As millions of fans tune in with bated breath, India and Pakistan prepare to reignite their cricketing rivalry in a thrilling Champions Trophy Group A encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium today.
The stakes are high for both teams, particularly Pakistan, who must win to stay alive in the tournament.
Pakistan's title defense got off to a dismal start with a 60-run loss to New Zealand in the tournament opener. Another defeat would virtually end their campaign, making this match a "do or die" encounter for the Men in Green.
India, on the other hand, began their campaign on a strong note, securing a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Bangladesh. With their sights set on the semifinals, Rohit Sharma's men will look to build on their momentum and consolidate their position in the group.
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The India-Pakistan rivalry is one of the most intense and closely watched in international cricket. Their last meeting in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 saw India emerge victorious by seven wickets. Pakistan will be eager to avenge that defeat and prove their mettle against their arch-rivals.
Pakistan's preparations for the match have been dealt a blow with the injury-induced absence of hard-hitting opening batter Fakhar Zaman. Imam-ul-Haq has been drafted into the squad as his replacement and is likely to partner Babar Azam at the top of the order.
Pakistan’s Bowling vs India’s batting
Pakistan’s pace attack, featuring Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah, will have to step up against India’s star-studded batting lineup comprising Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul.
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However, Pakistan’s reliance on just one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, could prove to be a strategic concern, especially on a Dubai pitch that may offer assistance to spinners later in the game.
Head-to-head battles
The rivalry between Pakistan and India in ICC events has always been riveting. In the Champions Trophy alone, the two teams have faced off five times, with Pakistan winning three and India two. Their most famous encounter came in the 2017 final at The Oval, where Pakistan thrashed India by 180 runs to lift their maiden Champions Trophy.
Across all ODIs, the two teams have met 135 times, with Pakistan leading with 73 wins to India’s 57, while five matches ended without a result. At neutral venues, Pakistan holds a slight edge, winning 40 compared to India’s 34.
Match timings
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Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
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Toss: 1:30 PM PST
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Start Time: 2:00 PM PST
Expected squads
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (C & WK), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Khan (WK).
India: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
