IND vs PAK Pitch Report, Champions Trophy 2025: Dubai ground conditions; stats, records, toss factor
IND vs PAK Pitch Report, Champions Trophy 2025: Dubai ground conditions; stats, records, toss factor
India is set to face arch-rival Pakistan in its second match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The Men in Blue boast an impressive record at this venue, having won six of their seven matches, with the only exception being a tied game.
Their dominance extends to clashes against Pakistan in Dubai, where they secured convincing victories in both encounters during the 2018 Asia Cup — chasing down 163 with eight wickets to spare in the first match and comfortably overhauling 237 with nine wickets in hand in the second.
The pitch at the Dubai International Stadium has kept bowlers in the hunt in recent years. In 59 matches at the venue, teams have posted 300-plus totals just four times, with the last such score recorded by Pakistan in 2019.
Even in the previous game between India and Bangladesh, batters struggled to accelerate. Chasing a target of 228 runs, India could only cross the line in the 47th over. However, batting tends to become slightly easier in the second innings in Dubai, as indicated by the average runs per wicket increasing from 25 to 29 from the first innings to the second.
The venue has favoured seamers more than spinners. In 59 games, pacers have claimed 473 wickets at an average of over 28 and an economy rate of 4.79. Meanwhile, spinners have been more economical at 4.25 runs per over but have taken only 325 wickets at an average of 30.
Of the seven five-wicket hauls recorded at the ground, only one has gone to a spinner — Shahid Afridi’s 6/38 against Australia in 2009.
Even in the previous game of this ICC Champions Trophy, pacers dominated, accounting for 10 of the 14 wickets, with Mohammed Shami claiming five.
The toss has not been a decisive factor in determining the outcome of matches at this ground. Out of 59 games, teams winning the toss have emerged victorious just 29 times.
However, with the win percentage favouring teams batting second, the captain winning the toss is likely to opt to bowl. In the last 10 games in Dubai, chasing teams have won seven times.
Furthermore, with the possibility of dew setting in, captains may prefer to deploy their spinners during the first innings.
