Raj Kumar Sharma, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach, is confident that his former protégé will shine in the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday in Dubai.
In this crucial match, Pakistan will look to keep its title defense alive after a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener. Meanwhile, India comes into the game with momentum, having comfortably defeated Bangladesh by 6 wickets.
Kohli, who is known for his ability to thrive in high-pressure situations, did not have his best outing against Bangladesh, scoring a modest 22 runs off 38 balls before being dismissed by leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. However, with a history of delivering in big matches, especially against Pakistan, Kohli will be determined to perform at his best.
Raj Kumar Sharma, in a conversation with ANI, expressed his belief that Virat will rise to the occasion. “The whole world is excited for this match. Everyone is curious about what will happen tomorrow. I think India is a better team. He is a big player in big matches. He has performed on big occasions. I am hopeful that tomorrow will be the same story,” Sharma said.
Kohli has an excellent record against Pakistan in ODIs, having scored 678 runs in 16 matches, averaging 52.15, which includes three centuries and two fifties. His record in high-stakes encounters only adds to the excitement surrounding his performance.
Sharma also feels that India will have an edge over Pakistan due to the balance within their squad. “India will have an advantage because they have played on this ground. I think India is a better-balanced side, and that is why they will have an advantage in the game,” he added.
As the tension builds for the marquee clash, Pakistan will need to bounce back strongly if they are to stay in the hunt for a semi-final spot, while India will look to confirm their place in the next stage with a win.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.