Virat Kohli delivered yet another exceptional performance in the format that initially brought him fame, as India triumphed over Pakistan by six wickets in Dubai on Sunday, securing a place in the semifinals of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite facing challenges, Kohli skillfully managed his innings, ultimately reaching the milestone by scoring the winning runs, marking his 51st career century and his fourth against Pakistan. Following this remarkable innings, cricket legends expressed their admiration for Kohli, who once again demonstrated to his detractors that he remains a formidable force in the sport.

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was among the first to extend his congratulations to Kohli, celebrating India's decisive victory over Pakistan. He tweeted: “A perfect ending to the most awaited match. A real knockout! Team India Superb knocks by @imVkohli, @ShreyasIyer15, and @ShubmanGill, and wonderful bowling by our bowlers especially @imkuldeep18 and @hardikpandya7!”

Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India, commended the Indian team's dominance over Pakistan. In his tweet, he stated: "A anticipated victory for India... a team that is significantly superior in both skill and intent with bat and ball... outstanding performances from Kohli, Gill, and Shreyas, along with the bowling from @bcci."

Shoaib Akhtar, the legendary cricketer from Pakistan, had anticipated prior to the tournament that Virat Kohli would regain his form against Pakistan. He expressed his hope that the 36-year-old batsman would eventually equal Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 international centuries, noting that Kohli is currently 19 centuries short of this remarkable achievement.

"We all witnessed that when Virat Kohli is set to face Pakistan, he arrives fully prepared and often scores a century. He deserves immense respect; he is a superstar, a prolific run-scorer in white-ball cricket, and a modern-day legend. There is no doubt about his greatness, and I am genuinely pleased for him as he is a man of integrity," Akhtar stated in a video on X. "Today, he also reached the milestone of 14,000 runs in One Day Internationals. I sincerely hope he achieves 100 international centuries in the future. I truly wish for his success and believe he deserves all the accolades for the way he played such an impeccable innings today," he added.

‘Mai Virat Kohli ki mehnat se hairan hu’

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan expressed that his admiration for Virat Kohli has significantly increased after acknowledging that Kohli outperformed the Pakistan bowling attack, despite their determined attempts to dismiss him during the Champions Trophy encounter.

"I am truly impressed by Virat Kohli's dedication. One must consider the immense effort he has invested. While many claim he is out of form, he steps onto the field for a highly anticipated match, effortlessly scores runs, secures victory, and earns the title of Man of the Match. I commend his diligence and fitness. We exerted every effort to dismiss him, yet he triumphed over us. This clearly indicates the hard work he has been putting in behind the scenes," he remarked.

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