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highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Set to kick off on February 19, cricket’s top eight nations will come together to compete for the prestigious title.
This competition is mainly composed of Pakistanyou will see India Participate in all competitions United Arab Emirates (UAE) Due to political tensions, a hybrid model was adopted. As the defending champions of the 2013 World Cup, India competed with a strong lineup under the leadership of their captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Shubman Gill. With a blend of experience and youth, the Men in Blue are determined to regain the trophy and once again assert their dominance in world cricket.
Key players for India’s 2025 Champions Trophy
Recently, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal Shared his views on Hardik Pandya during a live session on his YouTube channel.
“The key player of the Indian team is Hardik Pandya and the starting XI is incomplete without him.” Kamran said.
Akmal further emphasized how important Pandya’s role is for India’s chances in the upcoming Champions Trophy. “He’s my favorite, he’s great with the bat and ball. He’s finished the game, too,” Akmal concluded.
His remarks underscored Hardik’s significant influence on India’s overall strategy. His performances are not only valuable but indispensable, especially in high-pressure Championship games.
Also read: Kamran Akmal picks Pakistan squad for Champions Trophy 2025; Saim Ayub finds place
Memorable performance against Pakistan in ODI format
From 2017 to 2023, Hardik had many memorable performances against Pakistan. In T20Is, he played 7 games and scored 209 runs at an average of 69.66 and a personal best of 87 runs. His strike rate in these games was 132.27, showing his ability. The ability to speed up rounds. Hardik also contributed with the ball as he picked up crucial wickets and his figures of 2/34 were one of his best performances.
He bowled 41.5 runs in these games, maintaining an economy rate of 5.13 and an average of 26.87. Hardik’s versatility allowed him to excel with both bat and ball, making him a key player in India’s strategy against Pakistan during this period. His performance included impactful batting, tight bowling spell and crucial breakthroughs which contributed significantly to India’s success in crucial matches against their arch-rivals.
