DUBAI: Pakistan team won the toss against India and has chosen to bat first.
Pakistan and India cricket teams are all set to clash at Dubai International Stadium today at 2 PM Pakistan Time. The excitement for the Pak-Ind game is at peak, not just in both the countries landing on the pitch today, but among cricket fans worldwide.
The age-old cricket rivalry is all set to unleash in the fifth match of Champions Trophy 2025. Social media is abuzz with memes, jokes and throw backs to the best and worst moments of the Indo-Pak clashes in the world of cricket.
Champions Trophy Pak-Ind clash; big screens, bigger hopes
The weather in Dubai is sunny, which means there is no rain expected to parade on the joy of today’s game. The playing 11 of Pakistan will have nothing but themselves to stop them from victory today – except of course the opposite team – which is being considered favourite for the game by several cricket experts. That said, the Men in Green will land at the pitch today with wishes and prayers from the nation.
The squads
Pakistan’s playing XI against India include Muhammad Rizwan (C), Imam-ul-Haq (replacing Fakhar Zaman), Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Khusdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.
Battling from the Team Blue are Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravendra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammad Shami and Harshit Rana.
Openers land at the pitch
Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam are on the crease, Imam to open. Mohammed Shami gets to bowl the first over from India.
Pakistan is yet to score, but Shami has already conceded three wides.
After the end of first over, Pakistan has a total of 6, with Imam having scored 1. Babar at 0 for now.
Harshit Rana comes for second over. Imam takes another 1. Harshit conceded a wide too.
Shami comes to bowl the third over. Pakistan’s openers staying put, with total of 12 at 2.2 overs.
Harshit comes back again. The fourth over begins with Pakistan at 14-0.
First boundary for Pakistan
Babar Azam gets first boundary for Pakistan in fourth over. And another. Babar hits another four to Harshit Rana.
Babar Azam completes 1,000 runs in ICC ODIs event, as Pakistan totals 26 after six overs.
Pakistan loses first wicket
Babar Azam aims to hit another boundary, but gets caught by the wicket keeper.
Babar gone for 23, as Pakistan stands at 41-1 at 8.3 overs.
Saud Shakeel replaces Babar, and hits a four on the first ball he faces.
Pakistan loses second wicket
Pakistan loses Imam-ul-Haq at 9.2 overs, with total score of 47-2.
Rizwan replaces Imam. Rizwan hits a four at on the first ball too.
Pakistan’s 50 comes up
With Muhammad Rizwan’s boundary, Pakistan’s total crosses 50. After 10 overs, Pakistan stands at 52-2.
100 yet to come up
Pakistan stands at 94-2 at the end of 24 overs. While the wickets remain in hand for team green, the scores seem to be dwindling. Saud Shakeel’s wicket went through a little scare, but he managed to reach before the ball hit the wickets.
100 comes up, at last!
Pakistan finally puts up a 100 on the score board, in the 25th over. Saud Shakeel’s four hit the boundary on a ball by Kuldeep Yadav.