Dubai, Feb 23 (UNI) Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first against India in Match 5 of the ICC Champions Trophy at the International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.
Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan expressed confidence in his team’s ability to post a challenging total.
“We will bat first, looks like a good surface. Want to put up a good target. Every match is important in ICC events, we will keep things normal. The boys are familiar with these conditions, we have done well here and we want to do our best today. We lost our last game, but it is past for us now,” Rizwan stated.
Pakistan have made one change to their XI, with Imam-ul-Haq replacing Fakhar Zaman.
India captain Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, was unperturbed by the toss result.
“Doesn’t really matter, they won the toss so we’ll bowl first. Looks similar to the last game, the surface is on the slower side. We have an experienced unit in batting so we know what we need to do if the pitches get slower. Need an overall performance from the team – with bat and ball,” Rohit said.
India have opted for an unchanged side.
The marquee fixture, which is often dubbed as the biggest clash in world cricket, carries added significance this time around as Pakistan, the defending champions, are in a must-win situation following their opening game defeat to New Zealand.
In recent years, Pakistan’s cricketing fortunes have dwindled, with shock defeats to Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup and to the USA in the 2024 T20 World Cup highlighting their inconsistency. However, Pakistan’s unpredictability remains a defining trait, and they will be banking on their key players – Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Rizwan – to step up.
India, on the other hand, started their campaign with a controlled victory over Bangladesh. With a well-balanced squad, their strength lies in the depth of their batting and the ability of their allrounders to contribute effectively. While Virat Kohli’s form remains a talking point, he has a history of rising to the occasion against Pakistan. Rohit’s aggressive starts and Mohammad Shami’s prowess in ICC events provide India with a sense of stability heading into the contest.
The match also carries political undertones, with India having an opportunity to knock Pakistan out of the tournament. The ‘Ring of Fire’ in Dubai is set to witness another chapter in this storied rivalry, with the outcome set to determine the fate of the reigning champions.
Experts Ian Bishop and Sunil Gavaskar analysed the conditions, highlighting a slightly slow track.
“We are two pitches over from the game where India played Bangladesh. Overcast conditions, about 31 degrees Celsius. Dimensions – 70m square either side, 81m down the ground. The pitch was on the slower side in the previous game. Spinners played a crucial role in the middle overs. A score of around 270 should be competitive,” Gavaskar noted.
Adding to India’s morale, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was seen at the venue meeting his teammates, a boost for the squad ahead of this crucial encounter.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav
Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
