Credit: ICC
With the return of another ICC event, the fielder of the match competition has also made a comeback in the Team India camp. India have started their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a magnificent six-wicket win against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Opener Shubman Gill hit his eighth ODI ton and helped the side pull off the 229-run chase in 46.3 overs, with his unbeaten 101 off 129. Besides Gill, KL Rahul also looked decent with his bat and played an unbeaten 41-runs innings off 47 balls. Rahul also did an excellent job as a wicketkeeper as well, grabbing three catches in the game. The 32-year-old’s keeping efforts got him the fielder of the match award.
Back in the World Cup 2023, India’s fielding coach T Dilip introduced the award which has witnessed players such as Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Suryakumar Yadav becoming the recipients of the medal. In 2024, Suryakumar won the medal from current ICC Chairman and then-BCCI secretary Jay Shah for grabbing a match-changing stunner for India in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados.
Taking to social media platform Instagram, (@Indiancricketteam) along with the fielding coach T Dilip posted a video with a caption, “Dressing Room BTS | Fielder of the Match | #BANvIND. A BIG start to #ChampionsTROPHY 2025. The fielder of the match for our first game of the tournament goes to .... #TeamIndia.”
Watch the video here:
India looking to continue their dominance against Pakistan
After a six-wicket victory against the Bangla side, India will play against their arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai. Back in 2021, Pakistan registered their maiden and only T20 World Cup victory in Dubai after vanquishing the Men in Blue by 10 wickets in T20 World Cup 2021.
However, the Green Shirts haven’t looked confident against India in the ODI format for the last few years. After their famous Champions Trophy 2017 final triumph at the Oval, they have never won any game against India in the 50-over format. Pakistan will have to pass the India challenge successfully to stay alive in the competition. Rohit and his men will look to continue their winning momentum to seal the semi-final berth.
