New Delhi: Pakistan lost to India in their second match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. The Mohammad Rizwan-led team were thumped by six wickets by a buoyant India in the UAE.
Pakistan No.3 batter Saud Shakeel made 62 off 76 balls and the decent efforts from skipper Rizwan (46) and Khushdil Shah (38) helped the tournament hosts to post a moderate target of 242 for their arch-rivals. Senior Indian batter Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten century (100*) to anchor the chase and was complemented by the cameos from Shubman Gill (46) and Shreyas Iyer (56) as the Men in Blue completed the chase with 45 balls to spare.
This is now the second straight defeat for Pakistan in Group A after going down to New Zealand by 60 runs in the tournament opener in Karachi. Pakistan are currently on fourth place on the points table of Group A with zero points and a net-run-rate (NRR) of -1.087.
Though Pakistan have not been eliminated from the group stage thus far, the team’s chances are now hanging by a thread. However, there is a glimmer of hope even though Pakistan don’t have the total control of their qualification in the semis.
Analyzing Pakistan’s slim semifinal chances in ICC Champions Trophy
First and foremost, Pakistan needs Bangladesh to register a win against New Zealand on Monday (February 24) in Rawalpindi. In case New Zealand manage to win the match then the Mitchell Santner & Co. along with India will confirm their place in the semifinals.
If Bangladesh win then Pakistan will hope to win by a heavy margin against Najmul Hossain Shanto and his men when the two Asian teams clash on February 27 in Rawalpindi.
The last and another most important part of this permutation is Pakistan would want India to defeat New Zealand by a heavy margin. Pakistan would then be leveled on points with New Zealand and then hope the Black Caps will have an inferior NRR at the end of the group stage to pip them on the second spot on the points table.
Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat against India in their second ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match. The Champions Trophy hosts have a difficult path to make cut for the semifinal after successive losses to New Zealand and India. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
