Former Indian cricketer names Pakistan's biggest arsenal against India

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Piyush Chawla has identified Salman Ali Agha as the biggest threat to India in the hotly-anticipated IND v PAK clash at the Champions Trophy 2025.

Chawla praised Pakistan’s middle-order batter’s aggressive batting style, which he believes can turn the game in Pakistan’s favor.

Agha’s recent performance against New Zealand, where he scored 42 off 28 balls, has caught Chawla’s attention.

“Salman Ali Agha is the biggest threat from the Pakistan team. He’s the kind of player who can change the course of a game on his day,” Chawla said. “He’s an attacking batsman, and we have seen what he is capable of. His century in the chase against South Africa was remarkable”.

Chawla believes India has the upper hand in the match, citing India’s strong track record against Pakistan in ICC events and their impressive recent form.

“Based on current form, India has the edge. In ICC tournaments, especially in the one-day format, India has always performed well against Pakistan,” Chawla noted. “While Pakistan does have a slight advantage in the Champions Trophy, considering India’s form and Pakistan’s struggle against New Zealand, India has a better chance”.

The two arch-rivals is set to lock horns in Dubai tomorrow. The India-Pakistan match is expected to be a high-stakes encounter, with Pakistan facing a must-win situation after losing their opening match to New Zealand. On the other hand, India won their opener against Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill has said that batting second will be under pressure in the hotly-anticipated IND v PAK clash.

Addressing a press conference, Shubman Gill emphasised that batting second will be more challenging due to the absence of dew on Sunday, which has historically played a significant role in Dubai.

“We definitely want to play positive and aggressive cricket. 300-325 will be a very good score on this wicket. The team batting well in the middle overs will have a better chance of winning,” Gill said. “Toss won’t matter as there is no dew. Team batting second will have more pressure”.