Pakistan Face India in ICC Champion Trophy 2025

Pakistan's Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq got off to a good start, scoring 25 runs in 4 overs without losing a wicket, after captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The match saw an injury scare for India's Mohammed Shami, who continued bowling after being attended to by the physio, and was later replaced by Hardik Pandya for the next over. Pakistan replaced Fakhar Zaman with Imam-ul-Haq in their playing XI, while India's team remained unchanged from their previous match. Pakistan set a target of 242 runs against India, with the Indian team losing Shubman Gill on 46 runs to a carrom ball by Abrar.

India's Virat Kohli reached a milestone, becoming the fastest man to 14,000 runs in the ODI format, bringing up the feat with a punch through cover. The match is set up for a thrilling second half, with Pakistan's bowlers needing to get early breakthroughs to restrict India's chase. Pakistan's batting has been slow, with the team struggling to take singles and doubles, and the run rate has dipped below 4.

Hardik Pandya has been instrumental in Pakistan's struggles, taking the wicket of Babar Azam and putting pressure on the Pakistani batsmen. Babar, who had faced criticism for his slow knock against New Zealand earlier, played with intent against India, scoring 23 off 24 balls before edging out to KL Rahul. Pandya's dismissal of Babar gave him a send-off with a cheeky "bye-bye" gesture.

The match is expected to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to outdo each other in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan's batting and bowling will be put to the test as they look to restrict India's strong batting lineup and chase down the target.