India vs Pakistan is the single biggest cricketing rivalry in the world. It is also one of the greatest sporting clashes in world sport with more than 1.5 billion people across both countries glued to every ball. The clash between the two teams on the 23rd of February in the ICC Champions Trophy will be important because a win for either team would allow their team to have a chance at qualifying for the semi finals. India would look to continue the good momentum from the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20I World Cup. This could be the last Champions Trophy for some of the old guard. Pakistan are the defending champions and they would look to defend this title.
Let’s look at this clash in a little more detail
Historical Context
India and Pakistan have played each other 5 times in the ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan have won 3 Matches against India and India has won 2 Matches against Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy. Their last encounter was in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and Pakistan won that match by 180 runs. They also faced each other earlier in the group stages of the 2017 tournament where India won by 124 runs. In the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, India won the match by 8 wickets. In the first ever ICC Champions Trophy match Pakistan won by 3 Wickets. There have been 135 ODIs between India and Pakistan. Pakistan leads the head to head with 73 wins and India has won 57 Matches.
Recent ODI Performances by the teams
India has been one of the most dominant sides in ODI Cricket. In the 2023 World Cup, India won 10 Matches in a row and they only lost the World Cup Final. After that India played a 3 Match ODI Series against Sri Lanka which they won 2-0. Most recently they beat England 3-0 in a comprehensive performance. India has won the 2024 T20I World Cup, Finished runner up in the 2023 World Cup. India was in the semi final of the 2022 T20I World Cup. In their first match in the 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh, India emerged victorious.
Pakistan lost the recent tri series against New Zealand and South Africa in the final. They lost the first match against New Zealand. However recently they chased down their highest total in ODIs when they chased 353 against South Africa. Pakistan were ousted in the league stages of the 2024 T20I World Cup and the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup. They were in the final of the 2022 T20I World Cup. Pakistan lost their first match also against New Zealand in the 2025 champions trophy opener. This is a do or die match for them.
Squads for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
India
Rohit Sharma – Captain
BATTERS
Virat Kohli
Shubman Gill
Shreyas Iyer
WICKET KEEPERS
KL Rahul
Rishabh Pant
ALL ROUNDERS
Hardik Pandya
Axar Patel
Ravindra Jadeja
SPINNERS
Kuldeep Yadav
Varun Chakravarthy
FAST BOWLERS
Mohammad Shami
Arshdeep Singh
Harshit Rana
The fielding standards for India have raised significantly in the past few years. The recently concluded series against England has shown that the Indian players are catching the ball well. Their ground fielding has also gotten better.
Pakistan
Mohammad Rizwan – Captain
BATTERS
Babar Azam
Imam ul Haq
Saud Shakeel
Tayyab Tahir
Usman Khan
ALL ROUNDERS
Salman Ali Agha
Faheem Ashraf
Kamran Ghulam
Khushdil Shah
SPINNERS
Abrar Ahmed
FAST BOWLERS
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Haris Rauf
Mohammad Hasnain
Naseem Shah
The Pakistani batting is a mixed bag as they can play in an aggressive manner as was shown in the record run chase of 353. However they can also waste deliveries and play defensively throughout.
They have a battery of fast bowlers like they always do. Shaheen Shah Afridi is the left arm option and Haris and Naseem Shah are the fast bowlers.
They have a good group of all rounders who can bowl spin as well as medium pace. Their X factor player is Fakhar Zaman as he can single handedly win a cricket match.
Fielding has always been a concern for Pakistan but in their home conditions they should improve their standards.
India vs Pakistan Key Match ups
Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Shah Afridi
This will be one of the most important matchups in this contest. Shaheen is lethal with the new ball and Rohit Sharma has a tendency of getting our to left arm fast bowlers earlier in the innings. A win in this matchup will be key for either team.
Pakistan middle order vs Indian spinners
India is taking 5 spinners in the ICC Champions Trophy. They will be playing their Matches in Dubai and therefore 3 Spinners will play this match. Pakistani batters such as Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Mohammed Rizwan would have to be aggressive or else the Indian spinners will win the match for India.
India’s Finishers against Pakistan Death Bowling
The death bowling for Pakistan is potent. They will have Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Shaheen bowling the last overs. Players like Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul will have to hit them for boundaries and not get out.
India vs Pakistan Strategies for victory
India
India has been playing ODI Cricket with an aggressive approach. They have been attacking from the start and not allowing the opposition an opportunity to get back in the match. The Indian batters would look to dominate the new ball bowlers of Pakistan and Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will look to give India a brisk and a big start. The middle overs will be important and Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer will look to stitch a partnership and tire the Pakistan bowlers. The Indian bowling has a lot of variety and depth but there is no Jasprit Bumrah. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami would have to get the openers of Pakistan out and then the spinners will take full control of the match.
Pakistan
The main strength for Pakistan is their fast bowling. They will have to use this strength and get early Indian Wickets. They will have to get Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill out early and keep taking wickets at regular intervals. In the middle overs, bowlers like Haris Rauf will create problems for the Indian batters with his pace. They do not have spinners except Abrar Ahmed and he can be used against Virat Kohli as he is weaker against leg spin.
Fan Reactions leading into the India vs Pakistan Match
The fans are excited for the match as they always are when it is India vs Pakistan. This will be the first match since the 2024 T20I World Cup and the first ODI Match since the 2023 ODI World Cup. The fans of Pakistan want their team to beat India because India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. The Indian fans are expecting another win and a dominating performance.
India vs Pakistan Match Prediction
India has the overwhelming edge in this match. They are the best ODI team in the world right now. Pakistan are playing good cricket but they are nowhere close to India. India should win this match if they play to their full potential. India has a batting line-up which would scare any opposition. The only chance Pakistan has is by taking wickets of the Indian batters one after the other.
