Who: Pakistan vs Bharat
What: ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The place: Dubai World Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When: Sunday, February 23 at 1pm (09:00 GMT)
Practice Al Jazeera‘s are living textual content and picture observation current of the game.
The host crowd – and 2d favourites – Pakistan face the crew tipped to win the match, Bharat, on the Champions Trophy on Sunday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The game is arguably the most important fixture in international recreation with the 2 rival international locations drawing abundance tv audiences and normal consideration from all portions of the globe.
As ever, there’s plethora at stake, past the fierce contention between the 2 cricketing giants and neighbouring international locations, with Pakistan defeated by means of 60 runs of their opening game towards Unused Zealand on Wednesday. Bharat, conversely, opened with a six-wicket win towards Bangladesh on Thursday.
Why are Bharat no longer taking part in their suits in Pakistan?
All of Bharat’s suits can be performed in UAE rather of Pakistan, the host crowd of the 2025 version. The go got here next the Board of Regulate for Cricket in Bharat (BCCI) reached an commitment with the World Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan, that each international locations would play games all ICC occasions hosted in both nation to be performed at impartial venues till 2027.
When used to be the endmost date Pakistan hosted a significant match?
World cricket in Pakistan has been closely limited in recent times following the assault by means of gunmen at the Sri Lankan cricket crew’s bus in Lahore in 2009, which wounded six gamers.
Pakistan used to be kept away from by means of manage groups next the assault, and the Champions Trophy marks the primary primary world match to be hosted within the nation in just about 30 years. The endmost date Pakistan staged the worldwide sport used to be in 2006 for the Cricket Global Cup, which they collectively hosted with Bharat.
Why are protecting champions Pakistan no longer the favourites?
Pakistan lifted the endmost version of the Champions Trophy by means of beating Bharat within the ultimate in 2017, however the defeated finalists are the favourites for the match according to their consistency since nearest.
Pakistan have key match-winning gamers within the method of Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, each former captains, however the crowd’s tendency to implode at any degree in any game and any sequence has ended in a name that precedes them.
Off-field turbulence extra a abundance hindrance as smartly – Gary Kirsten used to be appointed white-ball educator endmost yr however he vacate quickly next and used to be changed by means of the nearest Check-match educator Jason Gillespie. The previous Australian bowler quickly adopted his South African predecessor in status unwell – each gave the look to be customery figures with the gamers.
The outlet defeat by means of Unused Zealand, which noticed the batting labour in the course of the chase, highlighted how a lot Pakistan should conquer if they’re to raise the trophy on house ground.
Why are Bharat favourites to win the Champions Trophy?
Bharat made more difficult paintings of the chase of their opening game towards Bangladesh than used to be anticipated. Towhid Hridoy’s century will have to best have not on time the inevitable, however with out Shubman Gill’s century in pursuit of 229, Bharat may have been in serious trouble.
Rohit Sharma’s facet reached the overall of the endmost ICC one-day world match, the place they had been defeated by means of Australia on the 2023 Cricket Global Cup. The loss used to be withered to rush for the gamers and their fanatics – particularly as it got here on house ground in Ahmedabad.
The 2024 T20 Global Cup victory softened the misspen to a point however a victory within the Champions Trophy to disclaim the host crowd and opponents, Pakistan, back-to-back crowns can be a candy go back for Rohit’s males.
What are Pakistan and Bharat’s information within the Champions Trophy?
Pakistan’s victory within the ultimate towards Bharat in 2017 is their best triumph within the festival. Bharat have two times claimed victory within the Champions Trophy, in 2002 and 2013.
Mode information – Pakistan
The outlet defeat by means of Unused Zealand marked a 3rd directly loss to the Kiwis, following two defeats within the pre-tournament tri-series with South Africa. Pakistan deliver strangely excellent method to the match when at the street, on the other hand, so most likely a game in Dubai will support. The lads in inexperienced join victory within the endmost 3 bilateral ODI sequence on their travels. A 2-1 conquer international champions Australia used to be the spotlight, however the 3-0 trouncing of an impressive South Africa facet isn’t to be underestimated.
Mode information – Bharat
Bharat’s dominance in ODIs took a up to date dip with a 2-0 defeat within the three-match sequence towards Sri Lanka endmost August. That used to be their endmost sequence previous to England’s excursion previous this presen.
The three-0 sequence whitewash used to be a abundance misspen to England however a large self assurance spice up for the Males in Blue at the eve of the match – as used to be Gill’s presen to radiance within the opener towards Bangladesh.
Endmost 5 ODI suits
- Pakistan: W L W L L
- Bharat: L W W W W
Pakistan crew information
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy hopes weren’t best accident by means of the defeat by means of Unused Zealand on Wednesday, but in addition the tournament-ending shock for Fakhar Zaman.
The outlet batter valiantly strode to the center in an struggle to support Virat Kohli and his facet within the chase however the chest muscle shock used to be obviously hampering the 34-year-old, who used to be dominated out of a go back to the crew all the way through this version.
Imam-ul-Haq has taken his park within the squad.
Bharat crew information
Bharat usually are unchanged from the facet that beat Bangladesh of their opening sport. The spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel can be regarded to at the tweaker-friendly floor in Dubai.
Harshit Rana used to be given the nod forward of Arshdeep Singh to exchange the injured Jasprit Bumrah in opening the hole with Mohammed Shami. It’s anticipated that Bharat will advance with this choice as soon as once more.
Pakistan squad
Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Bharat squad
Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy.