The stage is set for an exciting encounter as India and Pakistan face off in the Champions Trophy on Sunday. While players from both teams insist it’s “just another game,” the intensity of this historic rivalry makes it much more than that.
Match Details
- Date & Time: February 23, 2:45 PM (Nepali Time)
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
- Weather: Bright and sunny with little chance of dew, making batting first a likely choice for the toss-winning team.
- Where to Watch: The match will be available live on Star Sports Network in Nepal and can also be streamed on ICC.tv.
India’s Approach & Team News
India comes into the match with strong form, having won five of their last six encounters against Pakistan since the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Vice-captain Shubman Gill downplayed the pressure, stating, “We play every match to win, and this is no different.”
Team Update: Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is recovering from viral fever but is unlikely to feature in the XI. Captain Rohit Sharma is expected to retain the same lineup that played against Bangladesh.
Probable XI:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Shami
- Harshit Rana
Pakistan’s Strategy & Team News
Pakistan is under pressure after their poor start to the tournament, losing to New Zealand. Their batting and bowling struggled, with bowlers failing to swing the ball and batters unable to accelerate.
Pakistan coach Aqib Javed remains confident in his team’s pace attack, stating that Pakistan will not alter their tactics despite the spin-friendly conditions.
Probable XI:
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Babar Azam
- Saud Shakeel
- Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk)
- Salman Agha
- Tayyab Tahir
- Khushdil Shah
- Shaheen Afridi
- Naseem Shah
- Haris Rauf
- Abrar Ahmed
Head-to-Head Record
- Overall Record: Pakistan lead the overall ODI head-to-head 73-57.
- Recent Form: India have dominated in the last decade, winning seven of the eight matches since the 2015 World Cup, with one no result.
- Champions Trophy Record: Pakistan holds a slight edge in the tournament, leading 3-2 in wins against India.
- Recent Encounters: India have won five of the last six clashes since the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
- Key Wins for Pakistan: Pakistan’s only win over India in ICC tournaments since 2015 came in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Key Stats
- In ICC tournaments, Pakistan’s two wins against India in recent years came when their pacers dominated the Powerplay – Mohammad Amir (2017 Champions Trophy final) and Shaheen Afridi (2021 T20 World Cup).
- Shubman Gill has scored 2688 runs in 51 innings, the most by any player at this stage in their career.
What the Experts Say
Sunil Gavaskar believes India are favorites but warns against underestimating Pakistan, saying, “A single game-changing moment can shift the balance.”
Aqib Javed embraces the pressure of an India-Pakistan clash, stating, “Winning 10 games doesn’t matter; pressure will always be there for the 11th.”
Final Thoughts
India enters as favorites, but Pakistan’s unpredictability makes them dangerous. With players like Virat Kohli eager to regain form and Pakistan’s pace attack looking to bounce back, fans can expect a thrilling contest in Dubai.
