India’s opening batsman, Shubman Gill, showcased his exceptional form in ODI cricket once again by scoring his eighth century during the Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium. His unbeaten 129-ball knock guided India to a comfortable six-wicket victory, marking a strong start to the tournament.
Despite taking 125 balls to reach his century—making it the slowest by an Indian in an ODI since the 2019 World Cup—it was deemed invaluable in the given match context. According to former India head coach Ravi Shastri, Gill’s innings may have been slow, but it played a crucial role in India’s success. In terms of balls faced, this was also the fourth-slowest century by an Indian in the past 15 years.
Shubman Gill starts his #ChampionsTrophy journey in style! 💥#INDvBAN #IndvsBan pic.twitter.com/IfRJNdMbJn
— Secret Spy (@SecretSpy039) February 20, 2025
Fastest to 7 ODI 💯 for India as Opener
— AT10 (@Loyalsachfan10) February 20, 2025
41 inns: Sachin Tendulkar
46 inns: Shubman Gill
54 inns: Shikhar Dhawan
Credit- @TheCricketPanda
Chasing a target in Dubai is not an easy task if there is no dew..
— LALAN PAIKARAY 🇮🇳 (@LalanPaikaray) February 20, 2025
Another brilliant 💯 from Shubman Gill… It was not an easy pitch to bat on and rotate the strike.. There was no dew either… Shami also bowled brilliantly today… #INDvBAN #IndvsBan #ChampionsTrophy #CT25 pic.twitter.com/rhWBkVcEGl
Shubman Gill once again proved why he is the No. 1 batter in ODI cricket, as he scored his second consecutive ODI century in the 50-over format in India’s first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Bangladesh on Thursday, helping India win by six wickets. pic.twitter.com/fa0CmW7Xmz
— Mir Hamza Mughal (@2Mirhamzamughal) February 20, 2025
Shubman Gill makes tough pitches look easy! The entertainment didn't match the Natwest Trophy Finals, but perhaps the #INDvPAK match will meet expectations
— Girish Menon (@wildlifegiri) February 20, 2025
However, Gill achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the fastest Indian to score eight ODI centuries, reaching the milestone in just 51 innings, surpassing legends like Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, and Sachin Tendulkar. Additionally, he became the seventh Indian batter to score a century in the Champions Trophy and notched his maiden ton in an ICC tournament.
Bangladesh’s Resilient Fightback
Bangladesh had a challenging start, losing early wickets and being reduced to 35 for five. However, Towhid Hridoy played a heroic knock, scoring his maiden international century and becoming the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a ton in an ICC tournament.
Alongside Jaker Ali, he stitched together a record-breaking 154-run partnership for the sixth wicket, helping Bangladesh post a respectable total of 228. India’s bowling attack was led by Mohammed Shami, who delivered a stellar performance with a five-wicket haul. His early breakthroughs put Bangladesh under immense pressure before Hridoy and Jaker steadied their innings.
India Clinches Victory Despite Early Setbacks
Chasing 229, India started aggressively with Rohit Sharma playing an attacking innings, while Gill took his time to settle. However, Bangladesh’s bowlers made timely breakthroughs, with Rishad troubling Virat Kohli and Axar Patel, and Mustafizur Rahman dismissing Shreyas Iyer with a clever slower delivery.
Despite these setbacks, Gill held his ground and found a reliable partner in KL Rahul. Together, they steadied the innings and chased down the target with a composed approach, securing India’s win. Gill’s back-to-back centuries, including his previous 112-run knock against England, reinforced his dominance in ODI cricket, elevating him to the top of the ICC rankings post the 2023 ODI World Cup.
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