Can Pakistan stop consistent ‘Ro-Ko’ to keep Champions Trophy 2025 hopes alive?

Dubai [UAE], February 22 (ANI): As India gears up to battle arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, all eyes will be on the star Indian pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They have delivered a number of fine performances against the arch-rivals that have solidified their legacies as all-time great cricketers.

India is set to lock horns with arch-rivals and host Pakistan in the highly anticipated Champions Trophy clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The game is a high-stakes battle for both teams, as while Pakistan will try to keep their title defence alive, India will aim to almost confirm its berth in the semis.

The game is also being touted as an opportunity for India to avenge the loss of the 2017 Champions Trophy Final when Virat Kohli’s men were deprived of putting their hands on the ICC trophy.

Unlike the 50-over and T20 World Cups, Pakistan holds a 3-2 advantage over India in the Champions Trophy. The most notable encounter remains the 180-run triumph in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, which makes Sunday’s game even more exciting for fans from both sides of the border.

Fine contributions from Rohit and Virat would be extremely important for India to get ahead in the match. While fans would like the ‘Hitman’ to score a massive century instead of burgeoning hard-hitting 40s and half-centuries in the powerplay, Virat and his fans are searching for crucial runs as the ‘King’ is in a mental battle with himself to regain his form back and overcome his issues against leg-spin and deliveries travelling in fourth-fifth stump channel that could turn his picture-perfect and technically sound shots into a horror movie in an instant.

-Both players boast of an exceptional record against Pakistan: In 19 ODIs against Pakistan, Rohit has scored 873 runs at an average of 51.35, with a strike rate of 92.38, with two centuries and eight fifties. His best score is 140 that came in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

On the other hand, Virat has scored 678 runs in 16 ODIs against Pakistan at an average of 52.15 and a strike rate of 100.29, with three centuries and two fifties and best score of 183, which came in the 2012 Asia Cup.

A look at their past five knocks in ODIs against Pakistan suggests that Rohit is in a finer nick against the Men in Green, with scores of 86 (in Cricket World Cup 2023 at Ahmedabad), 56 (in Asia Cup at Colombo in 2023), 11 (in Asia Cup 2023 at Pallekele), 140 (in Cricket World Cup 2019 at Manchester) and 111* (in Asia Cup at Dubai in 2018).

Virat is in need of runs against Pakistan in ODIs, with his last five ODI scores against Pakistan being 16 (in Cricket World Cup 2023 at Ahmedabad), 122* (in Asia Cup 2023 at Colombo), 4 (in Asia Cup 2023 at Pallekele), 77 (in Cricket World Cup 2019 at Manchester) and 5 (in ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final at The Oval). Historically, stars have aligned for Virat against Pakistan and he has roared back to form against the arch-rivals whenever he needed a confidence booster. No opponent better for Virat to start one last peak in international cricket than Pakistan.

-Top knocks by ‘Ro-Ko’ against Pakistan: Ever since their debut in the late 2000s, there has not been an India-Pakistan ODI match where either of these two has not fired runs. If Rohit does not score, Virat gets them and vice-versa. Here are the top ‘Ro-Ko’ knocks against Pakistan in ODIs:

-Virat’s 183 in Asia Cup 2012: A knock which sealed a young Kohli’s status as a ‘chase master’ if a takedown of peak Lasith Malinga against Sri Lanka at Hobart while successfully chasing 321 runs in 36.4 overs in Commonwealth Bank series just a few days back was not enough. Chasing 330 against a solid Pakistan bowling attack, Virat walked in with India at 0/1, taking down stars like Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Shahid Afridi etc, to successfully complete the run-chase with a knock of 183 in 148 balls, with 22 fours and a six, with his idol Sachin Tendulkar enjoying the onslaught proudly at the other end for a good amount of time.

-Rohit’s classy 140 in 2019 WC: A knock that very well could have been a double hundred. Electing to field first, Pakistan were landed body blows by KL Rahul and Rohit from the beginning itself with a 136-run stand. Hitman carried on till 38.2 overs, scoring a classy 140 in 113 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 123.89. A poor scoop shot went straight into Wahab Riaz’s hands, ending a memorable knock but pushing India to a match-winning 336/5.

-Virat’s historic 107 in 2015 World Cup: The 2015 World Cup was a crucial one for Virat, who graduated from a rising sensation to country’s biggest hope after the 2011 WC win. This knock in 126 balls at Adelaide came with eight fours and was India’s first-ever ODI World Cup ton against Pakistan. It pushed India to 300/7 and they won by 76 runs.

-Rohit’s elegent 91 at Birmingham in ICC Champions Trophy 2017: This was an elegent knock which kickstarted India’s CT 2017 campaign on a high. The Hitman made 91 in 119 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. His 136-run stand with Shikhar Dhawan pushed India to 319/3 in 48 overs, with Virat and Yuvraj Singh scoring quickfire fifties.