With just 47 runs and two wickets lost in just 9.2 overs, Pakistan was having trouble. Together, Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan helped pull Pakistan out of its precarious situation. Both players scored boundaries on sloppy deliveries and praised good ones. Axar Patel provided the much-needed breakthrough as the duo started to cause problems for Indian players.
Axar Patel cleaned up Rizwan, who was bowling the 34th over and batting at 46 off 76. To get the ball into the stands, he shimmies down the wicket, but Axar bowled a yorker. Rizwan’s timbers were disturbed, and he continued to bat. This was the first wicket taken by India’s all-rounder in the match, and he later claimed Saud Shakeel.
Here’s the video of Rizwan’s dismissal
AXAR PATEL GETS THE BREAKTHROUGH! 🔥
Rizwan couldn’t make most of the lifeline in the previous over! 🤐#ChampionsTrophyOnJioStar 👉 #INDvPAK | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 2 & Sports 18-1!
📺📱 Start Watching FREE on JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/mNtPKFcyxa
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 23, 2025
The surface moves more slowly: Rohit Sharma
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first before the action began on the field. Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, had expected the pitch to be the same as the first match. At the toss, he made the same claim. India kept their team the same, although Pakistan made a forced change when Imam Ul Haq took Fakhar Zam’s position after the latter’s injury in the previous match.
“It doesn’t really matter; we’ll bowl first because they won the toss. The surface is a little slower, but it looks like the last game. We have a batting unit with expertise, so we know what to do if the pitches slow down. The squad must perform well both with the bat and the ball. We didn’t have an easy game last time, which is usually good. You want to put yourself to the test and be under pressure. Rohit remarked, “We are playing the same team.”
India
