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After Pakistan suffered a drubbing against New Zealand in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 opener in Karachi, India are currently taking on Bangladesh in their Group A opener of the tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. In their next fixture, the Rohit Sharma and Co. will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-octane clash on Sunday, February 23.
With a lot at stake in the crucial match, India will aim to better their record against the arch-rivals. It is to be noted that this will be the first meet of the two teams in the 50-over format since ODI World Cup 2023. Moreover, they haven’t played a bilateral series since 2012, which makes it even more interesting.
India versus Pakistan is the mother of all battles: Navjot Singh Sidhu
As the heat is catching up ahead of thrilling encounter, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu called it as “the mother of all battles.” Speaking on JioHotstar’s Greatest Rivalry Returns, Sidhu said, "It is the mother of all battles. There’s nothing bigger than this. I think it's the tension that holds everybody together. When 150 crore people expect a win from you, they will never swallow a defeat.”
“There is a culture of retribution. This game is played more between the ears than between the hands—it's a psychological battle. There’s plenty of nervous energy floating around, but the side that converts it into positive energy is the side that will win,” he added.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who was also part of the panel, called it the biggest rivalry. “For a cricketer, an India-Pakistan match is a golden opportunity, especially for youngsters. It was always my dream. Before a match, I couldn’t sleep at night—I would think about my performance and how I couldn’t afford to miss this chance. Even if I hadn’t performed in the last five or six matches, if I did well in an India-Pakistan game, everything would be forgiven. That’s how big this rivalry is,” he said.
