Can India improve their 2-3 Champions Trophy negative Head-to-Head vs Pakan? “It’s just a game…We’ll do what’s required’ – Rohit Sharma | Cricket News

Pakan have won 3 out of 5 ICC Champions Trophy encounters against India in the past, even if India have never l to the neighbours in 50 over World Cups.
However, India captain speaking on Saturday during the Naman awards in Mumbai, maintained the team won’t get unduly frazzled the past, and get done what’s needed.
“I think in the past two or three years, I’ve spoken a lot about that (India vs Pakan) game. It’s just a game for us. We will try and do what is required for any cricket team to do on that particular day. We just want to show up there and show up well,” Sharma was quoted as saying.
Story continues below this ad

The captain added that India was looking forward to winning another ICC title after ending the 11-year-long wait for the ICC trophy in June 2024 with the T20 World Cup. Sharma was a member of the Indian team that won the ICC Champions Trophy title in 2013 under MS Dhoni. It might not be strictly a box left to tick for him as a player, but certainly a 50 over Trophy as captain will be on his mind, given the loss to Pat Cummins’ Australia at Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023.
Rohit Sharma with the T20 World Cup trophy.
He said chances to win ICC trophies fetch up every year. “The ICC Trophy, as we know, comes every year now. So, there’s no time for you to take the foot off the pedal. You always want to be ready for that challenge. We recently finished the T20 World Cup, which was superb for us. Now, we look forward to another one.
The skipper believed preparations were taking place. “Everyone’s getting prepared in their own fashion. A lot of the guys are playing domestic cricket, and a lot of guys are playing international cricket as well. So, yeah, when the time comes, it’s all about just getting your mind right and focusing on what lies ahead,” he said.
At the annual Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards night in Mumbai on Saturday (February 1), ciach Gautam Gambhir too didn’t rate the Pakan game higher than others. “Look, we do not 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 told Star Sports.Story continues below this ad
“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 are going to try and take it as seriously as possible. And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same,” he said.
The Indian team will prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 playing a three-match ODI series against England at home from next week. The series opens at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 6, and Cuttack and Ahmedabad will host the next two matches on February 9 and 12.