Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed produced the ball of the match to dismiss India’s opening batter Shubman Gill in the 18th over of the high-stakes Group A encounter in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. The delivery was so exquisite that even Virat Kohli, standing at the non-striker’s end, was visibly impressed. It was a moment of sheer brilliance from the unorthodox leg-spinner, who completely outfoxed Gill with a beautifully disguised carrom ball-esque delivery that left the Indian opener stunned.

Abrar Ahmed’s masterclass: A dream delivery to Shubman Gill

Bowling from over the wicket, Abrar Ahmed floated the ball up deceptively, giving it enough drift from outside leg stump. Gill, well-set on 46 off 52 balls, anticipated a conventional leg break and shaped up to flick it towards the leg-side. However, the ball did something extraordinary – it spun sharply off the surface, deviating more than Gill expected. Before the Indian batter could react, the ball sneaked past his bat and crashed into the top of the off-stump, completely dismantling his defense.

Gill’s reaction said it all – he was left frozen in disbelief, staring back at his shattered stumps, unable to comprehend how the ball had turned so much. The precision of Abrar’s control, subtle variations, and ability to extract maximum spin made it a dismissal straight out of a coaching manual. It was a delivery that would make any legendary spinner proud.

Here’s the video:

Shubhman gill dismissed on 46(52) by Abrar Ahmed#ChampionsTrophy #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/uPQQY8xRTE

— D Decoded Reality (@DDecodedReality) February 23, 2025

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A fired-up Abrar gives a fiery send-off

After knocking over Gill, Abrar couldn’t contain his excitement. He celebrated with a fist pump, then pointed towards the pavilion in a confident send-off, signaling that he had done his job. The breakthrough came at a crucial time when India was steadily progressing in their chase of 242 runs. Gill and Kohli had already stitched a 69-run partnership, keeping Pakistan under pressure, but Abrar’s moment of magic turned the tide back in Pakistan’s favor.

Shreyas Iyer on 12. Earlier, Pakistan managed 241 in 49.4 overs, with Saud Shakeel top-scoring with 62, while Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav picked up key wickets. Rohit Sharma (20) and Gill (46) provided a solid start before falling to Shaheen Afridi and Abrar, respectively. India now needs 109 runs from 23.4 overs at a required rate of 4.60. Pakistan will rely on their bowlers to create breakthroughs, while India looks poised for a comfortable chase.

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