Sun Feb 23 11:10:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Late Arrival Hampers Champions Trophy Clash Against Pakistan
**Dubai, UAE** – The Indian cricket team’s arrival at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium just 35 minutes before the toss of their crucial Champions Trophy match against Pakistan on Sunday caused a stir. Heavy traffic, exacerbated by the intense local interest in the game, delayed both teams’ buses, but Pakistan arrived significantly earlier than their rivals. While the stadium wasn’t full at the toss, the late arrival reportedly impacted India’s pre-match preparations, a stark contrast to the usual hours afforded to international teams for warm-ups.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first, stating his belief in a good batting surface and the importance of setting a strong target. He also confirmed a single change to the team, with Imam-ul-Haq replacing Fakhar Zaman. Indian captain Rohit Sharma played down the late arrival, focusing instead on the need for a complete team performance after their previous match.
India’s start was shaky, with Mohammed Shami conceding five wides in the first over. While Pakistan opener Babar Azam showed early promise before being dismissed by Hardik Pandya, a crucial 70-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel helped Pakistan rebuild their innings at the time of writing. The match continues.
First Piper 