Rohit Sharma, India’s captain for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament, played down the hype for the India v Pakistan match. The tournament will feature 8 teams and will be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards.
The forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between India and Pakistan will be played on February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE. This is the same location where the Men in Green defeated India by ten wickets in a 2021 T20 World Cup group match, making history.
Rohit Sharma has downplayed the immense buzz around India’s encounter with Pakistan in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, calling it “just a game”. The cricket world is gearing up for another mouth-watering encounter between the old foes in Dubai, UAE, later this month.
“Just a game”- Rohit Sharma on IND v PAK ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match
Despite the strain and anticipation surrounding the high-stakes India-Pakistan rivalry, Rohit Sharma emphasized that the Indian team’s focus will be on doing what it takes to win on the day in the next match in Dubai.
The Indian captain also stated that their goal is to perform well in any match, with no added emotional weight linked to the most important match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“I think in the past two or three years, I’ve spoken a lot about that (India vs. Pakistan) game. It’s just a game for us. We will try and do what is required for any cricket team to do on that particular day. We just want to show up there and show up well,” Rohit Sharma said at the BCCI Naman Awards 2024.
Speaking on the team’s preparations for the next ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian skipper stated that while players are preparing in their own ways when the time comes, it is all about mental preparation and focusing on the upcoming challenges.
“Everyone’s getting prepared in their own fashion. A lot of the guys are playing domestic cricket, and a lot of guys are playing international cricket as well. So, yeah, when the time comes, it’s all about just getting your mind right and focusing on what lies ahead,” Rohit said.
India lost to Pakistan in the final of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy tournament in England.
Pakistan has a better record against India in the Champions Trophy
India has a perfect record against Pakistan in ODI World Cups, having won all of them. However, in the Champions Trophy, the Men in Green defeated the Indian cricket team on three out of five occasions.
Even in the recent Champions Trophy final, the Pakistani team overcame India and won the title in 2017. This makes the Champions Trophy competition between India and Pakistan even more intense and intriguing, with the forthcoming match promising to add another great chapter to this historic rivalry.
Also Read: “When India And Pakistan Play…”- Gautam Gambhir On Hype Of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Mega Clash