England, in a surprise turn of events, announced their playing 11 two days before the match on Thursday
Australia lead England in ODI World Cups, while the English side enjoys the advantage in the Champions Trophy over the Aussies
In a surprise move, England announced their Playing XI two days before the scheduled start of the match
Australia vs England pitch report: Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, known for its batting-friendly pitches, recently hosted two matches during a tri-series, both producing scores exceeding 300.
Pakistan's crushing 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match in Karachi has left them in a do-or-die scenario.
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan said Indian team can handle the pressure situations effectively and that trait gives Rohit Sharma's side an edge in the much-awaited Champions Trophy match against traditional rivals Pakistan at Dubai on Sunday. While India began with a six-wicket thumping of Bangladesh in their tournament opener, Pakistan lost their first game by 60 runs to New Zealand and are currently placed last in the four-team Group A points table. When it comes to Pakistan, look, they have plenty of problems in the team, Pathan, who will play for India Masters in the International Masters League, told PTI Videos here on Friday. As far as some of the senior guys (are concerned), they don't play that kind of aggressive modern day cricket, especially in white-ball cricket. So, can they change it? It's very difficult. But more than the weaknesses and the strengths, it's all about the India-Pakistan occasion. Whoever handles the occasion really well, that team wins, he said. Patha
The frenzy surrounding the clash has also sent airfares soaring, as last-minute travellers scramble for flights
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma said batting first on the National Stadium pitch here was a "brave decision" and commended his players for doing good assessment of the wicket in their Champions Trophy opener against Afghanistan on Friday. The Proteas scored a massive 315/6 before dismissing their opponents for 208 runs to begin their campaign in the marquee ICC event with a 107-run victory. Bavuma, who himself contributed 58 runs, added that the pitch here reminded him of the surfaces prepared back home. "Clinical performance. We got the rub of the green with the toss but it was a brave decision to bat first not knowing how it would play. We took care of that, got a competitive score and then were clinical with the ball," said Bavuma, who enjoyed a 129-run partnership with opener Ryan Rickelton (103), which helped South Africa amass the big total. "All in all, close to our best performance. The wicket looked different. Closer to a wicket back home. The batters do their assessment
Ahead of this eagerly awaited showdown, Pakistan's fast bowler Haris Rauf is optimistic about his team's chances.
Check the rankings of India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh, who are part of Group A in ICC Men's Champions Trophy.
Afghanistan vs South Africa HIGHLIGHTS: Ryan Rickleton (103) became the first wicket-keeper batter from SA to score a century in the Champions Trophy
During the match, the logo displayed in the top left corner of the broadcast only featured the event name, 'Champions Trophy 2025,' without mentioning Pakistan as the official host
Check Champions Trophy 2025 Group B full schedule, squads, match timings, live telecast and streaming details here
Ryan took 101 balls to reach the three-figure mark in Karachi. His previous best was 91 against Ireland back in October 2024
Nabi ranks fourth overall on the list of oldest debutants in the Champions Trophy
India vs Pakistan match prediction in Champions Trophy 2025: Which team has an edge over others? Check Yuvraj, Sidhu, Inzaman, and Afridi's insights here
South Africa's captain, Temba Bavuma, chose to bat first without mentioning Heinrich Klaasen's absence at the toss
South Africa comes into the game with renewed confidence after a hard-fought three-wicket victory over Pakistan in their sole warm-up encounter.
India, playing all their matches in Dubai as per the hybrid model agreement, await their arch-rivals in a contest charged with intensity, history, and the weight of expectations.
Jofra Archer is also included in the playing lineup, alongside seam bowlers Brydon Carse and Mark Wood.