Rule out Pakistan at your own peril: 2017 winners hungry before India clash

Champions Trophy 2025: Having not beaten India in ODIs since 2017, Pakistan will be looking to defy the odds and put in a strong performance in the clash on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium.

In Short

• Pakistan haven’t beaten India in an ODI since 2017
• Pakistan lost to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener
• Pakistan have lost Fakhar Zaman due to injury

Ek dam se waqt badal diya, jazbaat badal diye, zindagi badal di.

Back in 2019, a fan named Momin Saqib went berserk after Pakistan slumped to defeat in a rain-hit match against India at Old Trafford in Manchester. The fan, who later became famous for his "Maro Mujhe Maro" comment, slammed the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led team for not taking the high-voltage clash against their arch-rivals seriously and for indulging in burgers and pizza the night before the game.

This was just one example of the roller-coaster of emotions Pakistan fans experience while supporting their team. Cricket in Pakistan is known for its unpredictability, keeping fans on their toes with their hearts in their mouths. Consistency is a term rarely found in their dictionary. While they can crumble like a house of cards on some days, on others, they are capable of taking down anyone who stands in their way.

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Pakistan fans will hope for the latter when Mohammad Rizwan’s men take on Rohit Sharma’s India in Dubai on Super Sunday. India have had the upper hand over Pakistan in ICC events over the last decade, but Pakistan have had their moments of joy, beating India in the Champions Trophy final and a T20 World Cup group-stage match in October 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Former Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz said that neither Pakistan nor India could afford to get ahead of themselves. "In an India vs. Pakistan match, both teams must stay in the moment. Thinking too far ahead or trying to play catch-up can be costly. The team that handles pressure better will come out on top. Overconfidence—whether before or during the game—can turn the tide against them,” Wahab told Star Sports.

Can Pakistan defy logic?

Pakistan won’t be the favourites on paper—not just due to their own form, but also because of India’s incredible run this year, where they have won all four matches, including a 3-0 whitewash over England. Given the conditions in Dubai, as seen in the opening match between India and Bangladesh, spin is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming encounter.

But does Pakistan have the spin department to capitalise on these conditions? Eyebrows were raised when they picked only Abrar Ahmed, despite having Usama Mir, Sufiyan Muqeem, and the experienced Shadab Khan in their ranks. India, on the other hand, boast Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, all of whom could make the ball talk in spin-friendly conditions.

In the match against Bangladesh, Axar Patel nearly took a hat-trick, while Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz put the brakes on the Indian innings, finishing with combined figures of 20-0-75-2. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Abrar Ahmed managed to dismiss Devon Conway against New Zealand but lacked adequate support.

Indian batters can rotate the strike against Abrar with singles and doubles while targeting Pakistan’s fast bowlers, much like they did against Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Rahman in their previous match. If Abrar falters on Sunday, the pressure will fall on the pace trio of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, if the speedsters can make early inroads, Pakistan could well dictate terms to the Indian batting lineup.

Opening conundrum

Pakistan suffered a major blow as Fakhar Zaman was added to their growing injury list after Saim Ayub failed to recover in time for the tournament. Fakhar sustained an oblique tear during the clash against the Black Caps. Though he came out to bat, he was visibly uncomfortable. With Fakhar ruled out, Pakistan drafted in Imam-ul-Haq, who has played several match-winning knocks for the team.

In series against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub opened the batting. However, Pakistan dropped Shafique after a string of three consecutive ducks against the Proteas. The bigger setback came when Ayub was ruled out due to injury. Just when it seemed Fakhar would be the perfect replacement, he too was sidelined, further compounding Pakistan’s woes.

As a result, Babar Azam was pushed up as a makeshift opener, with Saud Shakeel partnering him against New Zealand in Karachi. Now, the big question remains—will Pakistan opt for Imam-ul-Haq to open with Babar, or will they persist with Shakeel? The once-settled batting lineup under Rizwan’s captaincy has been disrupted in recent weeks.

History favours Pakistan

Before their high-stakes encounter on Sunday, Pakistan can draw confidence from their past record against India in the Champions Trophy. Since their first meeting in 2004, Pakistan lead the head-to-head 3-2. In 2017, India crushed them by 124 runs in the league stage at Edgbaston, but Pakistan hit back in the final, securing a dominant 180-run victory.

However, since that defeat at The Oval, India have maintained an unbeaten streak against Pakistan in ODIs, winning five consecutive matches. Their most recent encounter in the Asia Cup 2023 was washed out due to rain.

To break this streak, Pakistan will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat. But they also know that going into the clash as underdogs could work in their favour.