India vs Bangladesh, Champions Trophy 2025 LIVE Score: Mohammed Shami Starts Tournament with a Fifer
India has taken on Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025, with Mohammed Shami making an impressive start to the tournament by picking up five wickets. In the tournament opener, Towhid Hridoy battled cramps to score a remarkable century off 118 balls. Along with Jaker Ali, Hridoy’s century and their record stand of 154 runs for the sixth wicket helped Bangladesh recover from a precarious 35/5 in the ninth over to eventually be all out for 228.
The partnership between Jaker and Hridoy steadied Bangladesh’s innings after India took five quick wickets in the first nine overs. Bangladesh also benefitted from some dropped catches off both batters. Jaker was given a reprieve off his first ball by Rohit Sharma at slips, a relatively easy catch that would have completed a hat-trick for Axar Patel. Later, Hardik Pandya dropped Hridoy in the 20th over, and two overs after that, KL Rahul missed a stumping opportunity.
Bangladesh struggled in the initial stages of the match after captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first in Dubai against India. Mohammed Shami made an impact early on, taking two wickets, while Harshit Rana also got a breakthrough. Axar Patel narrowly missed out on a hat-trick as Bangladesh found themselves reeling at 35/5 in the first nine overs. Commenting at the toss, Rohit Sharma expressed his satisfaction with the decision to bowl first and announced the inclusion of Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja in the team.
Following a long back-and-forth between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan regarding India’s playing venues during the Champions Trophy, the focus has shifted towards the cricket itself. The Indian team now faces high expectations and immense pressure from fans at home and overseas as they play all their matches in the UAE, beginning with the opening match against Bangladesh.
As a must-win tournament where every game is crucial, India aims to start on a winning note, with openers displaying strong form against England in the lead-up matches. The team has found the right balance between batting and bowling, with players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer showcasing excellent form with the bat. However, concerns linger over Virat Kohli’s recent dip in form, as well as questions regarding Mohammed Shami’s fitness and sharpness in leading the pace attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah due to injury.
While conditions in Pakistan offer promising batting tracks with fast outfields, the Dubai pitch presents a different challenge for the Indian team. Despite the slower nature of the pitch, India’s spinners, including Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, have been phenomenal in restricting the opposition’s scoring and taking crucial wickets in the middle overs. The team’s success may also hinge on the performance of Kuldeep Yadav or Varun Chakravarthy, who bring their unique spin bowling skills to the side.
On the other hand, Bangladesh will be watching closely to see if their pace bowlers – Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and newcomer Nahid Rana – can make an impact early on and put pressure on the Indian team. While teams may anticipate the threat posed by Bangladesh’s spinners, the surprise element of their pace bowlers could be a game-changer in Group A. The team’s success will heavily depend on their batting unit finding form and showcasing the same spirit that has pushed them to challenge India in previous encounters.
As India prepares to take on Bangladesh in Dubai, the team enters as strong favorites to secure a convincing victory. With openers in good form, along with depth in the batting lineup and a balanced bowling attack, India looks poised to dominate the tournament. The journey begins in Dubai against Bangladesh where every match is a must-win game in a competition where victory holds paramount importance.