India head coach Gautam Gambhir has shared the team plans for the hotly-anticipated PAK vs IND game at the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
As per the schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the archrivals will face off on Sunday, February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Ahead of the high-voltage game, India coach Gautam Gambhir opened up about the added emotional attachment associated with the game.
However, he downplayed the hype around the game, saying that the India team will play the PAK vs IND game as any other match of the Champions Trophy 2025.
“Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy [2025] thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important,” Gautam Gambhir said during the annual BCCI awards.
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As per the India coach, the side aims to win the tournament rather than focusing on the PAK vs IND game.
“But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible,” Gautam Gambhir said.
“And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same,” he added.
Pertinent to note here that Pakistan, the defending champions and the hosts of the tournament, have an upper hand in the tournament, having won three out of the last five PAK vs IND games.
The two sides faced off in the Champions Trophy 2017 final at The Oval which Pakistan won by 180 runs.
