"India Surely Has the Upper Hand"—Syed Kirmani on High-Stakes Champions Trophy Clash Against Pakistan
Hyderabad (Telangana), February 22: The stage is set for one of cricket’s most intense rivalries as India and Pakistan prepare to face off in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. With both teams desperate for a crucial victory, former Indian cricketer Syed Kirmani has backed India as the stronger side but warned against complacency.
“We surely have an upper hand, for sure,” Kirmani said, emphasizing India’s squad depth and recent form.
The match holds immense significance—Pakistan must win to keep their title defense alive, while India looks to seal a semifinal spot and potentially avenge their 2017 Champions Trophy final loss to their arch-rivals.
Historically, Pakistan leads India 3-2 in Champions Trophy encounters, with their 180-run victory in the 2017 final standing out as one of their biggest wins. However, Kirmani believes India’s current squad, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans and promising youngsters, puts them in a strong position.
Kirmani acknowledged that regardless of the format or venue, a match between India and Pakistan is always a global event that attracts millions of viewers.
“This is the highlight of the entire Commonwealth and beyond. Whether it’s Indian expats or Pakistani expats across Europe and the world, everyone is glued to their TV screens to see who wins,” he said.
While the stakes are high, Kirmani urged fans to watch the match in the right spirit.
“Cricket lovers should enjoy the game and let the best team win. Do not get too emotional if your team loses. This is a sport—you win some, you lose some,” he emphasized.
Kirmani highlighted India’s advantage, pointing to the recent return to form of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who will anchor the batting lineup.
“We have a wonderful lineup with experienced players and young talent. There should be no panic, no pressure—just focus on playing the game in the right spirit,” he stated.
He also acknowledged Pakistan’s strengths, praising their emerging stars and fast-bowling attack.
“Pakistan has promising youngsters. Babar Azam, even after stepping down as captain, remains a great source of inspiration. They have good bowlers and a balanced squad. But stronger teams must avoid complacency,” Kirmani cautioned.
As India and Pakistan prepare for another historic showdown, cricket fans around the world eagerly anticipate what promises to be an electrifying contest.
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
India vs Pakistan, Champions Trophy 2025, Syed Kirmani, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Pakistan Cricket, India Cricket, ICC Cricket, Cricket Rivalry, IND vs PAK, Cricket News, Cricket Highlights, Semi Final Race
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