Pakistan vs India in Champions Trophy 2025 Preview, Time, Venue, Squads

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Pakistan will face India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with both teams eager to secure a win, making this an exciting contest to watch. 

Match Details:

Venue: Dubai Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Date: February 23, 2025 (Sunday)  
Time: 2:00 PM PST (Toss at 1:30 PM IST)  

Team Previews:

Pakistan:

Pakistan's biggest concern heading into the tournament is Babar Azam's form. He hasn't scored an ODI century in his last 21 innings, which is surprising for a player of his caliber. While he has only registered two single-digit scores during this stretch, fans are eagerly waiting for him to play a match-winning knock, particularly in a home tournament. This time, Babar will be opening the batting instead of his usual No. 3 position, and a strong performance from him could give Pakistan a much-needed boost. In addition to Babar's form, Pakistan's batting line-up remains a key concern. The team will need their top-order to step up and deliver solid performances in order to compete effectively.

India:

Led by Rohit Sharma, India is a powerhouse in international cricket. However, the injury of Jasprit Bumrah remains a significant concern for them. Their batting lineup, spearheaded by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will be crucial in facing Pakistan's bowling attack. The likes of Mohammad Shami will need to fire in the bowling department, especially due to Bumrah's injury. 

Squads:

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

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

Pitch Report:

The pitch at Dubai International Stadium has consistently favored bowlers in recent years. Out of 59 matches played at the venue, teams have managed to post 300-plus totals only four times, with the most recent instance being Pakistan's score in 2019.

In the previous game between India and Bangladesh, batters struggled to accelerate. Chasing a target of 228 runs, India only managed to cross the line in the 47th over. However, batting tends to get a bit easier in the second innings at Dubai, as the average runs per wicket increase from 25 in the first innings to 29 in the second.

Weather Report:

The weather forecast is bright and sunny and with little chance of dew coming in, the team winning the toss may choose to bat first.

Match Prediction:

India's batting lineup will present a tough challenge for Pakistan's fast bowlers, but Pakistan's bowling attack could provide them with an advantage. A highly competitive contest is expected as both teams seek a crucial win.