Introduction to the Champions Trophy 2025
The cricket world is abuzz with excitement as the Champions Trophy 2025 is set to commence on February 19. One of the most highly anticipated matches of the tournament will be the clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place on February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
A Documentary Series on India vs Pakistan Rivalry
Prior to this thrilling encounter, Netflix will release a documentary series titled ‘The Greatest Rivalry – India vs Pakistan’ on February 7. This series promises to showcase the most significant and thrilling moments from past matches between the two teams. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly features in the documentary, reminiscing about the 1996 Friendship Cup, a 5-match ODI series played in Canada. Ganguly humorously comments on the irony of the series being named a "friendship" tour, given the intense competition on the field, exemplified by Shoaib Akhtar’s formidable bowling at speeds of 150 kilometers per hour.
Reaction from Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar responded to Ganguly’s comments on Twitter, expressing his admiration for the former Indian captain. He tweeted, "Dada @SGanguly99 You’re Awesome. Indian Cricket is incomplete without you."
Dada @Sganguly99 You’re Awesome. Indian Cricket is incomplete without you. pic.twitter.com/trtb58egp2
– Shoaib Akhtar (@Shoaib100mph) January 29, 2025
India’s Champions Trophy Schedule
The Indian team will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 19, followed by the highly anticipated match against Pakistan on February 23. Their final league match will be against New Zealand. All of India’s matches are scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Stadium.
Indian Team Squad
The Indian team for the Champions Trophy includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Akshar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jaspreet Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammad Shami.