Pakistan PM Sends ‘Real Task’ Message To Mohammad Rizwan For Champions Trophy

Pakistan goes into the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as the defending champions. They got the better of the Virat Kohli-led Indian side in the tournament’s final at the Kennington Oval in South London.

They have been in incredible touch going into this ICC event after their three consecutive series victory. Under the captaincy of Mohammad Rizwan, the Green Brigade defeated Australia in the three-match series, before getting the better of Zimbabwe. They also became the first visiting side to whitewash South Africa in an ODI series.

Political tension between India and Pakistan

When the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Pakistan as the host venue for the Champions Trophy, it was known that India wouldn’t make their trip to this part of the world easily.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) visited the green brigade during the 2008 Asia Cup, while the last bilateral series between these two teams came in 2012. Since then, these two sides have met each other only in the ICC events.

PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, was very keen to host the entire tournament at home despite the BCCI writing to the ICC to inform their decision of not travelling to the other side of the border. The tension and speculation kept on going for a long time before the ICC accepted the hybrid model.

That granted the Rohit Sharma-led side a chance to play all of their games of the tournament at the Dubai International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This promoted both these two teams not visiting each other for any ICC event in the next couple of years.

Pakistan PM sends bold message to Mohammad Rizwan-led side

PM Shehbaz Sharif told that Mohammad Rizwan-led side’s main task will be not only to win the Champions Trophy but also beat India in Dubai on February 23.

“We have a very good side, and they have done well in recent times, but the real task now is to not only win the Champions Trophy but also defeat our arch-rival, India, in the upcoming match in Dubai. The entire nation stands behind them.” Sharif expressed at the inauguration ceremony of the renovated and upgraded Gaddafi Stadium of Lahore for the tri-series opening game against New Zealand.

The Kiwis will face South Africa in a day game in the series at the same venue before the action moves to the National Stadium in Karachi for the second leg, where the Temba Bavuma-led side will face the Babar Azam and co. That ground will also host the final of the competition.

“It is a big occasion for Pakistan that we are hosting a big ICC event after nearly 29 years. I have full confidence that our team will continue to make the nation proud in the upcoming Champions Trophy.” He addressed.

Pakistan starts preparation for the Champions Trophy

The playing eleven of the Pakistan side for the game against New Zealand shows that they will open their batting with Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam. The former is making his return to the national side since the 2023 ODI World Cup when he faced England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

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Babar has struggled at the opening position but with Saim Ayub’s injury, the management promoted him to the position. They went with the three pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf for the fixture, besides picking Abrar Ahmed as the lone specialist spinner.

They will start their Champions Trophy campaign against the Blackcaps in Karachi before facing India in Dubai and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.