'No pressure against India,' says Haris Rauf ahead of blockbuster Champions Trophy clash

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Feb 21, 2025, 18:02 IST

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Fast bowler Haris Rauf emphasises Pakistan will treat their Champions Trophy match against India like any other, focusing on victory. Despite losing to New Zealand and missing key players Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, he remains optimistic about their chances. Rauf, fit and ready, draws confidence from previous wins against India in Dubai.

'No pressure against India,' says Haris Rauf ahead of blockbuster Champions Trophy clash

Haris Rauf (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the highly anticipated Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan, fast bowler Haris Rauf has adopted a pragmatic approach, stating that his team will treat the match like any other and focus on securing a victory to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
After suffering a defeat against New Zealand in their opening game, Pakistan find themselves in a precarious position, making the match against India a crucial one for their chances of progressing to the knockout stage of the eight-team event.
India, on the other hand, enter the high-pressure encounter with momentum, having secured a six-wicket win over Bangladesh, with Shubman Gill scoring an unbeaten century.
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Rauf dismissed any notion of added pressure, saying, "There is no pressure in the match against India, all the players are relaxed and we will take it just like any other match. We have beaten India in Dubai twice before, so we know the conditions here very well. Our entire game plan will depend on the conditions and pitch on match day."
Addressing concerns about his fitness, Rauf asserted that he is "100 percent" match-fit, having bowled his full quota of 10 overs against New Zealand.

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He acknowledged that the absence of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman is a setback for the team, but remained optimistic about the capabilities of the remaining players to deliver strong performances.
"Yes, the absence of Saim Ayub and now Fakhar Zaman is a big setback for us in the Champions Trophy. But we still have the players to perform well and take us through in this event," he added.

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TOI Sports Desk

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