Wed Feb 19 14:32:33 UTC 2025: ## India Begin Champions Trophy Campaign Against Bangladesh in Dubai Thriller

**Dubai, UAE** – India will kick off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on Thursday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The crucial Group A match, beginning at 2:30 pm IST (toss at 2:00 pm IST), will be a televised showdown on Star Sports and Network 18 channels, with live streaming available on JioHotstar. With only two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals, this encounter holds immense significance.

India, riding high after a recent ODI series win against England, will be looking to maintain their momentum. Their predicted XI features Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Arshdeep Singh. They face a strong Bangladesh side led by Nazmul Hossain Shanto, whose predicted XI includes Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Nahid Rana.

The Dubai pitch is expected to offer a balanced challenge. Reports suggest a fresh pitch will be used, providing early pace before becoming more spin-friendly in the middle overs. Warm and dry conditions are forecast, with early cloud cover and potential dew later in the match, potentially disadvantaging the team bowling second. India’s next Group A match is against Pakistan on Sunday, also in Dubai.

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