Pakistan cricket workforce’s newest loss in opposition to India on the Champions Trophy 2025 has opened a can of worms. Pakistan haven’t received a single ODI recreation in opposition to India for the reason that 2017 Champions Trophy last. And with the loss on Sunday, Pakistan are on the threat of getting knocked out of the Champions Trophy 2025, a event that they’re internet hosting, from the group stage itself. And Babar Azam (23, 26b) appears to be bearing the most important brunt of it.
Throughout his preliminary years, Babar Azam was typically in comparison with Virat Kohli however because the years handed by, the hole between the 2 has elevated manifold. After his newest failure, former Pakistan tempo star Shoaib Akhtar got here down onerous on Babar Azam, giving the instance of Virat Kohli.
“Let’s attempt to sum up Virat Kohli a bit bit. Now inform me, who’s the hero of Virat Kohli? Sachin Tendulkar has scored 100 centuries, and Virat is chasing his legacy,” Akhtar mentioned on PTV Sports activities.
“Who’s Babar Azam’s hero? Tuk tuk (With out naming any cricketer). You might have picked the improper heroes. Your thought course of is improper. You have been a fraud from the start. You have been caught from the start. You made it clear within the ICC Champions Trophy itself that ‘I’ve turn into No. 1 for one and half days. You might be no No. 1. You promoted the improper individuals.”
Shoaib Akhtar discover the Virat Kohli approach of performances.@shoaib100mph @ZAbbasOfficial @ImSikandarB#ChampionsTrophy2025 #DilSeCricket #GameOnHai pic.twitter.com/YgMiMkkf71
— PTV Sports activities (@PTVSp0rts) February 23, 2025
India batting stalwart Virat Kohli showcased a heartwarming gesture in direction of Babar Azam when he patted on the again of the previous Pakistan skipper earlier than the high-octane match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on the Dubai Worldwide Stadium on Sunday.
The 2 batting stars have been seen exchanging pleasantries and spoke with one another when Babar walked out to the center together with fellow opener Imam-ul-Haq.
Netizens have been fast to note the pleasant light-hearted second as images and video of the brief-meet shortly went viralon social media. One person wrote, “Friendship” whereas one other mentioned, “That is why we love Kohli”.
Kohli and Babar are two of the largest batters in world cricket in the mean time, however the latter is at the moment present process a lean patch.
Throughout India’s tour of England in 2022, when Kohli was struggling along with his kind, Babar took to social media to share an image of them throughout a match together with the message, “This too shall go”. Virat was fast to reply to Babar’s help on X and wrote, “Thanks. Preserve shining and rising. Want you all the most effective,” he wrote.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan received the toss and opted to bat first. India’s frontline pacers Shami and Harshit Rana stay wicketless of their opening spells earlier than Hardik Pandya offered the primary breakthrough with an expensive dismissal of Babar Azam within the ninth over. Babar departed after scoring 23 runs off 23 with the assistance of 5 fours. Later, a direct hit from Axar Patel despatched Imam-ul-Haq again to the pavilion for 10 off 26.
It’s a must-win encounter for Pakistan to maintain their semi-final hopes alive from Group A after dropping to New Zealand by 60 runs within the event opener in Karachi. Alternatively, India began their marketing campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh.
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