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Babar Azam in action© AFP
Cricket fans around the world have fixed their televisions as they gear up for a picture-perfect Sunday, featuring the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan. Placed in Group A of the Champions Trophy 2025, the arch-rivals will be taking on each other in Dubai. The neighbours only meet in multi-nation events because of political tensions between the two countries. In front of what is expected to be a full house at the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan are under pressure.
While Rohit Sharma and co began their campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh, Pakistan faced a big 60-run defeat in their opening game against New Zealand in Karachi. The Mohammad Rizwan-led side is expected to make certain changes in their Playing XI for the match highly anticipated match against India.
Ahead of the match, Pakistan star batter Babar Azam was missing from the team's practice session, leading to many speculations. Rumors are going on that Babar may be not be considered for the match after he was not seen at the practice session on Saturday evening.
The practice was attended by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and Azam was the only player who chose to take the day off.
Azam copped a lot of criticism for a 94-ball 64 in the 60-run loss to New Zealand in the opening match. He was lambasted for failing to accelerate while the asking rate crept up in the chase of 320 runs in Karachi.
Interim head coach Aqib Javed, who addressed the media after practice, did not give any specific reason for Azam's absence, saying that the former captain chose to rest.
Apart from this, Pakistan suffered a big blow in the loss on Wednesday when top batsman Fakhar Zaman suffered a muscle injury. He has been ruled out of the tournament.
Imam-ul-Haq has come in as a replacement for a team that hammered India in the final of the previous Champions Trophy in 2017.
That was India's last defeat to Pakistan in an ODI match and Rohit Sharma's men have since won five of the last six games against their greatest rivals, with one rained off.
They last met in a one-day game at the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, with hosts India winning by seven wickets.
Pakistan's Likely XI vs India: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam/Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
(With AFP Inputs)
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