Former Pakistan skipper Moin Khan has urged the Men In Green to play aggressively when they play India next month. The biggest match of Champions Trophy 2025 is set to take place on 23rd February at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. The last time these two sides met in the same competition was during the 2017 finals which Pakistan won by 180 runs.
Moin Khan who was speaking on podcast hosted by Ushna Shah said “I just don’t get it when I watch Pakistan and India matches these days, as Indian players come into the crease, our players check their bats, pat them, have a friendly talk,"
Pakistan’s former skipper also added “Nowadays, our players’ behaviour when playing against India is unfathomable to me. Even off the field as professionals, you have to have certain boundaries”. India and Pakistan’s last meeting during the ICC T20 World Cup match in New York which the Men in Blue went onto win.
Moin Khan urges Pakistan to play with aggression against India
Rohit Sharma’s side take on Mohammad Rizwan’s Pakistan for the fifth time in the Champions Trophy tournament. Each side has won two games each and will be looking to win the game in a tournament where the stakes are at an all time high.
Moin Khan went onto to say during the podcast hosted by Ushna Shah “Our seniors always told us that when playing against India give no quarter and no need to even talk to them on the field. When you get friendly, they see it as a sign of weakness,"
“I think our players don’t understand this, but being too friendly is seen as a sign of weakness on the field, and you automatically come under pressure in your performances," said Moin Khan.
Pakistan will kick off the tournament with their opening match against New Zealand. The next day India takes on Bangladesh in Dubai before the two sides meet on 23rd of February. The game is already creating a lot of buzz with more than three weeks before the tournament kicks off.