NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan are set to clash in a high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy encounter on Sunday, with both teams chasing different objectives. India, buoyed by their six-wicket win over Bangladesh, look to secure a semifinal berth, while Pakistan, reeling from a 60-run defeat to New Zealand, must win to stay in contention.
The two arch-rivals last met in a Champions Trophy match in 2017, when Pakistan triumphed in the final.
Although diplomatic tensions have eased, muting the usual fervor, anticipation remains high for this Group A showdown at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
India hold a clear advantage, having acclimatized to the conditions, while Pakistan arrive in Dubai straight after their loss to New Zealand in Karachi. With form and familiarity on their side, India head into Sunday’s clash with a psychological edge.
WEATHER REPORT
The Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23 is expected to proceed without any rain interruption, despite rainfall occurring in Dubai days before India’s tournament opener.
The forecast indicates partly cloudy conditions during afternoon hours, with temperatures ranging between 23 degrees Celsius at its lowest and reaching up to 31 degrees Celsius at its peak.
DUBAI – MORNING WEATHER
TEMP: 31 Degrees | Mostly sunny and warm
Wind Gusts: 20 km/h
Cloud Cover: 5%
DUBAI – AFTERNOON WEATHER
TEMP: 32 Degrees | Mostly sunny and warm
Wind Gusts: 30 km/h
Cloud Cover: 23%
DUBAI – EVENING WEATHER
TEMP: 26 Degrees | Partly cloudy and warm
Wind Gusts: 24 km/h
Cloud Cover: 100%
PITCH REPORT:
The playing surface at the Dubai International Stadium provides opportunities for both batting and bowling, with conditions that can fluctuate. During day/night contests, as the surface becomes drier, spin bowlers often find increased effectiveness. The initial phase favours pace bowling, with the potential for movement in the air and bounce off the surface. Whilst scoring opportunities exist, as evidenced by typical first innings totals, the venue does not consistently yield substantial scores.
Spin bowling proves particularly crucial during the middle phase, as the surface tends to assist turn. Pace bowlers find value with the new ball, extracting movement and lift. In day/night fixtures, the presence of dew can be influential in the toss decision.
SQUADS:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c, wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), 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.
