Piyush Chawla, former Indian cricketer, believes that Salman Ali Agha, the middle batter of Pakistan, will pose the biggest threat to India, with both teams clashing in a group match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here in Dubai on Sunday.
Chawla, in an exclusive interview, dwelled on Agha’s attacking attributes, which were on view during Pakistan’s history-making run chase of South Africa recently in the ODI Tri-Series. He also did a Herculean job against New Zealand in the opening Champions Trophy clash by scoring 42 off 28, despite adverse circumstances during their chase in Karachi.
“The biggest threat in the Pakistan team, Salman Agha, because he’s the kind of player who, on his given day, has the ability to turn the game around completely. Because he’s an attacking batsman, and we’ve seen how well he did when Pakistan were chasing 350-odd against South Africa, the kind of hundred he got. He also batted well against New Zealand. He’s an attacking player who can turn the game on its head,” he said.
Further, Chawla expressed opinions on both teams and went on to mention that India probably would have an edge over Pakistan based on their past performance in ICC tournaments in 50-over formats and after having performed dominantly in the recent matches. He supported India to possess better chances in the duel between the two rivals.
“In all fairness, when it comes to form, India has an edge because in ICC tournaments, especially one-dayers, India has done well against Pakistan. Although in the Champions Trophy, Pakistan does have a slight edge, looking at the current form–the way the Indian team is carrying themselves, and considering Pakistan’s performance against New Zealand–India’s got better chances.”
India would assume the driver’s seat with Pakistan in view of the fact that they already had a win under their belt. The Rizwan-led side will have the burden of pressure on his men after a crushing defeat by 60 runs to the Kiwis, and the coming match will be the decider. Both teams will meet for a match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and this should be an exhilarating contest that would entertain the fans.
