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'No Pressure, Just A Normal Match,' Haris Rauf's Bold Statement Before IND vs PAK Clash

Jatin

Rauf has made a bold claim [Source: @_FaridKhan, @Rohit_RRR45/x.com]Rauf has made a bold claim [Source: @_FaridKhan, @Rohit_RRR45/x.com]

The mother of all cricket battles is just around the corner as India and Pakistan gear up to face off in the Champions Trophy 2025 on February 23 in Dubai. This will be the sixth time these two arch-rivals meet in a Champions Trophy game, and history is slightly in India's favour.

While Pakistan famously crushed India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, Rohit Sharma and his men will be looking to settle the score and bag their third CT win against their biggest rivals.

If history has a say, India has dominated Pakistan in ICC tournaments, winning 16 out of 21 matches across World Cups, T20 World Cups, and Champions Trophy editions. But as always, when India and Pakistan meet on the big stage, stats go out the window, and it's all about who holds their nerve.

Haris Rauf Dismisses Pressure Talk Before IND vs PAK Clash

Whenever India vs Pakistan is on the cards, there is always talk of pressure, expectations and mind games. This time, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has attempted to downplay the hype by claiming that the Pakistan team is not feeling the heat.

"There's no pressure in the match against India, all the players are relaxed. It's just a normal match and the Pakistan-India match will be played like a cricket match," Rauf said, as quoted by Geo News.

Sounds confident, right? But the numbers tell a different tale. Rauf's Champions Trophy campaign has started on a nightmarish note. In Pakistan's first Champions trophy match, Rauf was hammered for 83 runs in 10 overs, picking up just two wickets.

To put things into perspective, Rauf is now the second Pakistan bowler in history to concede more than 80 runs in a Champions Trophy game behind Wahab Riaz, who leaked 87 runs in 2017 against India.

With India's batting lineup packed with explosive hitters, Rauf will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat if he wants to avoid another forgettable outing. No matter how much he downplays the nerves, he will be under the scanner when the two teams take the field in Dubai.

India Off To A Winning Start While Pakistan Stumble

While Pakistan had a horror start to their Champions Trophy campaign, losing their opener against New Zealand by 60 runs, India began their journey with a clinical six-wicket win against Bangladesh. The Men in Blue looked sharp and composed, setting the perfect tone for their much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 23.

With India eyeing a dominant run in the tournament and Pakistan already on the back foot, this showdown in Dubai is shaping up to be another classic. And if Haris Rauf doesn't step up, he might just be in for another long, long night against India's top guns.