ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 5 players to watch out for in the India vs Pakistan match

By the time the weekend arrives, fans will have already witnessed all the teams in action in the ICC Champions Trophy. But Sunday brings the most-awaited clash of the season, the one where arch-rivals take the field against each other. It's been eight months since India last faced Pakistan and eight years since Pakistan beat India to lift the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Now, as they gear up for the Group A clash, Pakistan comes as the defending champions while the Men in Blue arrive with the goal to avenge the 2017 final. The rivalry this time will be fueled by the long-extended tussle in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, where India refused to travel to Pakistan, and the hosts finally settled for the hybrid model.

Pakistan and India have claimed contrasting results in the opening game of their respective ICC Champions Trophy campaigns. India, in Dubai, the venue for all of their games in the tournament, clinched a commanding victory over Bangladesh. Pakistan, meanwhile, is on the edge of elimination after their defeat against New Zealand in Karachi. The hosts endured their third consecutive defeat against the Kiwis in a week as they lost the tournament opener by 60 runs. Now, the India vs Pakistan clash is a do-or-die fixture for the defending champions. If the Men in Green lose against their arch-rivals, Pakistan will become the first team to be eliminated from semi-final contention.

ICC Champions Trophy: Players to watch out for in the India vs Pakistan clash

India will take the field with confidence from their own victory and Pakistan's form. However, the hosts cannot be taken lightly as they eye a chance at resurgence. While the Men in Blue have an edge as Fakhar Zaman, the star of Pakistan's 2017 victory, is ruled out due to injury, Pakistan still has significant firepower left in the batting order. Meanwhile, the defending champions will hope for Virat Kohli to continue his form, which was not as impressive against Bangladesh.

Shubman Gill

Almost a sin to not include the Indian vice-captain in this list. Shubman Gill has been consistent, played according to the situation, and displayed the power to lead the batting order in ODIs. The India vs Bangladesh clash witnessed the opening batter hitting consecutive tons in the format after Gill closed the England series with a century in Ahmedabad. Already with eight centuries to his name in ODIs, Gill is averaging 62. Moreover, his form, being consistently impressive, holds the ability to solely tackle the batting order, as witnessed in the campaign opener to some extent. With Rohit Sharma looking in rhythm and providing an ideal start to the team in the powerplay, Gill gains the needed support from the other end, a sight Pakistan would find hard to handle in Dubai.

Virat Kohli

No matter how long a dry spell, one could never write off Virat Kohli, especially ahead of an India vs Pakistan clash. Going through a rough patch with the bat lately, Kohli has been otherwise scintillating against Pakistan. The former skipper has played 16 ODIs against the rivals and averages 52.15 with 678 runs to his name. While Abrar Ahmed can stun Kohli, who has been struggling against spin lately, Kohli still sits higher in the comparison of whether Pakistan gains an edge or Virat Kohli maintains his reputation against the neighbors.

Salman Ali Agha

Despite the absence of Fakhar Zaman in the lineup, Pakistan luckily has Salman Agha in the order. In the match against New Zealand, where every batter struggled, Salman Agha showed his prowess with a quickfire 42 off 28. On the Karachi pitch, where Babar Azam snailed his way to a fifty, Agha displayed the course of action that, if adapted sooner in the chase, could have helped Pakistan stun New Zealand. Agha has been consistent in his performance in ODIs, as noticed in the ODI tri-national series, where he hit a century to lead his team in chasing 352 against South Africa.

Khushdil Shah

Another bright prospect in the Pakistani batting order along with Salman Agha. The Pakistan vs New Zealand encounter in the ICC Champions Trophy opener saw the grit in the middle-order batter. Coming in the middle when the match was almost out of his team's grip, Khushdil presented a semblance of a chance as he hit 69 off 49 in a knock that included 10 fours and a maximum.

Mohammed Shami

Shami in an ICC tournament is never the one to ignore. While India plays the ICC Champions Trophy without Jasprit Bumrah, Pakistan needs to stay wary of Shami. Concerns notched up around Shami as he failed to impress in the India vs England series, returning to the international scene after over a year. The seamer concluded the 2023 ODI World Cup as the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets. The India vs Bangladesh clash, meanwhile, witnessed Shami in the same form as the speedster claimed a fifer in the opening innings of the game. With Babar Azam in turbulent form and Fakhar Zaman out, Shami could rattle the Pakistani batting order early in the innings.