Gill, Shami lead India to Champions Trophy win over Bangladesh

India kicked off their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh in Dubai on Friday morning (AEDT), led by standout displays from Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami.

Veteran seamer Shami finished with figures of 5/53 as Bangladesh were bundled out for 228 from 49.4 overs, while opening batter Gill struck an unbeaten 101 to seal the victory with 21 balls to spare.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Bangladesh found themselves in serious trouble early on.

The opening five wickets fell for just 35 runs as Tanzid Hazan (25), Soumya Sarkar (0), Najmul Shanto (0), Mehidy Miraz (5) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) all got out cheaply.

India were already heavy favourites to win across cricket bookmakers pre-match, and this early collapse only served to shorten live betting odds even further in their favour.

Towhid Hridoy (100) and Jaker Ali (68) did brilliantly to make a match of it, however, putting on 154 runs for the sixth wicket.

But after Bangladesh worked their way into a solid position at 189/5 with 7.2 overs to go, Shami removed Ali to spark a second burst of wickets.

Rishad Hossain (18), Tanzim Sakib (0) and Taskin Ahmed (3) all fell in quick succession, with Hridoy hanging on to make his maiden ODI tonne before succumbing to Shami as well.

In response, India never looked troubled, putting on 69 runs for the opening wicket inside 10 overs.

When Rohit Sharma (41) fell, Virat Kohli (22), Shreyas Iyer (15) and Axar Patel (8) took turns keeping Gill company before KL Rahul (41*) came to the crease and remained until the job was done.

“Before you come and play any game, you have to be confident,” captain Rohit said of India’s rollicking start to their chase.

“You have to be ready. We have been in that situation before.”

Perhaps the only misstep India made over the course of the match was Rohit fumbling a straightforward catch to deny Axar a hat-trick.

“I may take him for a dinner tomorrow,” he said.

“That was an easy catch, I should have taken that catch, the standards I have set standing in the slips but these things happen.”

Pre-tournament, top cricket betting sites had India as $2.50 favourites to win their third Champions Trophy title.

These odds have now shortened to $2.25 following the side’s opening success, while Bangladesh have lengthened to an unlikely $401 to win the tournament.

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