Dubai: Pakistan faced India on February 23, 2025, at the Dubai International Stadium during the ICC Champions Trophy, with both teams striving to cement their positions within the tournament.
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first, hoping to replicate their strong performance against India from the 2017 Champions Trophy final. The atmosphere was electric as fans from both nations gathered, eagerly anticipating the latest chapter of one of cricket's fiercest rivalries.
Pakistan's innings got off to a rocky start when captain Babar Azam, who was starting to find his rhythm with five boundaries, fell victim to Hardik Pandya's skillful bowling, dismissed for just 23 runs. Imam-ul-Haq soon followed, running out for 10, leaving Pakistan at 46 for 2, raising alarms among their supporters.
Despite this initial setback, Saud Shakeel and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan worked to stabilize the innings. Shakeel's calm demeanor at the crease and his deft strokes helped him reach his half-century off 63 balls, showcasing determination during challenging overs. "FIFTY! Wonderful innings by Saud Shakeel, he has been calm and composed even after his side lost 2 early wickets," noted live score updates from the tournament.
The partnership between Shakeel and Rizwan flourished as boundaries began to flow. Shakeel's ability to rotate the strike, coupled with Rizwan's attacking intentions, provided Pakistan with much-needed momentum. Their efforts were instrumental as Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark, transitioning from defensive to offensive play.
Shakeel demonstrated his skills with well-placed shots against both spinners and pacers, finding gaps and scoring boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking. Observers noted, “This partnership is now growing by the minute. The left-right batting combination of Saud Shakeel and Mohammed Rizwan is troubling the Indian bowlers.”
Armed with confidence, Pakistan reached 137 for 2 after 31 overs. It appeared they had weathered the early storm, but Indian bowlers intensified their efforts. Pandya, Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav executed their bowling plans effectively, forcing Pakistan's top order to reassess their approach.
The challenge wasn’t only from the Indian bowlers; the weight of past matches also hung heavily over the Pakistani side. “Pakistan aims to draw motivation from their victory against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final held in London,” highlighted by The Economic Times leading up to the match, but their unsustained momentum was becoming apparent as wickets began to tumble.
The breakthrough came when Hardik Pandya struck again, claiming the wicket of Saud Shakeel, caught at deep midwicket after trying to force the tempo too aggressively with Pakistan sliding to 159 for 4. Shakeel’s dismissal was disheartening as he had been the bedrock of Pakistan’s innings.
Despite efforts from Rizwan, who remained resolute and aggressive after Shakeel's dismissal, Pakistan struggled against India's spinners. The required run rate started climbing, pushing them to adopt increasingly risky strategies. They oscillated between periods of cautious play and aggressive boundaries.
“Hardik Pandya has bowled six overs in this spell, making it his joint-longest spell in an ODI,” reported the live updates, reflecting his significant impact on the game. Jadeja also showed his capabilities by dismissing other key batsmen, leading to rising tensions within the Pakistani camp as they saw their hopes of scoring over 280 begin to dwindle.
Rizwan, who had been keeping the innings afloat alongside Shakeel, fell to Axar Patel after managing to stabilize the innings with valuable runs. The hope of setting up a sizeable target began to dissipate as wickets fell quickly amid the mounting pressure from the Indian bowling attack. The visitors found themselves desperate for runs, leading to errors and unfortunate run-outs as they pushed for boundaries.
Sentiment turned during the latter part of Pakistan’s innings as they found themselves at risk of replicable collapse from their position with 150 runs on the board—a familiar scene reminiscent of previous encounters. With Pakistan’s last recognized batsmen at the crease, fans anxiously awaited how the innings would conclude.
Despite early setbacks, the spirited display of Saud Shakeel and his partnership with Rizwan greatly aided Pakistan’s cause, raising expectations among fans on how the match would eventually unfurl. Will they be able to capitalize on the remaining overs to finish strong, or will they fumble yet again under pressure from arch-rivals India?