The highly anticipated India-Pakistan showdown in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to take place on February 23 at 2:30 PM IST at the Dubai International Stadium. With both teams eager to stamp their authority in the tournament, this clash promises to be nothing short of electrifying. India comes into the contest riding high on confidence after a dominant start to their campaign.
The men in blue secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Bangladesh, positioning themselves second in the Group A points table. Shubman Gill’s magnificent century (101 runs) anchored India’s chase, while veteran pacer Mohammed Shami turned back the clock with a sensational five-wicket haul, dismantling the opposition. The comprehensive win underlined India’s balance and composure under pressure.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s opening match against New Zealand ended in disappointment as they suffered a 60-run defeat. Despite a gritty knock of 69 runs from Khushdil Shah, the team failed to chase down the target, exposing vulnerabilities in their batting lineup. The loss has left Pakistan at the bottom of the table, making their upcoming fixture against India a must-win encounter.
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With both teams boasting rich history and fierce rivalries, the stakes couldn’t be higher. India will look to continue their winning momentum, while Pakistan will be desperate to bounce back and keep their tournament hopes alive. As cricket fans brace themselves for this blockbuster clash, all eyes will be on the star performers to deliver a match befitting this historic rivalry.
Pakistan
With conditions expected to assist slow bowlers, Pakistan coach Aqib Javed remains firm on his strategy, opting against adding more spinners. He emphasized that Pakistan’s strength lies in pace, confirming that Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf will lead the attack.
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
India
India faces a minor concern as Rishabh Pant is down with a viral fever. However, this is unlikely to affect the playing XI. Skipper Rohit Sharma is expected to stick with the same lineup that secured a win against Bangladesh. This means young pacer Harshit Rana will retain his spot over left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, with Mohammed Shami spearheading the pace attack.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana.
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli (vc), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Babar Azam, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Agha Salman, Kushdil Shah, Mohammad Shami, Shaheen Afridi
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Babar Azam, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Agha Salman (vc), Mohammad Shami, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
