Dubai [UAE], February 22 : Former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik has picked India as the favourite for the high-octane clash against the defending champions, Pakistan, in the ongoing Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday., reported RevSportz.
The stakes will rise when India and Pakistan share the same field and fight for bragging rights. Pakistan will fight to keep their campaign alive, while India will look to exude dominance and maintain its impeccable record over its arch-rival.
Ahead of the high-stakes encounter, Shoaib picked India as the clear favourite but warned that a moment of individual brilliance from any player could change the outcome.
"India is the favourite for Sunday's clash, but when you look at this particular venue, a century from any batter can help set a good total. If they somehow manage to score 270, it can be defended. Pakistan needs someone to step up, either with the bat or by taking a four or five-wicket haul. To win a 50-over match, individual brilliance from two or three players is crucial," Shoaib said on RevSportz.
After 29 years, a global cricket event returned to Pakistan, but New Zealand stepped up to spoil the part for the hosts and the defending champions. Pakistan surrendered to a 60-run defeat, which took them a step closer to the exit instead of a spot in the final four.
On the other hand, India flew high in its Champions Trophy campaign. With a mix of caution and aggression across all spectrums of the game, India sailed to a six-wicket win over Bangladesh with 21 balls to spare.
While India had plenty of positives to walk away with, stalwart Virat Kohli's form remained a concern for the Men in Blue. He exhibited a scratchy 22(38) before exposing his Achilles heel to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.
Virat has been toiling against legspinners in the ODIs since the beginning of 2024. He has maintained a meagre average of 6.20 and lost his precious scalp five times.
Shoaib offered a remedy to Virat's woes and suggested implementing better foot movement to overcome the ongoing issue.
"As for Virat, yes, he has struggled in his last five innings against leg-spinners. When a batter struggles against a particular type of bowler, it is time to fix that. I think he needs to use his feet more, which could help him overcome this issue. When leg-spinners are bowling slow and dragging him forward, he is getting troubled. So, better footwork could be a way to counter that," he added.