Tag: Pakistan vs India

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, on Saturday, revealed the official dates and venue for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

Naqvi confirmed that the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28.

He made the announcement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that the detailed match schedule will be revealed soon.

“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” he wrote. “The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th.”

“We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket! Detailed Schedule will be out soon.”

For the unversed, the 2025 edition of the continental event will feature eight teams, up from six in the previous edition.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Alongside full-member nations India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, three teams from the ACC Premier Cup, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, have qualified for the main event.

A total of 19 matches will be played across the tournament, with the final scheduled for the last Sunday of September.

India and Pakistan are expected to be drawn in the same group, creating the possibility of up to three high-voltage clashes between the arch-rivals in the group stage, Super Four, and possibly the final.

In line with the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the Asia Cup 2025 will be played in the T20 format.

Originally, India was set to host the tournament, but given the continued political deadlock between India and Pakistan, the event has been moved to a neutral venue.

The UAE was eventually locked in as the host after ACC’s annual meeting in Dhaka, with both the PCB and BCCI reportedly agreeing to keep ICC tournaments at neutral grounds due to the lack of bilateral travel between the two sides.

READ: Joe Root shatters Ponting’s record to become second-highest run-getter in Tests

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has criticised India Champions for pulling out of the much-awaited clash against the Green Shirts in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

The high-profile veterans’ encounter between the arch-rivals, scheduled to take place on July 20 at Edgbaston, was called off after multiple Indian players reportedly opted out due to political tensions between the two nations.

Reacting strongly on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt expressed disappointment over India’s decision and urged them to maintain the same approach across all competitions.

“The whole world is watching. What message are you sending to the global cricket community and fans?” Butt said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“If you won’t play in this tournament due to political reasons, then take a firm stance, don’t play against Pakistan in the World Cup or any ICC event either.”

“Don’t play against us at any level, not even the Olympics. I’d love to see that level of conviction.”

Salman Butt also questioned the internal decision-making process behind India’s withdrawal, implying that a minority may have influenced the entire squad.

“Who’s actually making these calls?” he asked.

“Is it just four or five individuals who decided not to play, and now everyone else feels pressured to follow suit? This mindset is baffling.”

READ: Exiled Afghanistan women cricketers get more ICC backing

The Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Devajit Saikia, has refuted reports claiming that the board is set to withdraw from the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 and the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

Saikia’s remarks came hours after several Indian media outlets reported that the BCCI had formally communicated to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), expressing its unwillingness to participate in the upcoming events due to recent tensions with Pakistan.

Speaking to news agency ANI, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that no such decision has been taken, and the board has not even held discussions regarding any withdrawal from ACC events.

“Since this morning, it has come to our notice that some news reports have stated that the BCCI has decided not to participate in the Asia Cup and the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup,” he stated.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Such news is devoid of any truth. BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding the ensuing ACC events, let alone writing anything to the ACC.”

The reports cited “recent tensions” and quoted a senior BCCI official, who claimed that the Indian team “can’t play in a tournament that is organised by the ACC, whose chief is a Pakistani minister”—referring to Pakistan’s Interior Minister and current PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the ACC President.

The official was also quoted as saying that BCCI had “verbally communicated” its withdrawal from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, slated to be held in Sri Lanka next month, and that all future participation in ACC events was on hold pending directions from the Indian government.

It’s worth noting that the Asia Cup 2025 is slated to be held in India later this year. However, Pakistan will play their games at a neutral venue.

For the unversed, the Asia Cup 2023 was played under a hybrid model, with matches split between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, allowing India to avoid travelling across the border.

READ: Javed Afridi signals ‘major changes’ after Peshawar Zalmi’s PSL 10 exit

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Saturday that the ongoing men’s domestic events have been postponed effective immediately due to rising tensions with India.

The country’s cricket board announced the decision through a media release, stating that the tournaments will resume later and their schedule will be shared in due course.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board confirms that the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-II, Regional Intra-District Challenge Cup, Inter-District U19 One-Day tournament have been postponed with immediate effect due to prevailing security condition in the country,” the PCB stated.

“The tournaments will resume from the same stage later, and a revised schedule will be shared closer to the resumption.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

It’s worth noting that, on Friday, the PCB also postponed the remaining eight matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 due to cross-border tensions.

In a statement, the cricket board said that the decision was made over the worsening situation on the Line of Control (LOC).

“The last 24 hours have seen a worsening of the situation on the LOC, increased incursion of 78 drones, and the firing of surface-to-surface missiles from India,” PCB said in a statement.

The decision to postpone PSL 10 has been made based on advice from Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.

“The reckless aggression from India that has escalated to a point where national attention and sentiments are rightly focused on the courageous efforts of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, who are vociferously upholding the sovereignty of our beloved Pakistan.”

READ: Shahid Afridi slams Indian journalists amid rising tensions

India all-rounder Axar Patel has shared the thought process behind his brilliant direct hit that sent Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq back to the pavilion during their high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Dubai on February 23.

The crucial run-out occurred in the 10th over when Imam, looking to rotate the strike after Babar Azam’s dismissal, attempted a quick single against left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

However, Axar was quick to react, gathering the ball swiftly and nailing a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Imam was caught short, departing for just 10 runs, leaving Pakistan struggling at 47/2 in 9.2 overs.

Reflecting on the moment, Axar Patel revealed that he had visualized the dismissal even before the delivery, anticipating that Imam-ul-Haq might attempt a risky run.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“The ball before, I was already thinking that he might look for a quick single, and if he did, I could execute a direct hit,” Axar told the ICC.

“I was standing a few steps back but charged in quickly. The movement played out exactly as I expected, and I was able to hit the stumps directly.”

The Indian all-rounder further explained that he had done his homework on Imam’s tendencies, noting that the left-hander often looks for quick singles, especially against spinners.

“When I came on to bowl during the powerplay, he had taken a single through mid-off where Harshit Rana was fielding,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I had seen in videos that he frequently steps out against spinners to sneak quick runs. So, I had this scenario in mind, and when the moment came, I was ready.”

Pakistan’s batting woes continued in the match as they failed to post a challenging total against their arch-rivals. After being bundled out for 241, India chased down the target comfortably with six wickets in hand, thanks to a masterful century by Virat Kohli.

With back-to-back losses against New Zealand and India, Pakistan’s title defense came to an early end as they crashed out of the tournament before the semifinals.

The Green Shirts will now face Bangladesh in their final group-stage match on February 27 in Rawalpindi, but the result will have no bearing on their campaign.

READ: Jason Gillespie surprised over THESE players’ exclusion from Champions Trophy squad

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has defended the decision to include only one specialist spinner in the national team’s squad for the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Abrar Ahmed is the only specialist spinner in Pakistan’s squad, while Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah serve as part-time spin options.

Given the conditions in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many former cricketers have questioned the decision to include only one specialist spinner in the squad.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

However, after the team’s six-wicket defeat against India yesterday, Mohammad Rizwan defended this choice, stating that a team cannot field five specialist bowlers in an ODI match.

“In ODIs, you can’t have five genuine bowlers. Naseem [Shah], Shaheen [Afridi], Haris [Rauf], Abrar,” he said.

“The fifth, you see New Zealand have [Mitchell] Santner and [Michael] Bracewell, India have [Ravindra] Jadeja and [Axar] Patel.”

The wicket-keeper batter expressed faith in Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah, calling them the best available all-rounders.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The best we had, the selectors picked them – Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah. If we go with two genuine spinners, that means we are going with five bowlers and six batters and we can’t make a combo of that,” Rizwan added.

“So yeah, there will be questions about having another spinner, but you can’t go in with five genuine bowlers in an ODI. Maybe in a T20.”

It’s worth noting that the six-wicket loss against India has left Pakistan in a precarious position, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

READ: Former Pakistan captain questions Babar Azam’s match-winning ability

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has raised questions over the impact of star batter Babar Azam in the high-pressure games after the national team’s defeat against India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2024.

The six-wicket loss on Sunday has left the hosts in a precarious position, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Speaking on a TV show, Mohammad Hafeez drew comparisons between Babar and former great Inzamam-ul-Haq. He pointed out that Babar has failed to produce a match-winning performance against India in a decade-long career.

“Inzamam bhai used to win matches for Pakistan in tough conditions. Babar Azam has not been able to win a single game against India after playing for 10 years,” Hafeez remarked.

He further highlighted Babar’s lack of standout performances in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, stressing that great players don’t just contribute, but dominate.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“He [Babar] has no player of the series awards in SENA countries. Forget about the team winning or losing, you should be the player of the series,” Mohammad Hafeez added.

The former all-rounder also believes it’s time for Pakistan to look beyond underperforming players and start backing domestic performers who have been waiting for their chances.

“We need to realize these things and show him the mirror. We need to move on from the players who aren’t delivering as expected,” he added.

“It’s time to give opportunities to players who have been performing in domestic cricket. And of course, the same players will become heroes again in the PSL.”

READ: Wasim Akram lashes out at Pakistan cricket team after loss against India

Legendary Wasim Akram has heavily criticized the Pakistan cricket team after the crushing defeat against arch-rivals India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2024.

The six-wicket loss on Sunday has left the hosts in a precarious position, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

While talking to a TV show, Wasim Akram slammed the Greenshirts for their below-par performance in the field, stating that there’s a need to take ‘drastic steps’ for improvement.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“Enough is enough. Now it is time to take drastic steps. We have been playing archaic cricket in white-ball for ages,” Akram said.

“What would that be? Bring young cricketers, fearless cricketers in white-ball format. If you need to make 5-6 changes to the team, just do it. You might keep losing for the next six months. It’s fine but start building the team for the 2026 T20 World Cup from now.”

Wasim Akram also launched a scathing attack against the bowling attack of Pakistan for their disastrous performance in the last few matches.

“A lot of chances were given. You have made them the stars. In the last five ODIs, Pakistan bowlers have managed to get 24 wickets at an average of 60. That is 60 runs per wicket,” he stated.

“Of 14 teams including Oman and USA who played international cricket this year, Pakistan has the second-lowest bowling average in the list.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The legendary pacer also urged the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, to seek answers from the team’s coach, captain, and selection team about their decisions.

“Chairman sir, please call the captain, selection committee and coach and ask them what kind of selection they have made,” he urged.

“Even captain [Rizwan] is to blame. He is the leader of the ship and if he doesn’t know what kind of match-winner he needs, then it’s embarrassing.

“I have never seen anything like that in my life. It’s unfortunate. We as a nation are very passionate. But it’s frustrating.”

READ: Can Pakistan still qualify for Champions Trophy semi-final after India defeat?

The defending champions and hosts Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat against arch-rivals India in the high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

The six-wicket loss on Sunday has left the hosts in a precarious position, but while their semi-final hopes look bleak, they are still not mathematically out of the tournament—at least, not yet.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

With two defeats in as many matches, Pakistan now find itself in a desperate situation, relying not just on their own performance but also on the outcomes of the remaining Group A fixtures.

For Pakistan to have any chance of sneaking into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, everything needs to fall perfectly into place.

Firstly, Bangladesh must beat New Zealand today to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive. Then Pakistan must defeat Bangladesh by a big margin on February 27.

A narrow win won’t be enough; they need to significantly boost their net run rate (NRR) while collecting two crucial points.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Pakistan would then need India to beat New Zealand on March 2 comprehensively. If India dominates the Blackcaps, New Zealand will also finish with just two points, leaving NRR as the decider for the second semi-final spot.

However, if New Zealand beats Bangladesh today, Pakistan’s fate will be sealed, with both them and Bangladesh officially eliminated from the tournament.

Adding to the uncertainty, a washout in any of the remaining fixtures would also end Pakistan’s campaign prematurely.

READ: ‘Brainless Captaincy’ Shoaib Akhtar reacts to Pakistan’s loss against India

DUBAI: India batting maestro Virat Kohli struck a brilliant century to help his team defeat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets in the fifth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

In a high-voltage encounter, India successfully chased the 242-run target at the loss of four wickets with 45 balls to spare.

Chasing 242, India was off to a good start courtesy of the free-flowing batting of their opening batters Rohit Sharma (20) and Shubman Gill (46). However, Shaheen Shah Afridi struck in the fifth over, sending back the Indian skipper to give Pakistan an opening.

After that, Virat Kohli joined Gill and added 69 runs for the second wicket stand before the latter was dismissed by a beautiful delivery from Abrar Ahmed in the 17th over.

Shreyas Iyer then joined Virat Kohli and the duo constructed a match-winning partnership of 114 runs to edge India closer to victory.

Iyer scored 56 off 67 deliveries before falling victim to Khushdil Shah in the 39th over. The 30-old-batter’s brisk innings included five fours and one huge six.

However, Kohli dominated Pakistan again and smashed his 51st ODI century with the winning shot to steer India to a famous victory.

He top-scored with an unbeaten knock of 100 runs on 111 balls, which featured seven fours. He was adjudged the Player of the Match for his brilliant knock.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets for 74 runs in his eight overs. Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah chipped in with one wicket each.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat. The Men in Green got off to a steady start after opting to bat first as the new opening pair of Babar Azam (23) and Imam-ul-Haq (10) stitched together a 41-run stand.

However, Babar fell prey to Hardik Pandya, while Imam was run out in the span of six balls, leaving Pakistan reeling at 47-2 in 9.2 overs.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel joined hands to help the team recover, knitting a 104-run partnership for the third wicket from 144 balls.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Just when Pakistan batters looked to switch gears, India made a comeback with two quick wickets, reducing the Green Shirts to 159-4 inside 25 overs.

Rizwan was castled by Axar Patel after scoring a scratchy 46 off 77, featuring three boundaries.

Meanwhile, Saud played a gutsy 62-run knock from 76 balls with the help of five boundaries before falling to Pandya.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled Tayyab Tahir (4) before Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah added valuable 35 runs for the sixth wicket.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

However, Kuldeep Yadav halted their momentum by dismissing Salman (19) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (0) on back-to-back balls to further add to Pakistan’s troubles.

Khushdil Shah then played a 38-run cameo off 39 balls, which included two sixes to take Pakistan’s total to 241. Harshit Rana ended his innings, bringing the Green Shirts’ innings to a dramatic close in the final over.

Kuldeep Yadav led India’s bowling attack with three wickets, while Hardik Pandya managed two. Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja bagged one wicket each.