ISLAMABAD: India’s vice-captain, Shubman Gill, on Saturday acknowledged the excitement surrounding the much-anticipated Champions Trophy match against Pakistan but emphasized that for his team, it’s business as usual.
The two arch-rivals will face off in Dubai on Sunday, with a packed stadium expected due to the political tensions that restrict meetings between the two teams to multi-nation events. India had declined to travel to Pakistan for the tournament and will play all their matches at the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Stadium.
Gill led India to victory in their opening match against Bangladesh, scoring an unbeaten 101, and reiterated that the team’s focus remains the same. “We play every match to win, and this is no different for us. This is how we prepare for every match,” he said.
While the India-Pakistan rivalry generates immense fan excitement and attracts huge TV ratings, Gill remained focused on the game at hand. “There is a long history of India-Pakistan, and it’s a very exciting contest. Everyone enjoys watching it, and we respect the fans’ excitement,” he said. “We go out to play cricket and represent our country to the best of our abilities.”
The two teams last met in a one-day game during the 2023 World Cup, where India won by seven wickets.
India will be looking for a win to boost their semi-final hopes, while Pakistan faces a must-win situation after losing their opener to New Zealand. Gill highlighted that Pakistan remains a formidable side despite recent setbacks. “They’ve had some tough losses, but they are a strong team, and we need to bring our A-game,” he said.
Gill, in excellent form, recently scored back-to-back centuries and played a key role in India’s 3-0 sweep of England. However, he confirmed that back-up wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant missed practice due to a viral fever.
