India vs Pakistan CT 2025 Pre Match Analysis
: The last time India and Pakistan faced each other in the Champions Trophy was in the thrilling 2017 finals, where India faced a tough 110-run defeat. India has a strong history in this tournament, having been champions in 2013 and joint champions in 2002. Pakistan clinched the title in 2017.
In their Champions Trophy journey, India convincingly defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in their opening match. In contrast, Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand. Gautam Gambhir leads India's coaching, while Aaqib Javed helms Pakistan, with Mudassar Nazar providing expert insights.
Strengths and X Factor of the Indian Team
In the opening match against Bangladesh, the hero was Shubman Gill. Rohit Sharma scored a commanding 41 runs on February 20. KL Rahul, after a missed catch, played a stellar innings of 41 runs. Mohammed Shami claimed five wickets, Harshit Rana took three, and Axar Patel secured two. Hardik Pandya is in excellent form in both bowling and batting. Axar Patel emerges as India's X factor with his exceptional bowling and a batting strike rate of 139.
Weaknesses of the Indian Team
Virat Kohli was dismissed with 22 runs against Bangladesh, but expectations are high against Pakistan for a significant performance. Shreyas and Axar's early dismissals warrant better innings. Kuldeep Yadav's bowling didn't meet his renowned standards, and he also dropped two catches during the match.
Source: aajtak
Strengths and X Factor of the Pakistani Team
Although the Pakistani captain didn't perform well in the last match, his recent form has been impressive. Middle-order batsman Salman Agha is in top form. The formidable bowling trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf poses a significant threat to India. Khushdil Shah (69) and Salman Agha (42) showcased their skills against New Zealand, making them the X factors for the team.
Weaknesses of the Pakistani Team
During Pakistan's innings against New Zealand, Babar Azam's 64 runs off 90 balls faced criticism. The expectations are high for sharper bowling from Afridi, Naseem, and Rauf, who were costly against New Zealand. Afridi (10-0-68-0), Naseem (10-0-63-2), and Rauf (10-0-83-2) proved expensive. Additionally, their fielding was notably weak in the first match.
Selection Dilemmas for Both Teams...
India might face tough selection choices between Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. The decision between Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana will be intriguing. Fakhar Zaman’s injury might pave the way for Imam-ul-Haq, with Kamran Ghulam or Tayyab Tahir as potential inclusions.
The Dubai clash remains unaffected by rain, with temperatures between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius. The match commences at 2:30 PM, with the toss at 2 PM.
Rohit Sharma is unlikely to alter his playing eleven, retaining the team that played against Bangladesh for the face-off against Pakistan.
India’s Possible Playing XI Against Pakistan:
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami
Pakistan’s Possible Playing XI Against India:
Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wicketkeeper), Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
India vs Pakistan ODI Record
In Dubai, India has played Pakistan twice in ODI format, winning both encounters. In the Champions Trophy, India and Pakistan have faced five times, with Pakistan leading 3-2. Pakistan’s victories came in 2004 in England, 2009 in South Africa, and the 2017 final at The Oval, London. In overall ODI stats, Pakistan edges ahead, having won 73 out of 135 matches, compared to India's 57 wins, with 5 matches ending without a result.
Total Matches: 135
India Won: 57
Pakistan Won: 73
Drawn: 0
No Result: 5
Champions Trophy India-Pakistan H2H:
Total Matches: 5
India Won: 2
Pakistan Won: 3
Drawn: 0
No Result: 0
