All the focus remains on the India vs. Pakistan match at the ICC Champions Trophy. Yes, the tournament starts on February 19, but it won’t light up until the two arch-rivals clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23.
It’s well known that India has an upper hand over Pakistan at ICC events, but not at the Champions Trophy. The neighbouring nations have met each other five times, and Pakistan has a 3-2 positive record. Their last meeting, the Champions Trophy 2017 Final, was also won by the Men in Green.
Rizwan & Naseem Shah, players to look out for
In these high-octane matches, some players just stand out. Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir believes that two players who can make a big difference for Pakistan against India will be captain Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Naseem Shah.
“For Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan is always a threat against India—he has a great record in these encounters. The other key player, in my opinion, is Naseem Shah. He has been Pakistan’s most consistent bowler lately, with great control over his line and length,” Amir told the Times of India.
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Shahen Afridi, no longer Pakistan’s best bowler
Due to a sudden dip in form, Shaheen Shah Afridi has been usurped by Naseem as Pakistan’s most consistent bowler, according to Amir.
“A couple of years ago, I would have definitely included Shaheen Shah Afridi. At his peak, he was one of the best fast bowlers, regularly clocking 145+ kms and swinging the ball beautifully. But after his knee injury, he has lost pace—now bowling around 134-135 kms—and isn’t swinging the ball as effectively. His bowling action has also changed post-injury, affecting his ability to take early wickets with the new ball,” Amir added.
Pakistan’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy
Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi
