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

Cricket’s greatest rivalry is all set to reignite the excitement of fans as fierce rivals Pakistan and India are set to face off in a high-octane ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash tomorrow, February 23, at Dubai Cricket Stadium.

Although the UAE is still transitioning away from winter, with cloudy conditions and occasional showers in some areas, Dubai will be burning on Sunday—not from the weather, but from the sheer heat of this fierce rivalry.

This contest has produced legendary moments over the decades, etching the names of many stars into the history books. The Champions Trophy, in particular, holds a special place in this rivalry.

The image of the Pakistan cricket team lifting the trophy in 2017 after defeating India is still pierced in the hearts of Indian fans, a painful reminder every time that match is discussed.

While India have won every ODI against Pakistan since then, they will still be seeking revenge for that Champions Trophy defeat.

For Pakistan, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As the official hosts of the Champions Trophy 2025, this marks their first ICC event on home soil since the 1996 World Cup.

However, due to the Indian government’s refusal to send their team to Pakistan, the tournament is being held under a hybrid model, with India’s matches taking place in Dubai.

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As always, Pakistan are going into the match as underdogs. Their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign started on a disastrous note with a crushing defeat to New Zealand, leaving them staring at an early exit from a tournament they waited nearly three decades to host.

To stay alive, Pakistan must defeat their arch-rivals on a slow, tired pitch in Dubai—where India have already played and won, kicking off their campaign with a convincing victory over Bangladesh.

Although momentum is on India’s side, history tells a different story. 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.

Due to political tensions, Pakistan and India only meet in multi-nation tournaments. Their last ODI encounter was in the 2023 ICC World Cup, where Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s blistering 86 off 63 deliveries powered India to a dominant victory while chasing Pakistan’s meagre 192-run target.

Notably, India’s playing XI from that World Cup clash and their recent Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh featured nine of the same players.

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Additionally, India have five spinners to choose from—an advantage on Dubai’s sluggish pitches. In contrast, Pakistan have only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, with Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah as part-time options.

Adding to Pakistan’s woes, they suffered a major blow in their opening game against New Zealand when explosive opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tournament due to a side strain. Imam-ul-Haq has replaced him in the squad, but Pakistan will surely miss Fakhar’s ability to provide aggressive starts.

Given India’s dominant performance in their last match and Pakistan’s struggles, the momentum clearly favors India.

An unsettled team combination, a demoralizing loss to New Zealand, and Fakhar’s injury have put Pakistan’s backs against the wall. However, history has shown that Pakistan thrive in adversity, reminiscent of Imran Khan’s legendary “cornered tigers” speech from their triumphant 1992 World Cup campaign.

The odds may favor India, but Pakistan can never be written off—especially in a high-stakes clash like this.

With survival on the line, Pakistan must summon every ounce of resilience, while India will look to assert their dominance once again. One thing is certain—when these two rivals collide, cricket fans around the world are in for a spectacle.

Squads:

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Saud Shakeel, Naseem Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Hasnain, Usman Khan, Haris Rauf.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

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