did pick up a wicket, both Bracewell and Santner have been wicketless so far. In fact, India has managed to go after Bracewell well. They have been squeezing about six runs in an over, which is quite expensive on this wicket and given the nature of the surface. Santner did get through his fifth bowling quote as Bracewell has bowled eight, Rachin has bowled five, and he has turned back to William O Rourke now. O Rourke has bowled bouncers against Iyer, one of which Iyer mistimed, and it went high in the air but fell in no man's land. New Zealand seamers also need to try a few slower ones as this wicket will respond.

KL Rahul has walked into the middle and it is an important innings for him. It is not an easy surface; he will need some time out there in the middle to get adjusted to the pace of the surface. however, what is important is him trying and taking singles and letting Iyer get strike as well. It cannot be him facing dots and putting the pressure on Iyer. As we update, he did charge one down the track and hit Rachin Ravindra for a boundary. It is a very good timely shot. As soon as he did that, Santner removed the slip. It was a risky shot but mid-on inside the ring it was a calculated risk which did pay off.

Shreyas Iyer has scored a half-century here. It has been a lovely knock by the Indian middle-order batter. It has been his slowest half-century ever; however, that has been what the situation demanded when he came into bat, and that is what he delivered. However, the job is not done for him he needs to put on a big score for India to get to that 270-280 mark. As we update, Rachin Ravindra has picked up Axar Patel and breaks the partnership. Axar Patel tried to play one down the leg-side got the top edge and Williamson at short fine-leg took a simple catch.

It has been a while since New Zealand has picked up a wicket here, and this inning is progressing in a similar pattern to the first couple of games played here. However, two advantages India does have are that they bat way deeper than Bangladesh and Pakistan, and they also have the advantage of playing a couple of games here before today, which will allow them to have an idea of what a good total is on this surface. The wicket will get better in the evening under the lights hence, India needs to get about 270-280 runs, which might a very good score to defend on this wicket. 

The innings progression between Iyer and Axar has been somewhat similar to what happened between Rizwan and Shakeel in the previous game. It just seems to have to do with the surface here. However, what Pakistan did wrong was lose both Shakeel and Rizwan in quick succession if one of them had batted through, Pakistan would have been able to put on a better total. And today, the way things have gone for India, they too need to avoid similar mistakes. They need one of Iyer and Axar to bat through till the 45th over and preferably score a three-digit mark while batters who come in from the other end try to be a bit more proactive. 

India has changed gears since the water break. Shreyas Iyer especially has been quite brutal against O'Rourke, so much so that the seamer has been taken out of the attack from Santner. Michael Bracewell, too, has been brought into the attack here by New Zealand. Here on begins the challenge for New Zealand Both Santner and Bracewell are quite a skillful bunch; picking wickets in the middle overs of an ODI cricket requires a skill set of different sorts, especially against this Indian side who are good players of the tweakers. We also might see both Iyer and Axar pick spinners and attack them according to the matchups. 

The passage has belonged to New Zealand. We have seen India do this in this tournament with the new ball, where they managed to pick up a few early wickets in the powerplay. It just seems to be the slowness in the surface which is troubling the batters early in the noon however, we have also seen, as the innings went on, batting get somewhat easy,, especially in the middle overs. India has not been able to pick too many wickets through their finger spinners. It will be interesting to see what New Zealand will get out of this surface in this passage of the play. As of now they have bowled quite tidil,y but Indian batters have not been too keen on going after the bowling.

This has been brilliant bowling from New Zealand. They are giving absolutely nothing away. William O'Rourke, since coming into the attack, is bowling on that sport where batters are unable to get underneath. Axar Patel is trying to cut lose and change some momentum in this game, but the field set too has been so in sync with the bowling that there is not much Indians are able to do here. Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner has come into the attack from the other end and he bowled the first maiden against the Indian team in the tournament. 

Kyle Jamieson has bowled quite well today. He did get some swing from his end, and he made sure that he just kept bowling it in right areas. He has been out for a long time from injury did Jamison however, whenever he has bowled against India he has been exceptional and today has been no different either. William O'Rourke has been brought into the attack as well for his first spell. He, too, will be quite a tricky customer to deal with for India as he is tall, bowls quickly and can create some awkward deliveries for batters to deal with. And New Zealand's spinners are no mugs either. 

We are done with the first powerplay, and the phase has belonged to New Zealand. There was not much help for them however, they managed to pick three wickets in the phase. However, having said that the Kiwi bowling has been quite skillful in the passage of the play. They varied their lengths nicely, and the batters did fall for those variations. However, it is not a bad time to be tested from the Indian perspective ahead of the knockouts. The lower order did not have much of a hit through the series, and they will get tested to play longer innings. Espically the likes of Axar Patel has ample opportunity to build an innings and score 70-80.

India has lost the third wicket, and it is Virat Kohli. He tried to cut a delivery from Matt Henry, which he did. However, Glenn Phillips and Point took a brilliant catch diving to his right. It was a similar catch he took during the Pakistan game of Mohammad Rizwan. While the catch has been stunning, India has now lost three wickets in Powerplay. India has not been in a situation like this for a long time in this format of the game. Axar Patel has walked into the middle and it is important that he alongside Iyer need to build a partnership here. 

New Zealand has picked up another wicket with the new ball here. It was Rohit Sharma this time who tried to pull the ball however, it caught the toe end of the bat and went straight to the mid-wicket fielder. India has lost two wickets in the Powerplay, which has not often been the case in this format of the game. While Henry has not been getting much help, Jamison is getting lot more swing with his ball and from this end. We have seen something similar when India played against Pakistan when Shami was not getting much moment but Rana was able to extract a lot from the other end.

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Matt Henry has picked up Shubman Gill here. The ball angled back into Gill, and he missed a straight one, to be precise. Gill in full flow would have punished it for a boundary every day of the week; however, he missed it on Sunday. Credit also must go to Henry for how he mixed up his lengths in that over. He has been hitting the hard lengths, and only in that over he pitched a couple up one went towards third man, and the other one was Shubman Gill's wicket. While there is not much help for seamers this has been quite skillful bowling by Kiwi pacers thus far. 

Matt Henry started the first over in the most Matt Henry way possible. He has hit around about good length area and bowled around that off-stump channel against Rohit Sharma. There is no seam or swing moment from Henry's end hence, there were a few plays and misses, which might look like Rohit was in a bit of trouble, however, he was covering the line of the stumps, and the ball was moving away with the angle quite a bit. Kyle Jamieson has taken the other new ball from the other end. This will be one of the most difficult challenges for the Kiwi pacers as these here conditions are as dead as possible for the seamers. 

The conditions are pleasant for playing cricket. It is not that hot however, Dubai can be quite humid and demanding for fielding sides at this time of the day. On the contrary, batting will be quite tough in the noon regardless and will get better in the evening. It will be very interesting to see how India will pace their batting innings. 

I think it's the desire to be better than yesterday. He's never satisfied with what he's achieved and always wants to do more.
The pride he shows playing for India is an honor and a privilege. There are millions who dream of playing for India.
Whether it's a test match, a 50-over game, or a T20 game, representing your country is every young kid's dream and ambition. Keeping that ambition alive is key for Kohli wanting to excel in every game. 

It's not just about the runs he scores. Look at his commitment on the field—how he dives, returns the ball to the wicketkeeper or bowler, and tries to save runs for his team. That wholehearted commitment to India is crucial. That's why his evolution from a learner to almost a professor of cricket is remarkable. He's gone from student to teacher to, if I may add, the chancellor of the Indian cricket university. For younger players like Shubman Gills and Yashasvi Jaiswals, just sitting next to him and observing how he prepares is a great learning curve.

(via Star Sports)

The leg side is shorter for the right handers, and it is a longer hit down the ground. Great weather out here, it is just 24 degrees. This is a black soil pitch from Pakistan, pretty dry and will help spinners in the beginning, but later on it comes on better as the lights come on. The economy rate of the spinners are better, but pacers have picked more wickets.

Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke

We'll have a bowl first, looks like a good wicket. Want to put some pressure early and hopefully it skids on well later. We still want to win, we know we are going to be in Lahore later but first task is to do a job here, and challenge ourselves in different conditions. Daryl Mitchell comes in, Conway misses this one.

Was anyway looking to bat first, wanted to see what we could do upfront and then challenge our bowlers since we chased on both games. Approach will be very similar to the previous games, just trying to do the same things. One change for us - Harshit has been rested, Varun is playing for us. It is all about bowling in partnerships, in both games we have combined to pick 19 wickets. Our spinners have restricted them well and then the seamers have got the wickets

The second frontline seamer is yet to mark his run-up. Are India looking to play four spinners including one of Washington and Varun with Pandya being the second seamer?

Looks like the XI has been read put in the huddle. Shami is marking his run up. So he is playing

Going by the warm ups it is hard to guess if India are going to make changes to their bowling composition or not. Everyone is having a bowl on the practice pitches.

Michael Bracewell missed out on the 2023 ODI World Cup with an injury but is among the ranks and leads the spin charts with five scalps. Moreover, Bracewell has sent down a chunk of dot balls, making up more than 70 percent of his entire bowling in the tournament.

The Dubai pitch has not been as batter-friendly as some of the Pakistan pitches. Especially once the ball has gotten older and softer batting has become difficult against the tweakers and seamers who could execute the slower balls skillfully. Hence teams batting first would have to maintain the right balance between attack and defence and construct the innings accordingly which both Bangladesh and Pakistan have failed when they played in Dubai and batted first.

Virat Kohli will be the seventh Indian man to appear in 300 ODIs, joining Mohammed Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni.

Two of them scored fifties in their milestone game and four of them played the respective games in a Champions Trophy outing. READ MORE