India, Pakistan set for high-stakes Champions Trophy clash

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are all set to prove their cricketing prowess in the high-stake ICC Champions Trophy match on Sunday in Dubai.

The high-voltage match brings together two neighbours, with India entering as tournament favorites and Pakistan looking to bounce back from an opening loss.

India started their campaign with a six-wicket win against Bangladesh, riding on Shubman Gill’s century. They have been one of the most consistent teams in global tournaments, and they enter this match in strong form, having recently dominated England in a home series.

Their squad remained unchanged from the opening game, with the spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel expected to play a key role on Dubai’s slow surface.

In the pace department, Harshit Rana was preferred over Arshdeep Singh to partner Mohammed Shami in the first game, and India is likely to retain the same combination.

India’s ODI form has been solid, winning four of their last five matches. Captain Rohit Sharma will look to lead from the front, while Virat Kohli’s experience in high-pressure games makes him a key figure in the batting lineup.

Pakistan had a tough start to their campaign, losing to New Zealand by 60 runs. Their batting struggled to keep up with the required rate, exposing vulnerabilities that India will look to exploit.

Pakistan will miss the service of opener Fakhar Zaman who was ruled with a finger injury in the last match. To replace him, the Pakistan management added Imam-ul-Haq to the squad.

Despite the early setback, Pakistan remains a strong team, particularly with their bowling attack. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf form a potent pace trio, while spinners will also be crucial in Dubai’s conditions. Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will be key to stabilizing the batting lineup.

India and Pakistan have a long-standing rivalry in ICC tournaments. While Pakistan famously defeated India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, India has generally held the upper hand in global events, winning their last three ODI meetings.