Dubai: A cramping Towhid Hridoy smashed a dogged maiden ODI hundred but the bowling attack led by Mohammed Shami's five-wicket haul helped India to keep Bangladesh to a below-par 228 run total in their 2025 Champions Trophy opener at Dubai Cricket Stadium here on Thursday, February 20.
Hridoy (100 runs off 118 balls) and an equally gutsy Jaker Ali added 154 runs for the sixth-wicket stand to give Bangladesh a chance to have a crack after they were dragged down to 35 for 5. This was also the highest partnership (154) for the 6th wicket or below in the Champions Trophy history. Shami also eased a lot of worries over the absence of injured pace ace Jasprit Bumrah with a five-for-53 for 53 effort, continuing his love affair with ICC events. In the process, Shami became the fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets, the highest wicket-taker for India in ICC ODI events, going past former pacer Zaheer Khan (59). With the fifer in the innings, he also became the first pacer from India to take a five-wicket haul in the Champions Trophy.
Innings Break!
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2025
Bangladesh are all out for 2⃣2⃣8⃣
5⃣ wickets for Mohd. Shami
3⃣ wickets for Harshit Rana
2⃣ wickets for Axar Patel
Over to our batters 💪
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/ggnxmdG0VK#TeamIndia | #BANvIND | #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/zgCnFuWSwi
Hridoy's innings were an example of how to construct an innings yet maintain a healthy run rate as he reached the milestone in just 114 balls.,
🔙 to what he does the best ⚡️
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2025
A terrific spell from @MdShami11 😎
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/ggnxmdG0VK#TeamIndia | #BANvIND | #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/hWa9P61fwX
He and Ali also showed excellent composure under pressure.
However, both the Bangladesh batters benefited from the largesse of Indian fielders, as Ali was dropped on zero off the first ball by captain Rohit Sharma he faced off left-arm spinner Axar Patel (2/43). It also robbed Axar of a hat-trick after he dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim and Tanzid Hasan off successive deliveries.
He is BACK and HOW 🤩
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2025
𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗘𝗥 for Mohd. Shami against Bangladesh!
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/ggnxmdG0VK#TeamIndia | #BANvIND | #ChampionsTrophy | @MdShami11 pic.twitter.com/sX0dT9cCbp
Hridoy also received a lifeline when he was dropped by Hardik Pandya at mid-off off Kuldeep Yadav when he was on 23. KL Rahul was sharp behind the stumps until he missed a stumping chance to give the second reprieve for Hridoy. But those moments of slip-ups should not take anything away from the way Indian bowlers, especially Shami, used the new ball on a rather slow but smooth pitch.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ wickets and counting!
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2025
Mohd. Shami becomes the fastest bowler for India to scalp 200 ODI wickets! 🫡
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Shami, who had an average outing against England in the T20I and ODI series recently at home, did not disappoint on the big stage and took the wicket of opener Soumya Sarkar in the first over itself. He did not take much time to grab his second wicket when he forced Mehdy Hasan Miraz to give a regulation catch in slips to Shubman Gill.
The Bengal pacer later returned to break the determined stand between Hridoy and Ali, dismissing the latter. Harshit Rana (3/31), who has preferred over left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, gave good backing to his senior partner.
Best figures for India in Champions Trophy
5/36 Ravindra Jadeja vs WI The Oval 2013
5/53 Mohd Shami vs Ban Dubai 2025 *
4/38 Sachin Tendulkar vs Aus Dhaka 1998
4/45 Zaheer Khan vs Zim Colombo RPS 2002
Most Wickets for India in World Cup & Champions Trophy
60 Mohd Shami
59 Zaheer Khan
47 Javagal Srinath
43 Ravindra Jadeja
