Former Pakistani cricketer Tanvir Ahmed has given his take on Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja's decision-making skills. Raja had recently made an announcement about the Pakistan Junior League. Meanwhile, Ahmed, unimpressed with the decision, feels this move might be terrible for the country's cricket future.

Also Read: Lastest cricket news: Ramiz Raja wants triangular series between India, Pakistan, England, and Australia, gets support as well

Ramiz Raja proposed the junior league in order to provide the budding cricketers with more opportunities. However, as per Ahmed, if the player is directly introduced to the T20 format of the game, without providing enough exposure to the longer format of the game, it might hamper their progress.

"The youngsters will think that they don't need to play long-form cricket and instead focus on hitting sixes": Tanvir Ahmed

"Instead of holding a Junior PSL, the chairman should have focused on organizing two-day or three-day tournaments. He is going to destroy Pakistan cricket with such decisions. The youngsters will think that they don't need to play long-form cricket and instead focus on hitting sixes"

Tanvir Ahmed was quoted by Samaa TV

"This mentality will not only affect under-19 cricket but also under-13 cricket and their families due to the money involved. People all over the world are saying that T20 cricket has destroyed Test cricket but our chairman is trying to organize Junior PSL," Ahmed added.

Criticizing Ramiz Raja for his strategies regarding junior-level cricket, Ahmed took a dig at his decision to bring in drop-in pitches.

"Every new chairman comes with a new logic which doesn't help Pakistan cricket and the same goes with him . Instead of reviving departmental cricket, you brought up the idea of drop-in pitches which didn't work out," he stated.

Read Also: Australia Cricket Schedule 2022-23: Australia will be playing 3 T20I against India on September

Earlier this month, Salman Butt had also opposed the idea of the Pakistan Junior League. Butt said that the young cricketers will not get the right amount of induction. He also added that their skills and fitness will observe a downfall if put in to play the T20 format.

Notably, Raja was elected as PCB's 36th chairman unanimously and unopposed in September 2021. In the Pakistan Junior League, six teams will compete in the 19-match competition at the Gaddafi Stadium from October 1 to 15.

In a dramatic turn of events, overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) faced harrowing experiences due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to the indefinite postponement of the tournament.

The crisis, sparked by India’s strategic response to a terror attack in Palalgam on May 7, 2025, which claimed 26 civilian lives, left players like New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell vowing never to return to Pakistan and England’s Tom Curran in tears after a close call at the airport.

Read Also | In a first, 10 UAE batters retire out in ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025

PSL Halted Amid Regional Tensions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially planned to relocate the remaining PSL matches to the UAE after tensions escalated. However, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) rejected the proposal, leaving the PCB with no choice but to cancel the tournament.

The announcement came shortly after the BCCI postponed the IPL for a week due to the same geopolitical concerns.

Overseas players were swiftly evacuated to Dubai via charter flights, from where they caught connecting flights to their home countries. Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, part of the Lahore Qalandars squad, recounted the terrifying ordeal, revealing that the airport they departed from was struck by a missile just 20 minutes after their plane took off.

“After landing in Dubai, we heard that a missile struck the airport 20 minutes after we left. The news was scary and sorrowful, but we felt relieved to be safe in Dubai,” Rishad told Cricbuzz.

Read Also | Foreign players asked to return to their country as IPL 2025 postponed for a week due to India-Pakistan tension

Daryl Mitchell’s Vow and Tom Curran’s Distress

Rishad shared the palpable fear among foreign players, including Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran.

“Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. They were all horrified,” Rishad said.

Recounting Tom Curran’s emotional breakdown, Rishad added, “Tom went to the airport, but heard it was closed. He started crying like a little child, and it took two or three people to console him.”

Read Also | India-Pakistan War: How Indian athletes reacted to it

Family Worries and Player Anxieties

Rishad also spoke about the anxiety his family felt during the crisis. “Whenever I play, my family worries about the situation. When they heard about the bomb blasts and missile strikes in Pakistan, they were naturally tense. I tried to console them and assure them I was safe,” he said.

PCB’s Failed Attempt to Salvage the Tournament

According to Rishad, the PCB chairman attempted to convince players to continue the tournament in Karachi, downplaying the severity of the situation.

“The chairman tried to hide that there were two drone attacks the day before, which we later learned about. Almost all foreign players agreed that Dubai was the only safe option,” Rishad revealed.

The PCB eventually facilitated the players’ safe evacuation to Dubai, a move Rishad credited to the board’s efforts. “Thanks to the PCB chairman and the Pakistan Cricket Board, we reached Dubai safely by the grace of Almighty Allah,” he said.

Hello and welcome back to another LIVE coverage from Sportz Point. Today, we will cover the most highly-anticipated match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group Stage; as the Indian Cricket Team will take on the eternal arch-rivals Pakistan Cricket Team at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The iconic India vs Pakistan face-off always offers memorable moments and epic cricketing dramas. India will come to this game after a convincing victory over Bangladesh in their opening group game. On the contrary, Pakistan faced a tough defeat against New Zealand in their opening match.

Read Also | Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Pakistan match preview

Another chapter of this storied rivalry is set to be written today and we are about to witness that! So just relax and enjoy the epic clash as Sportz Point provides you with all the real-time updates, team news, live scores, and match commentary of the epic India vs Pakistan match in the ICC CT '25.

This is Soumit Bhattacharya, with the build-up. Later on, Payal Debnath and Koushik Biswas will take over to bring you all the LIVE Updates from the web desk.

Moreover, you can follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores.

The Indian cricket team will be aiming to continue their winning momentum when they lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in their second Group A match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, February 23.

India and Pakistan's matches have always been considered epic clashes in the ICC tournaments. In the last decade, the two teams have not faced much due to strained relations between the two countries.

Also Read: India vs Pakistan in ICC tournament results

Here is everything you need to know before the India vs Pakistan clash in Champions Trophy 2025. 

Match Details 

• Match: India vs Pakistan 
• Tournament: Champions Trophy 2025, 5th Match Group A
• Date: 23 February 2025
• Time: 2:30 PM IST
• Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Streaming Details 

The live telecast of the India vs Pakistan match will be available on the Star Sports network in India.

The live streaming will be available on the JioHostar App and website in India.

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head stats in Champions Trophy 

India have played Pakistan five times in ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan won the first two before India drew level with two wins in the next two occasions.

Pakistan went 3-2 ahead with a win in their last encounter in 2017.

Pakistan are ahead in terms of overall ODI record as well, having won 73 games and losing 57 (NR: 5).

The arch-rivals last met in the 2023 World Cup as India claimed a massive seven-wicket win.

Meanwhile, the two teams have clashed twice in Dubai in ODIs. India prevailed on both occasions.

Read Also | India vs Pakistan head-to-head stats in ODI cricket: Who leads in ODI cricket?

Pitch Report: Dubai International Cricket Stadium 

The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is expected to be slow.

The same was witnessed in India's opener against Bangladesh as the Tigers were bowled out for 228.

Rohit Sharma's men then comfortably chased down the target.

Team News: India

Under Rohit Sharma, India hopes to add another Champions Trophy title to their 2002 and 2013 victories.

The team dominated Bangladesh in their opening match and pulled off a win, courtesy of Shubman Gill's century and Moahmmed Shami's fifer.

Also Read: Virat Kohli stats in ICC Tournaments

Team News: Pakistan 

Meanwhile, Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat against the Kiwis in the tournament opener.

Key players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are expected to play crucial roles in Sunday's match against India.

However, Pakistan's opening batter, Fakhar Zaman, has been ruled out of the tournament with an injury.

Imam-ul-Haq has been approved by the ICC as the opener's replacement. The latter is expected to open alongside Babar Azam in the upcoming game.

Possible Lineups

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana.

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

Fantasy team prediction: India vs Pakistan 

KL Rahul, Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Salman Agha, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Cricket's biggest rivalry India vs Pakistan will take center stage when both the neighbours take on each other in Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai on Sunday. Before both teams go at each other to win the bragging rights, here are the India vs Pakistan head-to-head stats in ODI cricket. 

Although India have always dominated Pakistan in ICC events, Pakistan have dominated India in overall ODI cricket. From the 1980s and 1990s, Pakistan used to give a strong fight to India in ODI cricket. However, post the start of 2000, India have started getting back to their neighbour with more wins in this format. After the stoppage of bilateral cricket between the countries, they only face each other in ICC events. 

Read Also | Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Pakistan match preview | Head-to-head stats, Possible XI, match prediction, streaming details

India vs Pakistan Head-to-Head stats in ODI cricket

India and Pakistan have faced each other 135 times in ODI cricket so far. India have won 57 times while Pakistan have emerged victorious 73 times. 5 matches have finished without any results.

India vs Pakistan head-to-head stats in ICC ODI events

Till now in ICC ODI events in men's cricket India and Pakistan have faced each other 13 times. India have dominated 10 times while Pakistan have won three times. 

India have never lost to Pakistan in ICC ODI Cricket World Cups. This means all of those three defeats have come in ICC Champions Trophy only. 

Read Also | India vs Pakistan in ICC tournament results

India vs Pakistan head-to-head stats in Champions Trophy

Pakistan have dominated India in the Champions Trophy so far. In the five matches they have played against each other in the Champions Trophy, Pakistan have won thrice while India won twice.

Centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young helped New Zealand get an easy 60-run win over Pakistan in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. New Zealand posted 320 in the first inning while Pakistan were bundled out for 260 during the chase. Here are the highlights of the Pakistan vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match.

Pakistan won the toss, and Rauf made a return to the team

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and decided to bowl first, citing the dew factor. Haris Rauf was back in the team after sustaining an injury in the tri-series. for New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra was not fit enough to feature in this match. Will Young replaced him in the playing 11 while Nathan Smith was given a chance to hit the hard lengths with the ball.

Fakhar got injured early

Pakistan suffered an early setback as Fakhar Zaman got injured while chasing a cover drive from Will Young. Kamran Ghulam replaced him right away. 

Pakistan struck with quick three wickets

Just when everything was going well for New Zealand, Abrar Ahmed gave Pakistan the breakthrough they were looking for. Abrar got rid of Devon Conway with a ripper in his second over. The ball pitched on middle and leg stump and opened up Conway to get the ott stump. 

In the next over in a rare failure, Kane Williamson departed for one. This time it was Naseem Shah, who opened up Williamson with a brilliant delivery that came in and left enough to kiss the outside edge of the former Kiwi captain.

Read Also | India vs Pakistan in ICC tournament results

Haris Rauf then hit the hard length to induce a pull shot from Daryl Mitchell who went after adding 10 off 24 and New Zealand looked in trouble at 73/3 after 16.2 overs. 

But, Will Young made sure he grabbed this opportunity to score big alongside Tom Latham to bail out New Zealand. Young scored his first ton in Pakistan in 107 balls, which also was his first away international hundred. In the next over, Tom Latham also reached his fifty from 61 balls, to set up a platform to hit the fifth gear. 

But, as Young looked to shift up the gears, he was caught in the deep square leg by substitute fielder Ashraf off Naseem Shah on 107. At 191/4 in 38 overs, it was perfect timing for someone like Glenn Philips to come in for New Zealand.

Latham hit his first ODI ton since Nov. 2022

Latham started changing the tempo as well as he hit 14 off the last four balls from Abrar to spoil his spell. Abrar finished with 47/1 in his 10 overs. He southpaw batter then hit his first ODI ton since November 2022. He reached the landmark in 95 balls to become the fifth Kiwi batter to hit a ton in the Champions Trophy. 

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 📑

Today, Will Young and Tom Latham became only the 4th and 5th New Zealand 🇳🇿 batters respectively to score a Champions Trophy ton! 💯#ChampionsTrophy2025 #PAKvsNZ pic.twitter.com/fzaiss364c

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) February 19, 2025

Glenn Philips hits a devastating 61 from 39 balls

Pakistan were forced to have only four fielders outside the ring in the last overs, as opposed to the normal five after being penalised for the slow over rate. Glenn Philips and Latham took advantage of that to reach 320 in the first inning. Latham remained unbeaten on 118 from 104 while Philips was dismissed in the third last ball of the inning after a devastating 61 off 39 balls. 

New Zealand scored 113 from the last ten overs to challenge Pakistan with a total which looked impossible at first.

Horrible start for Pakistan with the bat

Pakistan started horribly after losing two early wickets. Will O’Rourke showed patience to dismiss Saud Shakeel on 6 from 19 in the fourth over. Glenn Philips then pulled off a stunner at backward point to get Pakistan’s second after a fighting 3 from 14 from captain Mohammad Rizwan. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fakhar Zaman, who could not bat at his favourite opening position due to staying off-field, tried his best with pain and suffering. Zaman fought hard to score 24 but off 41 balls. 

Though Babar took his time from the start, Salman Agha assessed the situation well to hit some boundaries to increase the run rate. Meantime, Babar completed his fifty in 81 balls while Agha got dismissed with a short ba by Nathan Smith after playing a brisk 42 off 28 balls. 

Tayyab Tahir (1) came in and was deceived by Mitchell Santner soon. With the asking rate creeping up, Khushdil Shah started smacking the Kiwi spinners and taking the game to them. 

Babar tried to do the same but only managed to get a top edge against Santner while trying a sweep after a slow 90-ball 64. 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐀𝐳𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠? 🤔

Babar Azam scored a 90-ball 64 in a game where Pakistan are chasing 321.

The Pakistani opener had a strike-rate of 71.11! #PakvsNz #BabarAzam #PakistanCricket #ChampionsTrophy2025 #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/7JUYdNknuJ

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) February 19, 2025

Fightback from Khushil Shah

Khushdil completed his fifty in 38 balls but kept losing partners from the other end. After he was dismissed in the 44th over after a fighting 69 from 49 balls, Pakistan were nearly out of the game.

Pakistani tail tried to swing their bats but was finally all-out for 260 and lost the game by 60 runs. With this win, New Zealand achieved a +1.200 NRR, which can be very essential in a tournament like this.

Santner and O’Rourke returned with three wickets for New Zealand. 

Tom Latham was adjudged player of the match for his century.

Match Summary

𝐍𝐙 🇳🇿 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 🇵🇰

Pakistan were bundled out for 260 while chasing 321 in the second inning. #PakvsNz #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/p4B45lMBvh

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) February 19, 2025