Champions Trophy 2025: Green Shirts arrive in Dubai for Pakistan vs India showdown
Dubai Stadium prepares for cricket’s biggest rivalry
DUBAI: Pakistan’s cricket team has touched down in Dubai ahead of their crucial ICC Champions Trophy 2025 encounter against arch-rivals India on Sunday.
The squad, led by Mohammad Rizwan, departed from Karachi and arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where they will begin training immediately.
A win against India is essential for Pakistan to keep their semi-final hopes alive after suffering a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi.
Fakhar Zaman ruled out
Pakistan’s preparations suffered a major blow as opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tournament due to an oblique tear. He sustained the injury while fielding in the first over of Pakistan’s match against New Zealand.
Zaman, a key player in Pakistan’s historic 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, had famously scored a match-winning century in the final against India. His absence leaves a gap at the top of the order, forcing Pakistan to reshuffle their batting lineup. Imam-ul-Haq has been named as his replacement in the squad.
Pakistan’s updated squad
The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed the squad update ahead of the much-anticipated fixture:
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
India start strong in Dubai
India head into the match with momentum after securing a comfortable six-wicket win against Bangladesh in Dubai. Shubman Gill starred with an unbeaten century, leading India to chase down 271 with ease.
All of India’s matches in the tournament are being played in Dubai due to political tensions, while Pakistan hosts the remaining fixtures across Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
Pakistan vs India
The Pakistan vs. India showdown is one of the most anticipated clashes in world cricket, and tickets were snapped up in less than an hour. Over 140,000 fans queued online in a race to secure seats at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which has a capacity of over 25,000.
Those who missed out are exploring alternatives, with travel agencies reporting a surge in bookings from fans in Pakistan, India, and other cricket-loving nations. Airfares and hotel prices in Dubai have already spiked by up to 50 percent as supporters flock to the UAE for the event.
Champions Trophy 2025
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which began on February 19 and runs until March 9, features eight of the world’s top ODI teams:
- Group A: Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
- Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on March 4 and 5. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Lahore, but if India qualifies, the venue will be shifted to Dubai.