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The stage is set for another epic India vs Pakistan showdown in the Champions Trophy 2025 as the two arch-rivals prepare to face off at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. This marks their first meeting in the 50-over format since their intense clash in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Given that India and Pakistan haven’t played a bilateral series since 2012, every ICC event encounter between them is highly anticipated, with emotions running high on both sides of the border.
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Sidhu: “It is the mother of all battles”
As excitement builds, former cricketers who have experienced the Indo-Pak rivalry firsthand have shared their thoughts on the much-anticipated clash. Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu summed up the game’s significance by calling it the “mother of all battles.”
“There’s nothing bigger than this. I think it’s the tension that holds everybody together. When 1.5 billion people expect a win, they will never swallow a defeat. There is a culture of retribution.
This game is played more between the ears than between the hands—it’s a psychological battle. There’s plenty of nervous energy floating around, but the side that converts it into positive energy is the side that will win,” Sidhu said on JioHotstar’s ‘Greatest Rivalry Returns’.
Afridi: “It was my dream to play an Indo-Pak match”
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also reflected on the intensity of this rivalry, revealing that playing against India was always a dream come true for him.
“For a cricketer, an India-Pakistan match is a golden opportunity, especially for youngsters. It was always my dream. Before a match, I couldn’t sleep at night—I would think about my performance and how I couldn’t afford to miss this chance.
Even if I hadn’t performed in the last five or six matches, if I did well in an India-Pakistan game, everything would be forgiven. That’s how big this rivalry is,” said Afridi.
India Dominates the Head-to-Head at ICC Events
India and Pakistan have faced each other 21 times in ICC tournaments, with India dominating the rivalry, winning 17 matches while Pakistan has won only four.
One of the most iconic encounters between the two came during the 2007 T20 World Cup, where a bowl-out was conducted to decide the winner after a thrilling match. Moments like these have only added to the legendary status of this historic rivalry.
With both teams gearing up for the highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 clash, cricket fans across the world are in for an electrifying encounter that promises to be nothing short of a blockbuster.
