The 2025 Champions Trophy is set to kick off with India starting as favorites against a struggling Pakistan team. Despite the pressure of the high-voltage clash, both teams are downplaying the significance of the match as just another game.
Pakistan, after a disappointing performance against New Zealand, is facing pressure to perform in order to stay in the tournament. On the other hand, India is focused on regaining their form, with Virat Kohli putting in extra practice to improve his batting technique.
India has a strong record against Pakistan in recent encounters, making them the clear favorites. However, experts like Sunil Gavaskar caution that a single game-changing moment could shift the balance.
The match is set to take place on February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The weather is expected to be bright and sunny, with little chance of dew affecting the game.
In terms of team news, Rishabh Pant is battling viral fever but is expected to play for India. Pakistan is sticking with their pace bowling attack despite conditions favoring spinners.
Both teams have announced their probable XI for the match, with India likely to field a strong lineup including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Shami, while Pakistan is banking on their pace bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.
Historically, Pakistan has had success against India in ICC tournaments, with their seamers playing a crucial role in their victories. India, however, holds the upper hand in overall matches against Pakistan. Shubman Gill currently holds the record for the most runs after 51 innings, with 2688 runs and an average of 62.51. Only Imam-ul-Haq has scored more centuries at this point in his career. Gill emphasized the significance of the India-Pakistan rivalry, stating that it is always an exciting contest that fans enjoy watching. He believes that there is no such thing as over-hype or under-hype for this rivalry. Aaqib Javed also commented on the pressure of playing in an India-Pakistan game, highlighting that it is a crucial part of the beauty of the match. Despite winning multiple games, the pressure always remains high in the next encounter. Both players acknowledged the intensity and importance of the rivalry between the two teams. This article was originally published on Cricbuzz.
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