The extremely anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is about to kick off on February 19, bringing collectively the highest eight cricketing nations to compete for the celebrated title.
This version of the event, being hosted primarily by Pakistan, will see India taking part in all its matches within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) below a hybrid mannequin on account of political tensions. Because the defending champions from the 2013 version, India is coming into this event with a robust squad, led by captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Shubman Gill. With a mix of expertise and youth, the Males in Blue are decided to reclaim the trophy and stamp their dominance in world cricket as soon as once more.
India’s key participant for the Champions Trophy 2025
Not too long ago, former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal shared his ideas on Hardik Pandya throughout a stay session on his YouTube channel.
“The principle participant within the Indian workforce, with out him the taking part in XI is incomplete is Hardik Pandya,” Kamran mentioned.
Akmal additional emphasised how important Pandya’s position is to India’s probabilities within the upcoming Champions Trophy. “He’s my favorite, he’s exceptional with the bat and the ball. He finishes the sport as nicely,” Akmal concluded.
His feedback spotlight the numerous influence Hardik has on India’s general technique. His performances aren’t simply helpful, however indispensable, particularly in high-pressure event matches.
Additionally READ: Kamran Akmal picks his Pakistan squad for the Champions Trophy 2025; Saim Ayub finds place
Memorable performances towards Pakistan within the ODI format
Hardik has had a number of memorable performances towards Pakistan from 2017 to 2023. In T20Is, he performed 7 matches and scored 209 runs at a powerful common of 69.66, with a greatest particular person rating of 87. His strike price in these encounters was 132.27, showcasing his skill to speed up the innings. With the ball, Hardik contributed as nicely, choosing up essential wickets, with figures of two/34 being certainly one of his standout performances.
He bowled 41.5 overs throughout these video games, sustaining an financial system price of 5.13 and a mean of 26.87. Hardik’s versatility allowed him to excel each with the bat and the ball, making him a key participant in India’s technique towards Pakistan throughout this era. His performances included impactful knocks, tight bowling spells, and demanding breakthroughs, which considerably contributed to India’s successes in key matches towards their arch-rivals.