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Rohit Sharma-led Team India is taking on their arch-rivals Pakistan in a crucial ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. While the match is a must-win for the defending champions, Pakistan, India are in a much better position seeing that they won their opening match, handing Bangladesh a six-wicket defeat.
Ahead of the match, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first. Although the Pakistan openers, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq had a decent start at the top, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya drew the first blood as he dismissed the former Pakistan skipper with KL Rahul taking an easy catch behind the wickets.
Hardik Pandya gives cold-blooded ‘bye-bye’ send-off to Babar Azam; video goes viral
The moment took place in the ninth over of Pakistan inning after Babar Azam sliced Hardik Pandya’s juicy full delivery outside off for a boundary. On the very next ball, second of the over, Hardik dragged the length back slightly and kept it outside off. The Pakistan batter tried to push it for a cover drive, but got a thick edge with KL Rahul collecting it low behind the wickets.
Soon after the dismissal, Hardik Pandya gave a bit “bye-bye” send-off to the star batter, video of which is going viral on social media. In the next over, Pakistan endured another setback as Imam-ul-Haq, who replaced injured Fakhar Zaman in the XI, was run-out after Axar Patel produced a direct hit, inflicting the bails.
