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ICC CT 2025: Anticipation Builds for High-Stakes India-Pakistan Showdown

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Get ready for the most anticipated clash of the ICC Champions Trophy: India vs Pakistan. This rivalry ignites intense passions on both sides of the border, where India has recently dominated, yet Pakistan boasts a slight 3-2 lead in head-to-head encounters within the Champions Trophy. More than just a match, this rivalry has the power to transform an ordinary player into an overnight sensation, creating legendary moments that are celebrated worldwide for generations.

In their extensive ODI rivalry, Pakistan holds a narrow advantage with 73 wins out of 135 matches, while India has triumphed in 57, with five matches ending without a result. However, the recent trend sees India taking the upper hand, primarily throughout the new millennium, having secured 12 out of 17 ODIs against Pakistan since 2010, with only four losses and a single no-result.


As the Champions Trophy unfolds, Pakistan will aim to replicate their stunning performance from the 2017 final, where they defeated India by 180 runs. However, regaining confidence will not be easy for the Pakistan squad, who are still reeling from a humiliating 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match. This loss has left them at the bottom of the group standings and in need of a significant turnaround to stay in contention.

Rohit Sharma and his team must not underestimate the unpredictable nature of the Men-in-Green. The last significant ICC 50-over clash between India and Pakistan occurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad, where India comfortably chased down a modest target, leaving fans wanting more.

This Sunday’s ICC Champions Trophy face-off at Dubai International Stadium is set to create an electric atmosphere, with a sold-out crowd of 25,000 and millions tuning in globally. The pressure will be particularly intense for Pakistan, whose chances of making it to the semifinals are precariously hanging in the balance after their opening defeat.

In contrast, India enters this match on the back of a solid six-wicket win over Bangladesh. Unlike the World Cup format that allows teams a chance to recover from a setback, the Champions Trophy leaves little room for error—only the top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. Currently, New Zealand and India lead the pack.

As Rohit Sharma noted ahead of their match against Bangladesh, “The 50-over World Cup provides opportunities to recover even after a misstep, given that teams play ten matches. In this format, however, each of your three group matches is crucial for advancing to the semi-finals.”

On the field, Rohit Sharma, who had struggled for form recently, showed signs of resurgence with a quick 41 against Bangladesh. His opening partner, vice-captain Shubman Gill, is in fine touch, having scored back-to-back ODI centuries, and will look to build on this momentum.

India’s middle order, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and hard-hitting Hardik Pandya, has had ample time on the pitch to acclimatize to the Dubai International Stadium. In the bowling unit, Mohammed Shami’s five-wicket haul against Bangladesh provided a significant boost, compensating for the absence of the injured Jasprit Bumrah, while young Harshit Rana offered excellent support.

Pakistan, on the other hand, must address the form and strategy of captain Babar Azam. His 64 off 90 balls in the loss to New Zealand drew criticism, especially while chasing a target of 320. Adding to their challenges, game-changing opener Fakhar Zaman’s injury has led to his replacement by Imam ul Haq.

Positively, middle-order batter Khushdil Shah shone with a counter-attacking 69 in that opener. Despite his recent struggles, he expressed surprise at making the squad, yet Pakistan will be thankful for his performance.

Though India appears to be the favorite, one can never completely discount Pakistan, especially in high-stakes scenarios. Thus, Sunday’s thrilling encounter will be another gripping battle of nerves.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy.

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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India Secures 43 Medals at Asian U-15 and U-17 Boxing Championships

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Team India has secured a total of 43 medals at the inaugural Asian U-15 & U-17 boxing championships, organized by the newly recognized Asian Boxing body under World Boxing. On Day 7, four additional pugilists advanced to the semifinals, ensuring India will take home at least 25 medals in the U-15 category and 18 in the U-17 category, as all semifinalists automatically receive bronze.

Aman Siwach (63kg) and Devansh (80kg) made significant strides in the U-17 boys’ segment, both claiming Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) victories over opponents from the Philippines and Jordan, respectively, during the final quarterfinals.


In the girls’ division, Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) achieved a dominant 5-0 victory over Jordan’s Aya Alhasanat, while Himanshi (70kg) earned an RSC win against Palestine’s Farah Abou Layla in the very first round, advancing to the semifinals alongside her teammates.

Results:

Men’s U-17 – Quarterfinals

60 kg: Sahil Duhan (IND) lost to Amirali Mehrabi (IRI) – WP 2:3

63 kg: Aman Siwach (IND) def. Ziadrach James Cabrera (PHI) – RSC R2

66 kg: Anant Gaurishankar Deshmukh (IND) lost to Daniyal Shalkarbay (KAZ) – WP 0:5

75 kg: Priyansh Sehrawat (IND) lost to Khurshidbek Juraev (UZB) – WP 0:5

80 kg: Devansh (IND) def. Abdallah Aldabbas (JOR) – RSC R3

80+ kg: Loven Gulia (IND) lost to Farhoud Ghorbani (IRI) – WP 0:5

Women’s U-17 – Quarterfinals

60 kg: Simranjeet Kaur (IND) def. Aya Alhasanat (JOR) – WP 5:0

70 kg: Himanshi (IND) def. Farah Abou Layla (PLE) – RSC R1


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Fleming Acknowledges Auction Errors as CSK’s Playoff Chances Diminish

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Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that their player selections during the IPL 2025 mega auction might not have been ideal, following the team’s seventh defeat in nine matches. They lost by five wickets to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.

This loss marked their fourth consecutive defeat, contributing to CSK’s worst-ever home performance in the league, significantly diminishing their chances of playoff qualification.


“It’s difficult to say we got everything right given our recent performances,” Fleming remarked after another disappointing batting display at home. “We’ve been reviewing our style of play and how the game is evolving.”

“It’s a challenge, and that’s why we take pride in our past achievements. Consistency over the years is commendable, but it doesn’t take much for things to shift. Other teams have improved, which is the objective of the auction, but we have struggled to adapt,” he elaborated.

The former New Zealand captain emphasized the need for greater understanding and effort from the players. “Responsibility must be taken from the top down, and we must demand more from the players. We need to reflect on the auction outcomes; they didn’t meet our expectations.”

Describing the auction, Fleming referred to it as a “very fluid beast,” expressing confidence in the squad while noting the impact of injuries and unformed players.

“It’s not an exact science. The auction involves intense decision-making, which can be both mentally and physically draining. I still believe we have a good squad, and we’re close. Injuries and form issues have hindered us, and we’ve struggled to establish a consistent game plan,” he stated. “There’s a lot of responsibility and introspection, and I take that responsibility fully.”

In terms of team changes, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed reluctance towards frequent adjustments but may be compelled to make significant changes due to current player performances. After Sunrisers Hyderabad’s victory on Friday, which marked their first win at Chepauk, a visibly disappointed Dhoni reflected on the challenges when several key players underperform.

“In a tournament like this, if you can address one or two issues, it’s manageable. But when most players struggle, adjustments become necessary. You typically stick with performing players for a few games, but if several fail simultaneously, changes must be made to improve run production,” Dhoni noted.

Next, CSK will face the Punjab Kings on April 30 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.


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Shambhavi Clinches Double Gold at the 23rd KSSM Championship

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Shambhavi Kshirsagar from Maharashtra bested world championship medalists, Olympic finalists, and national champions to clinch the women’s 10m air rifle title at the 23rd Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship (23rd KSSM) held at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Faridabad.

The 16-year-old, who placed fifth at the junior worlds in Lima last year, excelled in the qualifications with an impressive score of 633.5. She concluded the final with a remarkable 10.8 in her last shot out of 24, surpassing Haryana’s Ramita, an Olympic finalist. West Bengal’s Mehuli Ghosh, a bronze medalist at the world championship, secured the third position.


Shambhavi truly shined on Saturday at the Karni Singh range, later winning a silver in the junior women’s event and securing another gold in the youth women’s competition.

The senior women’s crown was particularly noteworthy, as Shambhavi competed alongside notable athletes like Mehuli, Ramita, Ananya Naidu (recently crowned national champion), and junior world championship medalist Shreya Agrawal.

As they approached the final two shots of the 24-shot final, Ramita held a narrow lead of 0.1. Both competitors recorded identical scores of 10.2 on their 23rd shots, but Shambhavi’s final shot landed her a score of 252.9, outpacing Ramita’s total of 252.1. Mehuli had exited after the 22nd shot with 231.0.

Ramita, however, avenged her earlier defeat by claiming victory over Shambhavi in the subsequent junior women’s final with a margin of 1.5. Manya Mittal from Uttar Pradesh secured third place.

Despite this setback, Shambhavi remained undeterred and showcased her resilience by winning the youth women’s title, finishing with a score of 253.6, ahead of Karnataka’s Nidhi Mittal by 1.8 points. Madhya Pradesh’s Gautami Bhanot claimed third place.

The senior qualification round attracted a diverse field of 411 shooters.


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