There are many fabled sporting rivalries worldwide, be it between clubs or nation-states. However, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that an India-Pakistan fixture on the cricket field trumps most contests, and continues to be fierce.
On Sunday (February 23, 2025), the latest instalment of cricket’s ‘El Classico’ – 136th in ODIs – will get underway at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium when the arch-rivals meet in their second Group A match of the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan, the host, has had to make a short hop to the Arabian peninsula after India’s refusal to play in the former’s home soil.
This tie will kickstart a new arrangement in which the two teams have decided to play each other only in neutral territory if either hosts a multi-national event until 2027.
As is often the case in Indo-Pak encounters, this latest instalment is set to be a battle between India’s batting might and Pakistan’s pace attack.
Shubman Gill, who scored an unbeaten ton, and skipper Rohit Sharma laid down the marker against Bangladesh and will look to stick to their aggressive approach. The team will also hope that Virat Kohli can get back amongst runs.
The star batter came in two hours early for practice on Saturday along with the batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak and played against local spinners to address his recent struggles against the tweakers.
India, propelled by Mohammed Shami’s five-wicket haul, did well to restrict the Tigers to a modest score, and if the pitch remains as dry as the one used against Bangladesh, India’s three-pronged spin attack will fancy its chances of keeping the Pakistan batters quiet.
The ‘home’ team, which otherwise has a dismal record against its great rival in ODI matches at ICC events, holds a slight edge in the Champions Trophy (3-2). That, and the memories of the two wins at this venue (in T20Is in 2021 and 2022) are something Mohammad Rizwan’s men will seek inspiration from.
Pakistan has issues to address. Fakhar Zaman is out with an injury and it remains to be seen who from Imam-ul-Haq – who was not initially in the squad – and Usman Khan takes his place. Former skipper Babar Azam, who was criticised for his sedate 64 from 90 balls in the failed 321-run chase against the Kiwis, needs to step up.
Though the pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah look menacing, the lack of spin-bowling depth – the only front-line tweaker being Abrar Ahmed – is concerning.
Recent form and squad depth give Rohit’s men an edge and Rizwan’s troops will need to summon the spirit of the ‘Cornered Tigers’, made famous by the legendary Imran Khan during the march to the 1992 World Cup crown.
The teams (from):
India: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), Shubman Gill (vice-capt.), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, K.L, Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-capt.), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Match officials: On-field umpires: Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth; TV umpire: Michael Gough; Fourth umpire: Adrian Holdstock; Match Referee: David Boon.
The match starts at 2.30 p.m. (IST).
Published – February 22, 2025 12:49 pm IST
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