India vs Pakistan Playing 11:
Today, February 23rd, marks the epic clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This Group-A match will commence at 2:30 PM IST at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Indian team will be led by Rohit Sharma, while Mohammed Rizwan will captain Pakistan.
What Could be India’s Ideal Combination?
All eyes are on the playing 11 as both captains announce their lineups at the toss. India's team might field with 4 specialist batters, 1 wicketkeeper-batsman, 1 batting all-rounder, 2 spin-bowling all-rounders, 2 specialist fast bowlers, and 1 specialist spinner.
Overall, no changes are anticipated for the Indian team; they might stick with their winning combination against Bangladesh. Rohit Sharma seems inclined to follow the old successful strategy. Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, and Rishabh Pant are likely to sit out this match as well.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is set for a change. Fakhar Zaman was injured in the match against New Zealand and has been ruled out of the tournament. Imam-ul-Haq has joined the squad in Dubai, taking Fakhar's place, and is expected to play.
Will India Avenge the 2017 Final Defeat?
India started their campaign on a high note, defeating Bangladesh by six wickets. In contrast, Pakistan suffered a heavy loss to New Zealand by 60 runs. These two subcontinental giants last clashed in the Champions Trophy in the 2017 final, where Pakistan emerged victorious. Mohammed Rizwan and his teammates aim to draw inspiration from that triumph in London, while needing strong performances in all three departments.
Source: aajtak
For India, Rohit Sharma's form was a concern, but he seemed to regain it with a brilliant innings against Bangladesh. Shubman Gill's dazzling form bodes well for India as he boasts centuries in consecutive matches. However, Virat Kohli's inability to convert strong starts into big scores is worrisome. Kohli must strive for a significant innings against Pakistan to anchor the team.
As for Pakistan, the form and attitude of star batsman Babar Azam are troubling. Despite scoring 64 runs off 90 balls against New Zealand, criticism arose over his slow innings. Middle-order batsman Khushdil Shah's aggressive 69-run knock from the first match shines as a positive for Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistan's bowlers underperformed last game and must be wary of India's counterattacking capabilities.
On the other hand, India's bowling appears formidable. Speedster Mohammed Shami, after recovering from injury, claimed five wickets in the last game, well-supported by Harshit Rana. Shami's impressive performance suggests India doesn't miss the injured Jasprit Bumrah in this tournament. All-rounder Hardik Pandya is known for delivering stellar performances against Pakistan in ICC competitions, including a compelling fightback in the 2017 final.
India's Potential Playing-11:
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 Potential Playing-11:
Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Mohammed Rizwan (Captain/Wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha (Vice-Captain), Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
