In a highly anticipated encounter at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first against India at the Dubai International Stadium. The decision comes with immense significance, as Pakistan finds themselves in a must-win situation, with a loss likely to eliminate them from semifinal contention. On the other hand, India, riding high on confidence after a dominant six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their opening match, will look to extend their winning streak and assert supremacy over their arch-rivals.
Reason behind Fakhar Zaman’s absence
In a significant development, Pakistan have made one change to their playing XI. Experienced opener Fakhar Zaman has been left out of the squad due to injury, with Imam-ul-Haq taking his place at the top of the order. Fakhar has been officially ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.
The injury occurred during Pakistan’s opening match against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi. While fielding, Fakhar suffered a blow to his knee, which initially appeared minor. However, as the game progressed, the discomfort became increasingly visible. When he came out to bat in Pakistan’s chase of 320, his usually aggressive approach was missing. The left-hander struggled to move freely between the wickets, scoring a sluggish 24 off 41 balls before eventually getting dismissed.
“Looks like a good surface and doesn’t matter, so we want to bat first. If you play an ICC event, every game is important. The boys are familiar with the conditions and we’ve done well in this ground as well. Yeah, we lost the last game but it’s in the past for us. One change: Imam in for Fakhar,” Rizwan said during the toss.
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India sticks to winning combination
The Indian team management has decided to go unchanged, backing the winning combination that delivered an emphatic performance against Bangladesh. The top order, led by skipper Rohit Sharma and superstar star batter Virat Kohli, will once again be the backbone of India’s chase, should they be required to bat second. With their bowlers, particularly the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana, in excellent form, India will aim to keep Pakistan’s batting lineup in check and take full control of the game from the outset.
Pakistan seeks redemption in a do-or-die battle
For Pakistan, this match is nothing short of a battle for survival. Having suffered a disappointing defeat in their previous game, Rizwan and his men will be desperate to put up a strong fight and keep their tournament hopes alive. The likes of Babar Azam and Salman Agha will need to anchor the innings, while their bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi, must deliver a spirited performance to contain India’s formidable batting lineup. With the pressure mounting and a fierce rivalry at play, Pakistan will have to bring their A-game to turn their fortunes around.
