February 22nd 2025.
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria gave his opinion on the upcoming Champions Trophy match between Pakistan, led by Mohammad Rizwan, and India, which is set to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. According to Kaneria, Pakistan has a slim chance of winning the match due to their recent poor performance in series such as the Tri-Nation Series and the Test series against West Indies. He also pointed out how India managed to bounce back after their defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia by dominating England in the white-ball series.
Kaneria believes that India's spinners, particularly the left-arm bowlers Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, will pose a challenge for Pakistan's captain Babar Azam. He also mentioned that India has an advantage in the spin department, while Pakistan's lack of a good spinner may work against them. Kaneria added that the match will be a tough one, but he doesn't see Pakistan winning on February 23.
The former cricketer also criticized Babar for his lack of intent in the team's first match against New Zealand, where he scored a slow 64 off 90 balls while chasing a target of 321. Kaneria praised Khushdil Shah for his aggressive approach, which helped reduce the margin of defeat. He believes that if Babar doesn't show intent, it will be difficult for Pakistan to win against India, especially on the slow and dry pitches in Dubai.
When asked about the key players for both teams, Kaneria mentioned Khushdil Shah, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Afridi for Pakistan, and Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Harshit Rana for India. He believes that in the absence of Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil and Salman Agha have the ability to make a difference in Pakistan's batting lineup. He also praised Saud Shakeel's technical skills and predicted that he could play a big role in the team's success. In the bowling department, Shaheen Afridi's experience will be crucial for Pakistan. For India, Kaneria highlighted Rohit Sharma's impressive form, but also mentioned the danger posed by Shubman Gill. He believes that Gill could be the X-factor for India in this match. Kaneria also mentioned Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana as key players for India's bowling attack.
In their first match of the tournament, India, led by Rohit Sharma, defeated Bangladesh by six wickets. They will be looking to continue their winning streak against Pakistan on Sunday and secure a spot in the semi-finals.
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