Pakistan managed to set a modest target of 242 for India, striving to keep their hopes alive in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in a must-win showdown at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, the hosts could accumulate 241 runs before getting bowled out in the final over despite an anchoring half-century by Saud Shakeel.
Pakistan’s batting order found itself ensnared by the crafty Indian spin attack on a sluggish pitch. Indian captain Rohit Sharma deftly orchestrated the spin brigade, with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja each claiming three and one wicket, respectively.
Pakistan’s new opening pair of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq looked in fine touch as they added 41 runs before Hardik Pandya provided a much-needed breakthrough to India by getting the former caught behind. Babar scored 23 off 26 deliveries, smashing five boundaries in the process.
Making his return to the national team, Imam could not convert a cautious start into a big knock as he was run out by Axar Patel in the next over, resulting in Pakistan slipping to 47/2 in 9.2 overs.
Following the back-to-back blows, skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Saud partnered to force recovery.
The pair batted sensibly to add an important 104 runs for the third wicket until Rizwan was cleaned up by Axar Patel in the 34th over. The Pakistan captain mustered 46 runs from 77 balls with the help of three fours.
Pakistan’s batting mainstay Saud followed suit just eight deliveries later, walking back after top-scoring with a 76-ball 62, comprised of five fours.
Experienced Ravindra Jadeja then strengthened India’s command by cleaning up Tayyab Tahir (four) and reduced Pakistan to 165/5 in 36.1 overs.
Pakistan vice-captain Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah then forged a 35-run partnership to take their team’s total to the 200-run mark but Kuldeep Yadav denied them a comeback by striking twice on consecutive deliveries.
Khushdil then took the reins of Pakistan’s batting expedition and scored 38 off 39 deliveries with the help of two fours.
He was also involved in brief partnerships with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, who made 14 and eight respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler for India, taking three wickets, followed by Pandya with two, while Harshit Rana, Jadeja and Patel made one scalp apiece.
Yadav struck gold in consecutive deliveries, dismissing Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi, before wrapping up Naseem Shah’s wicket as Pakistan surged past the 200-run threshold in a thrilling Group A showdown.
In the dying moments of the innings, Harshit Rana claimed the scalp of Khushdil Shah, while Hardik Pandya claimed two wickets. Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja each contributed with one wicket, rounding off a formidable bowling performance.
Pakistan Playing XI
Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.
India Playing XI
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubhman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Pavindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammad Shami, Kuldeep Yadav.
Pakistan 200/7 after 42.4 overs
Pakistan is currently 200/7 after 42.4 overs in the crucial ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match against India at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Khushdil Shah is holding firm at the crease with 20 off 21 balls, joined by tailender Naseem Shah.
Salman Ali Agha was dismissed for 19 off 24 balls, caught by Ravindra Jadeja off Kuldeep Yadav, while Shaheen Shah Afridi departed for a duck, trapped lbw by Kuldeep.
Earlier, captain Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel stitched together a crucial 104-run partnership to steady the innings after early setbacks. Rizwan was bowled by Axar Patel for 46 off 77 balls, while Saud Shakeel fell to Hardik Pandya after scoring 62 off 76 balls. Tayyib Tahir followed soon after, bowled by Ravindra Jadeja.
Opener Babar Azam managed 23 off 26 balls, while Imam-ul-Haq struggled for 10 off 26 deliveries. With seven wickets down, Pakistan faces an uphill task to post a competitive total.
Rizwan, Saud departed
Saud departed for 62 runs off 76 balls.
Pakistan is working its way towards a competitive total on a sluggish Dubai wicket. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel stitched together a crucial 104-run partnership before Rizwan was dismissed for 46, bowled by Axar Patel.
Pakistan’s innings began cautiously. Opener Babar Azam struggled to find fluency, scoring 23 off 26 balls before being caught behind, while Imam-ul-Haq managed just 10 off 26 before heading back to the pavilion.
Saud Shakeel scored 62 off 76 balls. Currently, Salman Ali Agha was joined by Tayyib Tahir at the crease to steady Pakistan’s innings. Pakistan stands at 165/5 after 36.1 overs.
Pakistan stage remarkable comeback
Pakistan staged a remarkable comeback from a shaky 47 for 2, soaring to a solid 150-2 in 33 overs, with the steady partnership between Captain Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel.
Shakeel notched up a half-century, while Rizwan edged ever closer to his own fifty, propelling the team to a commendable total of 137 runs for the loss of only two wickets.
Rizwan and Saud contributed 103 runs off 142 balls in a vital partnership.
Pakistan slow down
Rizwan has scored 16 runs from 40 balls and Saud Shakeel has managed to score 22 of 36.
Pakistan’s run-rate has come down from 5.2 in the first 10 overs to 2.7 in the next 10.
Rizwan, after getting off the mark with a boundary, has taken 34 balls to score his next 10 runs.
At the halfway mark of the first innings, Pakistan are 99-2 🏏#PAKvIND | #ChampionsTrophy | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/80ABtVRapt
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 23, 2025
Earlier, with only four of the 18 overs so far bowled by spin, India are 14 minutes behind on over rate, according to the broadcast. There was also that bit where Shami needed treatment on his shin (allowances will have been made for that).
India dispatched the Pakistani openers, Babar Azam and Imamul Haq, before the scoreboard reached 50.
Hardik Pandya struck first, sending Babar back to the pavilion at just 41 runs. Moments later, in a stunning display of fielding, Axar Patel executed a direct hit to run out Imamul Haq, leaving Pakistan reeling.
India fight back by sending back the Pakistan openers 👊#PAKvIND #ChampionsTrophy #Cricket #CricketReels
Watch LIVE on @StarSportsIndia in India.
Here’s how to watch LIVE wherever you are 👉 https://t.co/S0poKnxpTX pic.twitter.com/bvaaU2bjnV
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2025
Their innings began with a cautious approach, barely managing a run rate of 5.
Babar laboured through his innings, scoring 23 runs off 26 balls before being caught behind, Imamul Haq went to pavilion making 10 off 26.
As the dust settled, Saud Shakeel and captain Mohammad Rizwan entered the fray, ready to steady the ship and push the innings forward.
At the end of the first Powerplay, Pakistan are 52-2 🏏
Rizwan joins Saud in the middle following the departure of the openers.#PAKvIND | #ChampionsTrophy | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/BLBxDyjGe0
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 23, 2025
Earlier, Pakistan has won the toss and chose to bat first in a hi-octane ICC Champions Trophy encounter against arch-rival India on Sunday at Dubai International Stadium.
Pakistan has included the left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq to step in for the sidelined Fakhar Zaman, while India has opted to maintain the same lineup that triumphed over Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
Captain Rizwan, brimming with confidence, declared, “We’re certain of victory today.” He recognized the significance of setting a formidable total and wasted no time in seizing that opportunity. “One change: Fakhar Zaman is out, and Imam-ul-Haq is in,” Rizwan announced.
On the flip side, Indian captain Rohit Sharma remarked that his initial intentions for the toss have become irrelevant. He acknowledged that the pitch appears to be on the sluggish side, suggesting that without dew, scoring will grow increasingly challenging in the latter stages of the match. Nevertheless, he expressed faith in his team’s ability to adapt. No alterations were made to the Indian squad.
Today’s pitch has previously seen action—twice, in fact. To provide some context, the India-Bangladesh clash was played on a pristine surface, which noticeably deteriorated as the match progressed. Both teams will aim to capitalize on the powerplay, as scoring could become a daunting task once the fielders spread out. The straight boundary stretches 81 meters, with square boundaries measuring 70 meters each. Sunil Gavaskar noted that clearing the ropes won’t be an easy feat here, suggesting that a score of around 270 might just be defendable.
The Men in Green suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening game at Karachi on February 19.
Meanwhile, India started their campaign on a winning note, comfortably chasing a 229-run target.
Historically, India and Pakistan have faced each other five times in the Champions Trophy, with the Men in Green winning three encounters and the Men in Blue emerging victorious twice.
Overall ODIs: Head-to-Head
Matches: 135
Pakistan Wins: 73 (54.1%)
India Wins: 57 (42.2%)
Draws: 5 (3.7%)
ODI World Cups:
Matches: 8
Pakistan Wins: 0 (0%)
India Wins: 8 (100%)
Champions Trophy:
Matches: 5
Pakistan Wins: 3 (60%)
India Wins: 2 (40%)
Draws: 0 (0%)
To keep their hopes alive in the tournament, Pakistan must triumph over their historic rivals on a sluggish, worn-out pitch—one that India has already conquered in their opening match, armed with a formidable arsenal of five spinners.
Adding to the challenge, Pakistan is forced to abandon their own party and head to Dubai, as India has opted not to travel to Pakistan for reasons that remain shrouded in mystery, unclarified by either their board or government.
Stats and trivia
India have won nine of their last 11 completed ODIs against Pakistan, across the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup.
Pakistan have beaten India in three out of five matches in the Champions Trophy, including the 2017 final.
Kohli needs 15 runs to become only the third man – and the fastest among them – to score 14,000 ODI runs.
Pakistan playing XI (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed.
🚨 TOSS & PLAYING XI 🚨
Pakistan win the toss and elect to bat first 🏏
One change to our playing XI for today’s match 🇵🇰#PAKvIND | #ChampionsTrophy | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/JkB5DcgibY
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 23, 2025
India playing XI (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Kuldeep Yadav
Your #TeamIndia for today 💪
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/llR6bWyvZN#PAKvIND | #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/AzTW7e0PlP
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2025
