Mohammed Shami registers unwanted record in Pakistan clash

DUBAI: India pacer Mohammed Shami found himself in the record books for all the wrong reasons during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Pakistan, having won the toss and opted to bat first, got a massive helping hand early on as Shami endured a disastrous start with the ball.

The experienced pacer bowled an 11-ball first over, including five wides, making it the longest over ever bowled by an Indian in ODI cricket.

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This unwanted feat places him in an exclusive yet unfortunate club alongside Irfan Pathan (2006) and Zaheer Khan (2003), both of whom also bowled 11-ball opening overs.

Longest over by an Indian in an ODI

  • Mohammed Shami – 11 balls vs Pakistan, Dubai (2025)
  • Irfan Pathan – 11 balls vs West Indies, Kingston (2006)
  • Zaheer Khan – 11 balls vs Australia, Wankhede (2003)

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While Shami’s over was far from ideal, it still didn’t come close to the longest over in ODI history—an infamous 17-ball marathon by Pakistan’s Mohammad Sami against Bangladesh in the 2004 Asia Cup, which included seven wides and four no-balls.

Playing XIs of Pakistan-India

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami

READ: Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli: A statistical face-off before Champions Trophy showdown

Dominant Kohli slams another ton as India sink Pakistan in Champions Trophy clash

DUBAI: Virat Kohli’s century headlines as India thrashed Pakistan by six wickets in the fifth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

IND 244/4

42.3 Khushdil to Kohli, FOUR runs. There is it, century no. 51! India wins..

Khushdil returns

IND 225/4 (42 Overs)

Shaheen continues

IND 225/4 (41 Overs)

Salman continues

IND 223/4 (40 Overs)

39.6: Shaheen Shah Afridi to Hardik, OUT

Hardik Pandya 8 (6b 1×4 0x6) SR: 133.33

Shaheen returns

IND 215/3 (39 Overs)

38.5: Khushdil to Shreyas Iyer, OUT. Taken at cover by flying Imam.

Shreyas Iyer Khushdil Shah 56 (67b 5×4 1×6) SR: 83.58

Khushdil returns

IND 209/2 (38 Overs)

Rauf continues

IND 203/2 (37 Overs)

Abrar to continue

IND 200/2 (36 Overs)

Haris back into the attack

IND 189/2 (35 Overs)

Abrar continues

IND 185/2 (33 Overs)

Naseem returns

IND 179/2 (32 Overs)

Abrar returns

IND 175/2 (31 Overs)

Khushdil to continue

IND 168/2 (30 Overs)

Agha Salman comes into the bowling attack

IND 160/2 (29 Overs)

Khushdil continues

IND 150/2 (28 Overs)

Shaheen comes back into the bowling attack

IND 140/2 (27 Overs)

Khushdil continues

IND 136/2 (26 Overs)

26.1: Naseem to Kohli. He smashes it over deep cover. Yet another half-century for Virat Kohli against Pakistan.

Virat Kohli 51 (62b 3×4)

Naseem continues

IND 128/2 (26 Overs)

Khushdil returns

IND 126/2 (25 Overs)

Naseem Shah returns

IND 124/2 (24 Overs)

Abrar continues

IND 123/2 (23 Overs)

Haris continues

IND 118/2 (22 Overs)

Abrar to continue

IND 115/2 (21 Overs)

Haris continues

IND 109/2 (20 Overs)

Abrar continues

IND 107/2 (19 Overs)

Haris continues

IND 102/2 (18 Overs)

17.3: Abrar gets well-set Gill with an absolute beauty.

Shubman Gill 46 (52b 7×4 0x6) SR: 88.46

IND 99/1 (17 Overs)

Khushdil continues

IND 93/1 (16 Overs)

Abrar continues

IND 89/1 (15 Overs)

Khushdil comes to bowl

IND 87/1 (14 Overs)

Abrar continues

IND 84/1 (13 Overs)

12.2: Haris Rauf to Kohli, FOUR runs. Here is the milestone for Kohli. 14000 runs in ODIs, and it comes with the signature punch through cover.

Haris Rauf continues

IND 70/1 (12 Overs)

It’s time for some spin. Abrar Ahmed comes to bowl

IND 67/1 (11 Overs)

Haris Rauf into the attack

IND 64/1 (10 Overs)

Naseem to continue

IND 63/1 (9 Overs)

Shaheen continues

IND 49/1 (8 Overs)

Naseem to continue

IND 46/1 (7 Overs)

Shaheen continues

IND 31/1 (6 Overs)

Naseem continues

IND 31/1 (5 Overs)

4.6: Shaheen gets Rohit Sharma with an absolute in dipping yorker.

Rohit Sharma 20 (15b 3×4 1×6) SR: 133.33

Shaheen continues

IND 26/0 (4 Overs)

Naseem continues

IND 20/0 (3 Overs)

Shaheen continues

IND 12/0 (2 Overs)

Naseem Shah will bowl from the other end.

IND 2/0 (1 Over)

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma to open the innings for India. Shaheen Afridi will take the new ball for Pakistan.

PAKISTAN vs INDIA (2nd INNINGS)

A combined bowling effort by Team India bundled Pakistan for 241 in 49.4 overs in the second match of the multi-nation tournament.

PAK 241 (49.4 Overs)

49.4: Harshit to Khushdil. He skies the ball in the air, and it’s caught. End of the innings for Khushdil and Pakistan.
Khushdil Shah 38 (39b 0x4 2×6) SR: 97.43

Harshit to bowl the last over of the innings.

PAK 241/9 (49 Overs)

48.6: Going for the double run but an accurate through ends Rauf’s innings.

Haris Rauf  8 (7b 0x4 1×6) SR: 114.28

Shami returns

PAK 227/8 (48 Overs)

Harshit returns

PAK 222/8 (47 Overs)

46.4: Naseem tries to push the ball, but it’s in the air and straight to long on. Virat Kohli takes a brilliant catch.

Naseem Shah 14 (16b 1×4 0x6) SR: 87.5

Kuldeep continues

PAK 219/7 (46 Overs)

Shami returns

PAK 212/7 (45 Overs)

Kuldeep to continue

PAK 200/7 (44 Overs)

Harshit Rana back into the attack

PAK 200/7 (43 Overs)

42.5: Another wicket for India as Shaheen goes on zero.

Shaheen Shah Afridi 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

42.4: Salman gives it a big heave, but it’s a top edge and taken by Jadeja.

Salman Agha 19 (24b 0x4 0x6) SR: 79.16

Kuldeep continues

PAK 197/5 (42 Overs)

Axar to continue

PAK 188/5 (41 Overs)

Kuldeep returns

PAK 183/5 (40 Overs)

Axar continues

PAK 177/5 (39 Overs)

Jadeja continues

PAK 170/5 (38 Overs)

Axar continues

PAK 167/5 (37 Overs)

36.1: The ball landed on a length in front of the middle and turned away a touch, Tahir tried to run it towards third. Tentative poke, got the wrist down but played the wrong line. The ball hit the middle and off in the end.

Tayyab Tahir 4 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

Jadeja returns

PAK 165/4 (36 Overs)

Axar continues

PAK 160/4 (35 Overs)

34.5: Saud Shakeel tries to force a pull over Axar Patel but ends up holing out to deep midwicket.

Saud Shakeel 62 (76b 5×4 0x6) SR: 81.57

Hardik continues

PAK 154/3 (34 Overs)

33.2: Rizwan steps out and aims to heave it over mid-on who is inside the circle. But does not connect as Axar hits the stumps.

Mohammad Rizwan 46 (77b 3×4 0x6) SR: 59.74

Axar Patel continues

PAK 150/2 (33 Overs)

Hardik is back in the attack

PAK 142/2 (32 Overs)

Axar Patel returns

PAK 137/2 (31 Overs)

Ravindra Jadeja continues

PAK 129/2 (30 Overs)

Axar Patel returns

PAK 126/2 (29 Overs)

Ravindra Jadeja continues

PAK 121/2 (28 Overs)

Shami returns to the attack

PAK 116/2 (27 Overs)

Ravindra Jadeja continues

PAK 107/2 (26 Overs)

Kuldeep Yadav continues

PAK 99/2 (25 Overs)

Ravindra Jadeja continues

PAK 94/2 (24 Overs)

Kuldeep Yadav continues

PAK 90/2 (23 Overs)

Ravindra Jadeja to bowl his first over

PAK 86/2 (22 Overs)

Kuldeep Yadav continues

PAK 82/2 (21 Overs)

Harshit Rana continues

PAK 79/2 (20 Overs)

Kuldeep Yadav replaces Axar Patel

PAK 77/2 (19 Overs)

Harshit Rana returns

PAK 74/2 (18 Overs)

Axar Patel continues

PAK 72/2 (17 Overs)

Hardik Pandya continues

PAK 70/2 (16 Overs)

Axar Patel returns

PAK 63/2 (15 Overs)

Hardik Pandya continues

PAK 61/2 (14 Overs)

Shami continues

PAK 59/2 (13 Overs)

Hardik Pandya continues

PAK 58/2 (12 Overs)

Mohammed Shami returns to bowl

PAK 55/2 (11 Overs)

Hardik Pandya continues

PAK 52/2 (10 Overs)

9.2: Imam jumps out of his crease once again and pushes it straight to Axar at mid-on. Axar gathers the ball quickly and throws down the stumps at the bowler’s end to catch Imam well short.

Imam-ul-Haq 10 (26b 0x4 0x6) SR: 38.46

Kuldeep Yadav to bowl the final over of the first powerplay

PAK 47/1 (9 Overs)

8.2: Hardik drags his length back outside off, it veers away against the inward angle. He finds the away movement he was looking for off the pitch. It messes with Babar’s drive. He can only snick it behind to the keeper.

Babar Azam 23 (26b 5×4 0x6) SR: 88.46

Hardik Pandya continues

PAK 37/0 (8 Overs)

Axar Patel to bowl the eighth over

PAK 31/0 (7 Overs)

Hardik Pandya replaces Mohammad Shami

PAK 26/0 (6 Overs)

Harshit Rana continues

PAK 25/0 (5 Overs)

Shami continues

PAK 22/0 (4 Overs)

Harshit Rana continues

PAK 14/0 (3 Overs)

Shami continues

PAK 10/0 (2 Overs)

Harshit Rana to bowl from the other end

PAK 6/0 (1 Over)

Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq to open the innings for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami will take the new ball for India.

PAKISTAN vs INDIA (1st INNINGS)

Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against India in the fifth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

HEAD TO HEAD

In 135 ODI encounters between the two sides, Pakistan have the edge with 73 victories compared to India’s 57. However, Pakistan have struggled in recent years, winning only two of their last nine ODIs against India, with one game washed out.

Interestingly, Pakistan boast a better record in the Champions Trophy. The two teams have clashed five times in the tournament’s history, with Pakistan emerging victorious on three occasions.

Overall ODIs: Matches 135, Pakistan 73, India 57, NR 5

Champions Trophy: Matches 5, Pakistan 3, India 2

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The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: PCB seeks ICC’s clarification after Indian anthem played at Gaddafi Stadium

Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan win toss against India

DUBAI: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against India in the fifth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

HEAD TO HEAD

In 135 ODI encounters between the two sides, Pakistan have the edge with 73 victories compared to India’s 57. However, Pakistan have struggled in recent years, winning only two of their last nine ODIs against India, with one game washed out.

Interestingly, Pakistan boast a better record in the Champions Trophy. The two teams have clashed five times in the tournament’s history, with Pakistan emerging victorious on three occasions.

Overall ODIs: Matches 135, Pakistan 73, India 57, NR 5

Champions Trophy: Matches 5, Pakistan 3, India 2

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The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli: A statistical face-off before Champions Trophy showdown

Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli: A statistical face-off before Champions Trophy showdown

The excitement among the fans is evident as the highly anticipated match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 approaches, reigniting debates about two of modern cricket’s finest batters—Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.

Both players have been instrumental in their teams’ success over the past decade, consistently scoring runs and shouldering immense responsibility.

As the high-voltage encounter between Pakistan and India approaches, let’s compare Virat Kohli and Babar Azam’s stats after 127 ODIs, along with their performances in the Champions Trophy.

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Babar Azam came under the microscope for his scratchy 64 off 90 balls in Pakistan’s 60-run loss to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli had an uncharacteristic outing against Bangladesh, scoring just 22 off 38 balls.

Lately, both batters have had demons while facing spin-bowling. Kohli has been dismissed by a leg-spinner in each of his last three ODI appearances, while Babar has struggled against spin bowlers over the past two years.

ODI Stats After 127 Matches – Kohli vs. Babar

Babar Azam’s recent form has been a topic of discussion, but his overall stats reinforce why he is regarded as Pakistan’s best batter.

In 127 ODI matches so far, he has amassed 6,083 runs at a remarkable average of 55.8, with a strike rate of 87.9. His tally includes 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

In comparison, at the 127-match mark, Virat Kohli had accumulated 5,355 runs at an average of 52.5 and a strike rate of 89.6, with 18 centuries and 29 fifties.

Babar Azam has maintained an even higher batting average at the same stage of his career, edging Kohli in centuries and overall runs. However, Kohli had a slightly better strike rate during this phase.

Kohli vs Babar: A Champions Trophy Comparison

Virat Kohli’s journey across four editions of the ICC Champions Trophy, from 2009 to 2025, has been remarkable.

Over 14 matches, he has amassed 551 runs at an outstanding average of 78.71, including five half-centuries. His highest score remains an unbeaten 96, and he has maintained an impressive strike rate of 90.18.

However, despite his consistency, the prolific batter is yet to register a century in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Babar Azam is competing in his second Champions Trophy. He played a crucial role in Pakistan’s 2017 triumph and has since scored 197 runs in six matches at an average of 49.25.

His highest score is 64, with one half-century to his name. However, his strike rate of 73.50 is notably lower than Kohli’s.

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While Virat Kohli and Babar Azam both stand as modern-day greats, their careers have followed different trajectories. Kohli’s longevity and consistency across all formats have made him one of cricket’s finest, while Babar continues to carve out his legacy with remarkable performances.

As they prepare for yet another high-stakes battle, all eyes will be on how these two maestros handle the pressure and deliver on the grand stage.

READ: Pakistan likely to make one change for Champions Trophy clash against India: sources

Pakistan likely to make one change for Champions Trophy clash against India: sources

DUBAI: Pakistan team management is likely to make one change to their Playing XI for the much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against arch-rivals India, scheduled to be played here today.

According to reports, Imam-ul-Haq is likely to replace Fakhar Zaman at the top of the order, while the rest of the line-up will stay the same, which played in the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand.

For the unversed, Imam-ul-Haq was called up in the Pakistan squad as a replacement for Fakhar, who was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 after he sustained an injury during the match against New Zealand.

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There were rumours of Babar Azam going back to his usual number three spot, however, recent reports suggest that he will continue to open the innings.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi.

Meanwhile, India started their Champions Trophy campaign with a convincing win against Bangladesh as they comfortably chased a 229-run target against Bangladesh, thanks to a brilliant 101-run knock by Shubman Gill.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Historically, Pakistan has a slight edge over India in the Champions Trophy, winning three out of their five meetings.

Their last encounter in the tournament was the 2017 final, where Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side produced a dominant performance, thrashing India by 180 runs to lift their first-ever Champions Trophy title.

Pakistan likely Playing XI for India clash: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

READ: PCB seeks ICC’s clarification after Indian anthem played at Gaddafi Stadium

‘Pakistan must be at their absolute best to beat India’

Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has weighed in on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash between Pakistan and India, offering advice to the defending champions ahead of their must-win encounter in Dubai on Sunday.

Pakistan’s campaign got off to a disastrous start with a crushing 60-run defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi.

With zero points on the board, Mohammad Rizwan and his team must now beat India to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Meanwhile, India head into this game full of confidence after easing past Bangladesh in their opening match.

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Assessing both teams’ recent performances, Ponting admitted that Pakistan face an uphill battle against their arch-rivals but reminded everyone of their trademark unpredictability.

“It’s going to be hard for Pakistan now,” Ponting said. “We spoke only a few days ago, and my prediction was that Pakistan would beat New Zealand quite comfortably.”

“But Fakhar’s injury didn’t help, and they were chasing a big total after some great batting from New Zealand. To post 320 was always going to be a tough ask.”

However, the legendary Australian batter refused to count Pakistan out entirely.

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“With Pakistan, we say it before every tournament – they’re unpredictable. You never quite know what they’re going to do,” he added.

Ricky Ponting stressed that Pakistan can still make a comeback but will have to bring their absolute best to the field against a well-settled Indian side.

“On their day, they’re as capable as anyone. But now, after losing to New Zealand, they’ll need to be at their absolute best to beat India,” he remarked.

“India’s off to a great start, Pakistan not so much. And with Fakhar’s injury, it’s going to be tough for them to bounce back—but they can.”

READ: Champions Trophy on the line—Can Pakistan stun India to survive?

Pakistan can capitalize on India’s mistakes: Mohammad Amir

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir believes that while India may look formidable on paper, their performance against Bangladesh exposed some vulnerabilities that Pakistan can exploit in their upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash.

Speaking in a recent interview, Amir pointed out that India weren’t at their best in their opening game, making errors that could prove costly in a high-pressure match against Pakistan.

“On the day of an India-Pakistan match, the team that makes fewer mistakes wins,” Amir said.

“If you look at India’s record in bilateral series, they have played well, but they made a lot of mistakes against Bangladesh. If they repeat those mistakes against Pakistan, we will have a real chance.”

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While Pakistan struggled in all departments during their opening defeat to New Zealand, Mohammad Amir believes a win against India could be a turning point, boosting the team’s confidence and putting them back on track for a potential Champions Trophy final appearance.

Regarding Pakistan’s playing XI, Amir doesn’t expect wholesale changes, apart from a forced swap due to Fakhar Zaman’s injury.

“There won’t be many changes. Either Imam-ul-Haq or Usman Khan will replace Fakhar, but the rest of the team will likely remain the same,” he added.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi.

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Meanwhile, India started their Champions Trophy campaign with a convincing win against Bangladesh as they comfortably chased a 229-run target against Bangladesh, thanks to a brilliant 101-run knock by Shubman Gill.

Historically, Pakistan has a slight edge over India in the Champions Trophy, winning three out of their five meetings.

Their last encounter in the tournament was the 2017 final, where Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side produced a dominant performance, thrashing India by 180 runs to lift their first-ever Champions Trophy title.

READ: Sourav Ganguly predicts winner of Pakistan-India Champions Trophy clash

Sourav Ganguly predicts winner of Pakistan-India Champions Trophy clash

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has predicted the winners of the highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, scheduled to be played in Dubai tomorrow.

Ganguly has declared India as the clear favorite not just to triumph in the match against Pakistan, but also to secure the Champions Trophy title, emphasizing their spin attack as a significant strength.

“India are not just favorites against Pakistan, but for me, they are favorites for this tournament, said the former captain.

“It won’t be easy for Pakistan. The spinners will also play a crucial role. I think India will go with the same (bowling) combination.

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“I presume this Dubai pitch will turn a bit, and Pakistan doesn’t play spin very well. India has quality spinners.”

Sourav Ganguly further downplayed Pakistan’s chances of a comeback, predicting an early exit for the hosts from the tournament.

“New Zealand has beaten Pakistan, so New Zealand is ahead. If India beats Pakistan, then Pakistan will probably be out of the competition. So, I see India and New Zealand progressing from this group,” he said.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi.

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Meanwhile, India started their Champions Trophy campaign with a convincing win against Bangladesh as they comfortably chased a 229-run target against Bangladesh, thanks to a brilliant 101-run knock by Shubman Gill.

Historically, Pakistan has a slight edge over India in the Champions Trophy, winning three out of their five meetings.

Their last encounter in the tournament was the 2017 final, where Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side produced a dominant performance, thrashing India by 180 runs to lift their first-ever Champions Trophy title.

READ: ‘Pakistan’s victory over India in Champions Trophy would be an upset’

‘Pakistan’s victory over India in Champions Trophy would be an upset’

Former cricketer Basit Ali believes that if Pakistan defeat India in their high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match tomorrow, it will be an upset given the current form of both teams.

Basit Ali, while speaking on ARY News’ show Har Lamha Purjosh, assessed Pakistan’s current form and stated that India are overwhelming favorites heading into the contest.

“The way Pakistan is playing cricket, India has an 85 percent chance of winning, while Pakistan’s chances stand at only 15 percent,” Basit remarked.

“If Pakistan wins, it will be a big upset.”

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Echoing his sentiments, former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal also acknowledged India’s dominance and stated that while an upset is possible, Pakistan will need to strike early with the ball to stand a chance.

“We can call it an upset because the Indian team is complete,” Akmal said. “The only chance for Pakistan to win is by taking early wickets with the new ball.”

Highlighting Pakistan’s weaknesses, Akmal pointed out their struggles in the middle overs and lack of bowling depth.

“We only have one spinner in the middle overs, we are not taking wickets with the new ball, and we are conceding too many runs in the death overs,” he added.

Going a step further, Akmal predicted that India have a 90 percent chance of winning, leaving Pakistan with just a 10 percent probability of pulling off a victory.

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It’s worth noting that Pakistan are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi.

Meanwhile, India started their Champions Trophy campaign with a convincing win against Bangladesh as they comfortably chased a 229-run target against Bangladesh, thanks to a brilliant 101-run knock by Shubman Gill.

Historically, Pakistan has a slight edge over India in the Champions Trophy, winning three out of their five meetings.

Their last encounter in the tournament was the 2017 final, where Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side produced a dominant performance, thrashing India by 180 runs to lift their first-ever Champions Trophy title.

READ: Champions Trophy: What are Pakistan’s chances if India clash gets washed out?

Champions Trophy: What are Pakistan’s chances if India clash gets washed out?

Pakistan cricket team is set to face arch-rivals India in a must-win ICC Champions Trophy 2025 encounter on February 23 in Dubai, however, there are concerns about the weather disrupting the game.

With Pakistan reeling from a crushing 60-run loss against New Zealand, this fixture is do-or-die for Mohammad Rizwan’s men, who currently sit at the bottom of Group A with zero points and an NRR of -1.2.

India, on the other hand, started their campaign strong, chasing down Bangladesh’s 229-run target with ease, thanks to Shubman Gill’s century. They sit second in the group with two points and an NRR of 0.4.

With the weather in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) transitioning away from winter, cloudy conditions and occasional showers have been reported in some areas.

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On February 18, Dubai even witnessed rainfall, raising concerns that the weather might impact India’s opener against Bangladesh. Luckily, the match went ahead as planned.

For February 23, the National Centre of Meteorology predicts fair to partly cloudy skies, with a slight chance of light rain in some northern areas. However, in Dubai, the probability of rain remains just 1%, with 27% cloud cover and wind gusts of 30 km/h.

Nevertheless, if the game gets washed out, both Pakistan and India will share one point each, making the Green Shirt’s qualification scenario trickier.

For Pakistan to keep hope alive, they must secure a decisive victory over Bangladesh, ideally with a significant margin to elevate their net run rate (NRR).

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However, they would also need to rely on New Zealand’s results, wishing for them to triumph over both India and Bangladesh.

In this case, Pakistan and India would find themselves tied on points, and the net run rate (NRR) will determine which team will join New Zealand in the semi-finals.

Another possible scenario is Bangladesh beating New Zealand while Pakistan secure a victory over Bangladesh. In this case, both Pakistan and India will qualify for the semi-finals.

READ: Champions Trophy: Yuvraj Singh backs Pakistan to have edge over India