Champions Trophy: Between Beating India or Winning Trophy, Pak Vice Captain Chooses This

Agha Salman dismisses the idea that beating India is more significant than lifting the ICC Champions Trophy, emphasising team glory over individual rivalry.

February 16, 2025: Agha Salman’s Take on India vs Pakistan Clash

As the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan showdown in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 approaches, Pakistan vice-captain Agha Salman has made a bold statement regarding his priorities. With billions of fans eagerly waiting for the high-voltage match on February 23 in Dubai, Salman has emphasized that while defeating India is important, winning the Champions Trophy remains the ultimate goal.

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Speaking on the PCB Podcast, Salman said:

“The atmosphere during the India-Pakistan match is always different; it’s considered the biggest game in the world. But at the end of the day, it’s just one match. Lifting the Champions Trophy is far more important than just winning that one game.”

Trophy Over Rivalry

Some in the Pakistan cricketing fraternity consider a victory over India as a greater achievement than winning ICC tournaments, but Salman doesn’t share this mindset. He explained his perspective bluntly:

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“Agar woh jeet jaye aur Champions Trophy na jeetey toh koi faida toh hai nahi. Agar woh, Allah na kare, match haarte bhi hain aur Champions Trophy jeetey, toh mere khyaal se mere liye woh sabse badi cheez hai.”

(Translation: If we beat India but don’t win the Champions Trophy, there’s no point. Even if we, God forbid, lose to India but go on to win the Champions Trophy, that would be the biggest achievement for me.”)

Also Read: Yashasvi Jaiswal Ruled Out Of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy Semi-Final Due To This Reason

Pakistan’s Dream of Lifting the Trophy at Home

Salman, who hails from Lahore, also mentioned how special it would be to win an ICC tournament while being the host nation.

“Pakistan hosting an ICC event is special. Being from Lahore, lifting the trophy in my hometown would be a dream come true for me. The Pakistan team has the potential to win it.”

Pakistan Still Aiming to Beat India

While prioritizing the Champions Trophy title, Salman reassured fans that Pakistan is still aiming to defeat India.

“Of course, we all want to win the India match, and we will try to win it. I will also try to give my best performance against them.”

With the India vs Pakistan rivalry heating up, all eyes will be on this epic battle on February 23. However, Pakistan’s real test will be to go the distance in the tournament and prove their dominance on the world stage.

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India vs Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Agha Salman, Pakistan Cricket, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, India Cricket, PCB Podcast, Cricket Rivalry, India vs Pakistan Clash