CLASH OF TITANS: India aim to avenge 2017 final, Pak seek to keep title defence alive
Soaring emotions, intense ticket sales, fans cancelling plans and an all-time high viewership — yes, it’s all about the India-Pakistan clash. This Sunday, the mother of all battles — Pakistan vs India — is set to set the Champions Trophy stage on fire in Dubai.
Head-to-head record
- India have a psychological edge of staying unbeaten against Pakistan in the last six ODIs (including the 2023 Asia Cup group stage washout) since 2018.
- Pakistan have beaten India in three out of five matches in the Champions Trophy, including the 2017 final.
- Virat Kohli needs 15 runs to become only the third man, and the fastest among them, to score 14,000 ODI runs.
- Star pacer Mohammed Shami will play an ODI against Pakistan after a long gap of ten years.
- The ICC reported that tickets sold out within minutes. The UAE reportedly host more than 3.7 million Indians and nearly 1.7 million Pakistanis.
- In 2023 World Cup, India registered an emphatic 7-wicket win as captain Rohit and Shreyas Iyer scored half-centuries to keep their winless record intact in the tournament.
It’s not for me to say whether India-Pakistan contest is under-hyped or over-hyped. We definitely want to play positive cricket. 300-325 will be a very good score on this wicket. The team batting well in the middle overs will have a better chance of winning. Toss won’t matter as there is no dew. Team batting second will have more pressure. Shubman Gill
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India have won nine of their last 11 completed ODIs against Pakistan, across the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup.
Pakistan, the first-ever team in the history of the sport to play in another country while being the host, will look to extend their Champions Trophy winning streak against India. On the other hand, fresh from a six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the tournament opener, India is seeking sweet revenge for their 2017 final loss.
From Pakistan’s perspective, the match is crucial as only a win will help them to stay in the hunt for the semifinal from Group A, while a win for India will almost secure a last-four berth. In their last ODI meet in the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, India registered a seven-wicket win.
Special ‘coaching’
In preparation for the high-stakes match, the Pakistan team called upon their former coach for a preparatory training before taking on India. Interim head coach and selector Aaqib Javed has enlisted former teammate Mudassar Nazar to assist in preparing the team for the clash. Nazar, a former Pakistan coach and ex-Director of the PCB High Performance Centre in Lahore, had joined the team on Friday.
He attended the Pakistan team’s nets session in Dubai to share his insights on the playing conditions, particularly any recent changes. As per reports, Nazar has been based in Dubai for several years and works at the ICC Academy. After the debacle against New Zealand, Pakistan teams are more focused on improving their batting. In the tournament opener, their biggest star Babar Azam took 90 balls to contribute 64 in a chase of 320—which was criticised for being too slow.
Azam’s inability to accelerate even when the asking rate kept climbing has come under scrutiny and he would be under tremendous pressure against India. The ouster of game-changing opener Fakhar Zaman is another shocker for the side, but middle-order batter Khushdil Shah’s counter-attacking 69 against the Kiwis was something very positive for the side. Shah has amusingly stated that he has no idea how he made the squad given his lean run in the recent past but Pakistan would be happy that the punt has paid off. The defending champions will also be hoping to prove a point by getting the better of India—as the latter refused to travel across the border for the tournament.
India’s distinct advantage, but with caution
India will surely enter this match with a distinct advantage in every aspect. The side has already been settled at the match venue, and has also won a match, while Pakistan have flown in a couple of days ago. Skipper Rohit, whose form was a major concern in the run-up to the tournament, seems to be getting back considering his 41-run opening cameo against Bangladesh. A fine ton by his deputy Shubman Gill was a crucial contribution in the tricky chase of 229.
KL Rahul’s steady 41-run innings provided much-needed stability for India in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant. To further boost their chances, Mohammed Shami’s dream comeback injected fresh energy into the squad, filling the void left by Jasprit Bumrah’s absence.
A major concern, however, remains Virat Kohli’s form—he has struggled to convert promising starts into bigger scores. Determined to get back on track, Kohli arrived at the ICC Academy two hours ahead of his scheduled practice session. During this early stint, he faced a variety of spinners, including leg-break bowlers, off-spinners, and a left-arm spinner, honing his skills in anticipation of Pakistan’s spin attack.
