Former Australian great Steve Waugh shared his prediction for the highly-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled for Sunday.
Waugh, who led Australia to the World Cup victory in 1999, stated that India is the favorite to win the match against Pakistan. However, he did not rule out hosts, citing their unpredictability.
“An India-Pakistan game is more than a cricket match. It’s a huge event. Pakistan has been hot and cold over the last 12 months.”
“They are capable of doing really good things, so you are never sure what Pakistan side is going to turn up. India is the favourite, but it would not surprise me either if Pakistan wins the game,” Waugh said.
He further addressed the discussion around the Indian stalwart Virat Kohli, stating that it is too early to write him off.
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“I never write off great players. People said that Steve Smith was out of form, and as soon as you say that, they go out and score a hundred.”
“If people write off someone like Virat Kohli, it’s probably the best thing they can do because it will motivate him to perform well,” Waugh said in a virtual media interaction.
Steve Waugh highlighted Kohli’s mental barrier when playing outside off-stump balls.
“The tendency to hang the bat outside off stump is something he could rectify pretty quickly. It comes down to concentration and focus, ” said the former captain.
“Maybe those are the areas that are down at the moment. Maybe he thinks too far ahead, or thinks about the consequences rather than playing it one ball at a time,” he said.
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For the unaware, the hosts and defending Champions Pakistan began their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a 60-run loss against New Zealand.
They will now face arch-rivals India in the much-awaited clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23 before returning home to square off against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
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