Defeating India in the ongoing Champions Trophy match in Dubai on February 23 is a challenge for Pakistan, especially in light of their opening game’s performance in against New Zealand.
The ICC Champions Trophy is the most prestigious ODI tournaments after the World Cup and the mother of all games, Pakistan vs India in the Champions Trophy is being played in Dubai.
As expected, the excitement surrounding the highly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has reached new heights, with tickets for the February 23 match in Dubai selling out within record time.
Bilateral series have become rare in recent years, their clashes in ICC tournaments provide thrilling moments and are considered the ultimate showdown in cricket.
India’s consistent performances in ICC events over the past two decades have made them a formidable force and almost favourite for Dubai game.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has been unpredictable, capable of brilliance on their day, as seen in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and their run to the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup.
India’s strength lies in its batting depth, with stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma consistently delivering in pressure situations. India must miss the services of leading fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is out of the mega event due to back injury, but their spinners’ role on Dubai’s condition will be vital.
Since the start of 2023, five India batters – Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer – have scored over 1000 ODI runs, with all four managing either 50-plus averages, 100-plus strike rates, or both.
Pakistan’s trump cards have historically been their pace bowlers and a knack for rising to the occasion when least expected.
But in recent matches performance Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf had not been up to the mark, conceding too many runs especially in the death overs. If they play up to their potential, they have the ability to trouble even the most seasoned Indian batters, making Pakistan a dangerous opponent.
Pakistan’s crowning glory came in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. After losing to India in the group stages, Pakistan staged a remarkable comeback to defeat their arch-rivals by a staggering 180 runs in the final. This remains Pakistan’s only win against India in ICC Champions Trophy history, as India leads 2-1 in their Champions Trophy head-to-head.
The ICC Champions Trophy has also hosted several thrilling encounters between the two sides. The 2017 final, held at The Oval in London, is noteworthy for being one of the most significant victories in Pakistan’s cricketing history.
Under the captaincy of Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs, claiming their first Champions Trophy. This win was monumental not just for the scoreline but because it showcased Pakistan’s ability to rise to the occasion against their arch-rivals. This was the second time the two teams had met in an ICC final after the T20 final in 2007.
In 2017 Champions Trophy round game, saw India romp to a 124-run win over Sarfraz Ahmed’s Pakistan, whose batting lineup collapsed to 164 all out in 41 overs.
But in the final, opener Fakhar Zaman, who made his Pakistan debut 11 days earlier, was dismissed off a Jasprit Bumrah no ball and went on to score 114 runs off 106 balls to help Pakistan set up a target of 339.
India’s run chase was rocked by opener Mohammad Amir, who dismissed Rohit Sharma and Kohli in his first two overs. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan and player of the tournament Hasan Ali added to the damage as India were dismissed for 158 in 30.3 overs. The 180-run win, Pakistan’s biggest in ODIs against India, brought the team in green their first Champions Trophy title.
In ICC Cricket World Cups, India boasts an unblemished 7-0 record against Pakistan, a streak that began in 1992.
Similarly, in T20 World Cups, India leads 6-2, with Pakistan breaking India’s dominance in the 2021 T20 World Cup with a resounding 10-wicket win.
In recent years, India has established a dominant record against Pakistan in the World Cup, with victories in 1999, 2003, 2011, and 2015. The 2011 World Cup semi-final, where India triumphed in Mohali, was particularly significant as it marked the pinnacle of this intense rivalry, leading to India’s eventual World Cup win on home soil.
In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), India has historically held an edge over Pakistan in recent decades, but the overall record remains competitive. As of 2025, India leads in ODIs with 56 wins compared to Pakistan’s 73 in their 132 matches, with 4 ending in no results.
However, the dynamics shift when it comes to ICC tournaments, where India has dominated Pakistan in high-pressure games.
India faced Pakistan five times in the ICC Champions Trophy where Pakistan won three matches and India came up as the winners in two matches, as of February 2025. They faced each other one time in the 2004, 2009, and 2013 Champions Trophy and twice in the 2017 Champions Trophy. Their clash in the 2025 edition of the tournament on 23 February, 2025, will be the 6th time the two former ICC Champions Trophy winners face off each other.
In another high-pressure game against India if green-shirts want emerge victorious against men in blue, they will need to focus on several key areas:
Pakistan’s new combination of openers need to provide a solid foundation, setting up the platform with a decent run-rate for the middle-order to capitalise on.
Opening partnership will be crucial to put Indian bowlers under-pressure.
Middle-order – Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah – are quiet inexperienced as compared to Indian middle-order. Only Mohamamd Rizwan and Salman Agha have the ability to play a long innings, otherwise other batsmen threw their wickets after scoring 20-30 runs.
In the mega event, Pakistan bowling depending on pacers and they must be disciplined and accurate from the beginning, targeting the Indian top order and exploiting any weaknesses. Bowlers like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf have the experience to handle the situation and they can play a pivotal role in restricting India’s scoring by taking early wickets.
Early breakthroughs will be essential to unsettle India’s top-order batting. Shaheen Afridi’s ability to swing the new ball could be pivotal.
The only specialist spinner Abrar Ahmed with part-timers Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah will be under-pressure against strong Indian batting, especially in the middle overs. They need to be used strategically to break crucial partnerships and control the run rate.
Fielding can be a game-changer in high-pressure matches. Pakistan needs to be sharp in the field, taking catches and effecting run-outs to keep the pressure on the Indian batsmen.
The mental aspect of the game is crucial, especially in a high-stakes match like this. Pakistan’s players need to stay focused, handle pressure, and not let emotions get the better of them.
Thorough preparation and analysis of the Indian team’s strengths and weaknesses will be essential. Understanding the playing conditions and adapting to them quickly can give Pakistan an edge.
A united team with strong support from the coaching staff and management can make a significant difference. Encouragement and motivation from the sidelines can boost the players’ confidence and performance.
For Pakistan to beat India, they must execute their plans flawlessly. Green-shirts can increase their chances of beating India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and lift the coveted trophy once again.
While India remains a formidable opponent with experience and consistency on its side, Pakistan has shown in the past that they are capable of scripting memorable upsets. If Pakistan can combine discipline with aggression and handle the pressure of an India game, they could very well beat their arch-rivals in the Champions Trophy 2025 and create another iconic chapter in their cricketing rivalry.
Pakistan’s one of those three wins came in the final of the Champions Trophy 2017, the last time the tournament was played and it would be interesting to see how the defending Champions Pakistan go about their business against India.
Defeating India in Champions Trophy encounter appears increasingly challenging for Pakistan, especially in light of their performance in the opening game against New Zealand in Karachi where they lost by 60 runs.
After the Kiwis posted two consecutive scores exceeding 300 runs in the tri-series against the home team, they further demonstrated their batting strength by surpassing the 300-run mark again in the inaugural game and all three matches won by the New Zealand.
The bowling performance was disappointing, as they allowed a substantial total of 320 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Subsequently, the batting lineup struggled to chase down the target of 321, losing the match by a significant margin. A key issue for the Pakistani batsmen has been maintaining an adequate strike rate. After the halfway mark of 25 overs, they could only score 83 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, resulting in a run rate of 3.32.
February 23 match is a do or die match for Pakistan, as a victory is essential to keep their hopes alive in the tournament. A loss would eliminate them from the competition, even with a remaining match against Bangladesh.
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