WATCH: Axar Patel takes out Imam-ul-Haq with a sensational direct hit

Axar Patel ran out Imam-ul-Haq with a perfect direct hit, which cost Pakistan their second wicket of the innings against India.

WATCH: Axar Patel takes out Imam-ul-Haq with a sensational direct hit

Axar Patel, Imam-ul-Haq (Via X)

Pakistan is facing off against India in the high-profile clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It is a pressure game for both teams, given that the arch-rivals now face each other only in ICC tournaments. It is a must-win game for the Men in Green because they lost the opening match against New Zealand badly and were criticized for their timid style of batting and bowling.

Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first to settle the nerves of his team. They were off to a very good start from Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, who was included in the squad after Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tournament with an injury.

Hardik Pandya sent back Azam first on Pakistan’s score of 41 with a beautiful ball, which left him to take his outside edge. On the second ball of the 10th over, Imam called for a suicide run and was taken out by an impeccable direct hit from Axar Patel.

Imam stepped out to Kuldeep Yadav and nudged the ball to mid-on. However, he took off for the single straightaway. Patel, who was stationed at mid-on, charged forward and reached the ball quicker. He picked it up sharply and hit the stumps with a rocket throw. Imam was well short of the crease when the ball hit the stumps, and the Men in Green lost their second wicket.

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Indian Cricket Team won the first match against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Team India was coming to this tournament on the back of a comprehensive 3-0 win at home against England. They were expecting an update on their main bowler Jasprit Bumrah, but he was ruled out of the entire tournament of the Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma‘s team picked five spinners in their squad and is very dependent on them to deliver the goods in Dubai.

Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill (Via X)

In the opening game, however, Mohammed Shami scalped five wickets, and Harshit Rana picked up two wickets against Bangladesh. The chase was nervous due to the slow nature of the pitch, but Shubman Gill oozed with a sensational century to take India home.

Meanwhile, Pakistan lost two of the three games in the Tri-nation series before the Champions Trophy. They scored just 22 runs in the powerplay against New Zealand in a run chase in excess of 300 in Karachi. This attracted severe criticism from Pakistani fans and analysts.