Shreyas Iyer reaffirmed his position as India's No. 4 batsman on Sunday, contributing significantly to India's six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their Champions Trophy 2025 match held in Dubai. The lead-up to the match was marked by political tensions, as India opted not to travel to Pakistan, the host nation for the tournament, resulting in all of India's games being played in Dubai.

In pursuit of a target set at 242 runs, Iyer entered the crease following the dismissal of opener Shubman Gill, who scored 46 runs, with India positioned at 100 for 2 in 17.2 overs. The former KKR player scored 56 runs off 67 deliveries, including five boundaries and one six, before being dismissed by Khusdil Shah, with the team's score at 214 for 3 in 38.5 overs.

During the post-match press conference, Iyer addressed the situation regarding not playing in Pakistan. “I haven’t had the opportunity to play many matches in Pakistan, so I cannot accurately gauge how it would have felt. However, it is a neutral venue, presenting a challenge for both teams. Any victory against Pakistan is particularly gratifying, as they are always a formidable opponent,” he remarked.

He added, “It is indeed a challenge, and there is considerable external pressure. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience. This was my third match in Pakistan.”

Iyer also highlighted his 114-run partnership with Kohli for the third wicket, with Kohli achieving an unbeaten century, marking his 51st ODI hundred. Commending the former captain, Iyer stated, “I have never perceived Virat as struggling for runs. It is simply the mindset he has cultivated over the years. He is perpetually eager for runs. I recall that he arrived nearly an hour before us for practice yesterday, and after facing a few deliveries, he appeared as sharp as ever. Therefore, I never sense that he is facing difficulties in scoring.”

‘Both Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami are…’: Shreyas Iyer

During the initial part of Pakistan’s innings, fans saw India captain Rohit Sharma and pacer Mohammed Shami sit on the bench, causing rumours that they were dealing with injuries. Shami struggled with his ankle in the fifth over, and three overs deep in his first spell. He was taken off the field for sometime, and he only bowled eight overs, going wicketless for 43 runs. Meanwhile, Rohit looked like he was dealing with a hamstring issue after the celebration of Babar Azam’s wicket, which also saw him leave the field for a while.

Rejecting such concerns, Iyer said, “As far as I know, both Rohit and Shami are fine. There is no injury concern to them.”

Pakistan are now bottom of Group A and stare at the exit sign. They need a miracle and other results to go their way, to qualify from the group stage. In two matches, they have registered two defeats, and have a lower net run rate than third-placed Bangladesh.

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