Rohit Sharma aims for strong performance in Pakistan-India clash

MUMBAI: India’s captain for longer formats, Rohit Sharma, has shared his approach for the highly anticipated Pakistan-India clash in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
Speaking at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) annual awards, Sharma stated that he will treat the match like any other and focus solely on playing good cricket.
“We will do what is expected from any cricket team on that day,” he said. “We are not making any specific mention of this match. Our focus is simply on playing good cricket, and we will do just that”
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the team’s primary goal is to win the Champions Trophy rather than focusing on a single match.
“Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important,” Gambhir said. “The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible.”
“And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same.”
He also acknowledged the emotional intensity of an India-Pakistan clash but maintained that the team will treat it like any other contest.
India, the 2013 Champions Trophy winners, will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by their clash with defending champions Pakistan on February 23. Their final group-stage match will be against New Zealand on March 2.