Hosts and defending champions Pakistan were handed their second consecutive defeat in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, falling to a six-wicket loss against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Batting first, Pakistan was dismissed for just 241 runs in the final over. In response, India comfortably chased down the target, losing only four wickets and reaching the target with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a brilliant century from Virat Kohli.

With two defeats in as many games, Pakistan's chances of advancing to the semi-finals now appear slim, although they are not yet mathematically out of the tournament.

To stay in contention, the Muhammad Rizwan-led team must rely on the results of the remaining Group A matches.

Pakistan's path to qualification hinges on several outcomes:

• Bangladesh must defeat New Zealand on February 24.
• Pakistan will then need to beat Bangladesh by a significant margin on February 27 to boost their net run rate and earn two crucial points.
• Finally, Pakistan would hope for a comprehensive victory by India over New Zealand on March 2 to ensure the Blackcaps also end up with two points and a weaker net run rate.

However, if New Zealand triumphs over Bangladesh on February 24, both Pakistan and Bangladesh will be mathematically eliminated from the tournament, while India and New Zealand will secure their semi-final spots.

Additionally, any washout in the scheduled matches would also end Pakistan's hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025.