February 23 will be one of the most followed days for cricket fans in India and Pakistan for the arch-rivals will clash once again, this time at the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. India vs Pakistan – though it happens only a few times now in a year – has often been termed as the ‘greatest rivalry’ in cricket surpassing even the Ashes. The buildup of the Champions Trophy 2025 has made the clash even spicier this time. The Champions Trophy 2025 was supposed to be fully held in Pakistan but the BCCI refused to send the Indian cricket team. After much delay, it was decided that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in a hybrid model, with India playing all its matches in Dubai. 

The decision was not taken well by many Pakistan cricket fans. Ahead of the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Dubai, Shahid Afridi was asked about the lack of aggression these days in players. “Aaj kal ke players sab McDonalds, KFC wale hai (Today’s players are Mcdonalds, KFC generation)”, Afridi said. 

Yuvraj Singh, who was part of the panel, said: “India vs Pakistan relationship is like miya-biwi. In the morning they quarrel and in the evening they eat together.”

“Aap fitness ke baare mein na baat kare!” That’s Yuvi being Yuvi!

Catch the IND-PAK legends at their candid best on ! on THU, 20th FEB, 10 PM on Star Sports 1 & Star Sports 1 Hindi!

Start… pic.twitter.com/7dhZmjxYUf

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 18, 2025

“India-Pakistan ka relation miya-biwi ke relation ki tarah hai!” – @YUVSTRONG12

Catch the IND-PAK legends at their candid best on ! on THU, 20th FEB, 10 PM on Star Sports 1 & Star Sports 1 Hindi!… pic.twitter.com/qOgmOkWTl2

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 18, 2025

Recently, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the real task for Pakistan is not just winning the ICC Champions Trophy but also defeat arch-rivals India in Dubai on February 23. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the renovated and upgraded Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night, Sharif said the players must give their best against India.

“We have a very good side and they have done well in recent times but the real task now is to not only win the Champions Trophy but also defeat our arch-rival, India in the upcoming match in Dubai. The entire nation stands behind them,” Sharif said.

Pakistan and India have a history of cricket rivalry and generally, the Indian team has held the advantage in ICC events since the 90s.

Pakistan’s last win in an ICC event against India came in 2021 when they won in Dubai in the T20 World Cup.

But with India refusing to send their team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and given the recent tense relations between the two cricket boards, the February 23-match has that extra edge to it.

Pakistan will enter the tournament as defending champions. It was last held in 2017 in England with Pakistan winning the final.

“It is a big occasion for Pakistan that we are hosting a big ICC event after nearly 29 years,” Sharif said.

Sharif expressed excitement about the opportunity to host the Champions Trophy in Pakistan after 29 years.

With PTI inputs 

The International Masters League (IML) 2025 is set to bring an electrifying wave of nostalgia and excitement as it unveils the India Masters and Sri Lanka Masters squads, both of whom comprise cricketing greats who once dominated and decorated the international stage. With the tournament scheduled from February 22 to March 16, 2025, fans will witness the revival of cricket’s golden era. Indian cricket fans are in for a treat as Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar returns to lead the India Masters. The squad is a formidable mix of elegance, power, and match-winning prowess, featuring some of the most celebrated names of the 2000s and 2010s.

Batting brilliance returns with Yuvraj Singh, the hero of the T20 World Cup in 2007 and fifty-over World Cup in 2011, alongside Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu, who thrilled fans with their fearless stroke-play. The Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, will display their explosive all-round skills, while Naman Ojha will take charge behind the stumps, as per a press release from IML.

The bowling attack comprises seasoned match-winners, with Vinay Kumar and Dhawal Kulkarni leading the pace attack. Players like Stuart Binny, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Sharma, Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, and Abhimanyu Mithun make this a well-rounded squad, which is ready to reignite past rivalries and produce exhilarating cricket.

Speaking about playing in the inaugural edition of the International Masters League, Irfan Pathan said, “The International Masters League is a tournament that pays tribute to cricket’s golden age. I am thrilled to represent India Masters in Season 1 of the league, and play alongside Sachin Tendulkar, the maestro, and other colleagues, with whom I shared many happy and precious moments in the past. We are hosting the IML, but I can assure cricket fans that we will not be generous on the field. We will produce tough cricket and do our best to win the title.”

Yusuf Pathan added: “Irfan and I were members of the Indian team that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Memories of that tournament will be rekindled in the days and weeks to follow, as we will take the field for India Masters in the inaugural season of the International Masters League. As had been the case in 2007, we will give it everything on the field and do whatever we can to win the tournament.”

The Sri Lanka Masters, led by Kumar Sangakkara, promise a masterclass in skill and experience. An ambassador of the game, Sangakkara was a two-time fifty-over World Cup finalist in 2007 and 2011 respectively, and a T20 World Cup winner in 2014. He will be joined by Romesh Kaluwitharana, the swashbuckling opener-keeper from Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning squad.

The batting line-up features Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, and Chinthaka Jayasinghe, known for their reliability under pressure. Ashan Priyanjan and Asela Gunaratne bring in stability, while the bowling attack is spearheaded by pacers Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, and Dhammika Prasad. All-round firepower comes from Seekkuge Prasanna, Jeevan Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Chaturanga de Silva, and Isuru Udana, making Sri Lanka a well-balanced force in IML 2025.

The IML is a celebration of cricket’s greatest icons, bringing Masters from India, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa back onto the field. The league is set to unveil the squads of the rest of the teams in the coming days.

The 2011 World Cup-winning India star Yuvraj Singh penned a heartwarming note for his compatriot ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar, who was honoured with the Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Awards in Mumbai. ICC Chairman Jay Shah presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to the legendary batter at the BCCI’s annual ‘Naman Awards’ ceremony on Saturday. Yuvraj took to Instagram to congratulate Sachin, who showed a generation of cricketers that dreams are achieved with hard work and belief.

“Congratulations master on winning the CK Nayadu Lifetime Achievement Award. For every cricketer of our generation, you were the one who showed us that dreams are achieved with relentless hard work and unwavering belief,” Yuvraj wrote on Instagram.

“Your impact on the game and on all of us who had the privilege of sharing the field with you is immeasurable. Much love and respect always,” Yuvraj concluded.

Sachin, known as the ‘God of Cricket,’ is celebrated for his unparalleled skill and mastery in cricket, entertaining fans worldwide on the field of cricket from 1989 to 2013.

The Maharashtra-born player made his Test debut on November 15, 1989, at the age of 16, in front of a famed Pakistan pace attack in Karachi. He played his first ODI on December 18 of the same year.

With 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52, Sachin holds the highest run-scorer in international cricket.

He has 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries to his name, records unmatched in the sport’s history. Sachin was the first cricketer to achieve a double century in ODIs and played a record 200 Test matches.

In ODIs, he amassed 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, including 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries. In Tests, he scored 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, with 51 centuries and 68 fifties.

Sachin was also a part of India’s ICC Cricket World Cup-winning team in 2011, achieving his lifelong dream after his World Cup debut in 1992.

Former India batter Yuvraj Singh reckons a player struggling for form should always return to playing domestic cricket irrespective of his stature in the national team amid the raging debate on whether stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should show up in Ranji Trophy matches. The clamour for Rohit and Kohli playing Ranji Trophy to regain red-ball form has grown since India’s loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Both batters struggled for runs over the course of five Tests, more so Rohit, who benched himself for the final Test in Sydney.

“Domestic cricket is important. I have always felt if you have time and if you are not performing, you should definitely come and play domestic cricket.

“That is the best way to get practice and game time. I feel domestic cricket is very important if you have the time and if you are not injured,” said Yuvraj in response to a PTI query at the launch event of the Celebrity Cricket League on Thursday.

Even the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and even India head coach Gautam Gambhir have spoken about the importance of domestic cricket post India’s successive Test series losses, including a first ever series whitewash at home by New Zealand.

While Rohit has turned up in Mumbai’s practice sessions ahead of the resumption of Ranji Trophy on January 23, Kohli is yet to show any signs of a domestic comeback for Delhi.

Other stars such as Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill have confirmed their availability for the respective games of their home teams.

How many India captains have rested themselves? 

Yuvraj, one of the finest left-handers to have played the game, lauded Rohit for resting himself from the Sydney Test due to a lean run. Gambhir’s role has also come under the scanner following the Australia debacle but Yuvraj defended both his former teammates.

“I have said it previously also. You guys look at series by series. If India wins a series you talk good things, if they lose you criticise.

“I always look at the team graph over a five-year period or three years. If you talk about Rohit, Gautam has just come into the system, he needs more time. Rohit Sharma has won the T20 World Cup as captain, he was captain when India played the ODI World Cup final. He led MI (Mumbai Indians) to five IPL titles.

“The guy has stepped down from the last match and given somebody else a chance. How many captains have done that in the past? Please tell me,” he asked.

He reiterated that losing 0-3 to new Zealand at home was more “questionable”. “…that is a tougher pill to swallow,” said Yuvraj.

India lost the series Down Under but standout performances came from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and rookie Nitish Reddy, who made a memorable hundred in the Melbourne Test.

“Nitish scored a hundred on his first tour, it is amazing. Not sure how many have done that. Jaiswal scored 150 plus in his first Test in Australia, it is highly commendable. We should talk about these performances more,” added Yuvraj. 

Yograj Singh, the father of one of India’s finest cricketers Yuvraj Singh, has often triggered controversies with his debate-stirring remarks. In a podcast, Yograj made some over-the-top comments while also showcasing his misogynistic mindset. Yograj, a former cricketer himself, said that the Hindi language sounds as if a ‘woman is talking’. For Yograj, while it is fine for women to speak Hindi, men should prefer speaking languages like Punjabi which has a bolder aura to it.

“Mujhe to hindi language aise lagti hai jaise koi aurat bol rahi ho (To me, the Hindi language feels like a woman is speaking)” Yograj told the YouTuber.

“Jab aurat bolti hai to buhut acha lagta hai, jab mard hindi bolta hai to aisa lagta hai ke kya bol raha hai ye kon aadmi hai. Mujhe wo difference lagta hai (When a woman speaks Hindi, it sounds really pleasant, but when a man speaks Hindi, it feels like, ‘What is he saying? Who is this person?’ I sense that difference)” the former cricketer, known for making provocative statements, said.

Yograj Singh has dropped a banger once again! pic.twitter.com/q77UYrXmGq

— Heisenberg (@uncertaintweet_) January 12, 2025

He also claimed that women shouldn’t be made the head of households as they ‘destroy it’. “Wife will destroy your house if you give her power. Sorry to say, Indira Gandhi ran this country and destroyed it. Give them respect and love, but never give them power,” Yograj said.

Never give power to a women,they will destroy everything around,they are very hungry for power – Yograj Singh pic.twitter.com/niXBfqFzEF

— Berlin (Parody) (@Toxicity_______) January 12, 2025

The comments made by Yograj didn’t go down well with social media users, who slammed him for the sexist remarks. Here are some of the reactions:

Yograj ji has made very disgraceful statements. While speaking he forgot he is being disgraceful towards his mother as well. He needs to be restrained from demeaning women . Madam @rajlali kindly take strict action against him as taken by you in case of jathedars. pic.twitter.com/q89d7nPbTM

— Samita Kaur (@samitakaur74) January 12, 2025

Yogaraj Singh, Yuvraj’s father:

“Wife will DESTROY your house if you give her power. Sorry to say, Indira Gandhi ran this country and DESTROYED it.

Give them Respect, Love but never give them power.”

Earlier he gave nonsensical statements on Dhoni, now on Women. pic.twitter.com/G0H0gqeRf9

— The Analyzer (News Updates) (@Indian_Analyzer) January 12, 2025

Women have been building homes, families, and nations for centuries. Leadership isn’t about gender; it’s about capability.

I don’t know how the women in Yograj Singh and Yuvraj Singh’s family are putting up with this.

Video Credit: @UFbySamdishh pic.twitter.com/2yUuki8ZOa

— Akanksha Mishra (@akaankshamishra) January 12, 2025

During the podcast, Yograj also claimed that he once went to Kapil Dev‘s house with a gun in his hand and wanted to shoot him.

Yograj Singh (left) and Yuvraj Singh.© YouTube video grab

File photo of Yuvraj Singh© AFP

File photo of Yuvraj Singh (left) and Virat Kohli.© BCCI

World Cup-winning former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has said that being whitewashed at home by New Zealand was a bigger low for Team India than the loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but refused to join the chorus of criticism against embattled veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India have endured a difficult last few months in the five-day format, going down 0-3 to an under-strength New Zealand at home, which was a first in the team’s Test history. This was followed by a 1-3 drubbing by Australia in the away edition of the Border Gavaskar series.

Both the debacles have been largely attributed to the team’s batting frailties, especially those of Rohit and Kohli.

“According to me, losing (to) New Zealand is more hurting (sic). Because they are losing 3-0 at home. You know, that is not acceptable. This (losing BGT) is still acceptable because you have won two times in Australia. And this time you lost,” Yuvraj told ‘PTI Videos’ in an interview.

“Australia has been a dominant side for the last so many years, that is my thought,” the 43-year-old hero of India’s 2011 World Cup triumph said.

While Kohli managed at least a hundred during the series despite continuing to be dismissed whenever he was baited outside the off stump, Rohit was worse with a tally of just 31 runs and had to drop himself from the final Test.

But Yuvraj said it is unfair to lambast the duo given their past achievements.

“We are talking about our greats, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, we are saying very bad things about them,” he said.

“…people forget what they have achieved in the past. They are one of the greatest cricketers of this time. Okay, they lost, they did not play good cricket. They are getting hurt more than us,” he added.

Hopeful that India would bounce back strongly, Yuvraj said he has full faith in not just Rohit and Kohli but also new head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was his former teammate as well.

“I feel that Gautam Gambhir as a coach, Ajit Agarkar as a selector, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, they are the best minds in cricket right now,” he asserted.

“And they have to decide what’s the way for Indian cricket in future,” he said.

The big-hitting former batter also lauded Rohit for dropping himself from the Sydney Test, saying it was a selfless act.

“I think it is a big thing. I have never seen in the past that the captain’s form is not going well and he himself has gone out. And this is Rohit Sharma’s greatness that he has kept the team ahead of himself,” Yuvraj said.

“I think he is a great captain. Whether win or lose, he will always be a great captain. And in his captaincy, we have played the (ODI) World Cup final. We won a T20 World Cup. We have achieved a lot,” he pointed out.

He urged the critics to exercise restraint while dissecting the team’s performance.

“I was a student of the game and now I am a student of the game. The amount of cricket I have played, they have played more cricket than me,” said the man, who played 304 ODIs, 40 Tests and 58 T20 Internationals for India, amassing 11,000 runs across formats.

“I can give my opinion. And my opinion is that when players are not performing, it is easy to say bad about them. But it is very difficult to support them. Media’s job is to say bad about them. My job is to support my friends and brothers. For me, they are my family. Simple,” he signed off. 

Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

World Cup-winning former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has said that being whitewashed at home by New Zealand was a bigger low for Team India than the loss of Border-Gavaskar Trophy but refused to join the chorus of criticism against embattled veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

India have endured a difficult last few months in the five-day format, going down 0-3 to an under-strength New Zealand at home, which was a first in the team’s Test history. This was followed by a 1-3 drubbing by Australia in the away edition of the Border Gavaskar series.

Both the debacles have been largely attributed to the team’s batting frailties, especially those of Rohit and Kohli.

“According to me, losing (to) New Zealand is more hurting (sic). Because they are losing 3-0 at home. You know, that is not acceptable. This (losing BGT) is still acceptable because you have won two times in Australia. And this time you lost,” Yuvraj told ‘PTI Videos‘ in an interview in Dubai.

“Australia has been a dominant side for the last so many years, that is my thought,” the 43-year-old hero of India’s 2011 World Cup triumph said.

While Kohli managed at least a hundred during the series despite continuing to be dismissed whenever he was baited outside the off stump, Rohit was worse with a tally of just 31 runs and had to drop himself from the final Test.

But Yuvraj said it is unfair to lambast the duo given their past achievements.

“We are talking about our greats, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, we are saying very bad things about them,” he said.

“…people forget what they have achieved in the past. They are one of the greatest cricketers of this time. Okay, they lost, they did not play good cricket. They are getting hurt more than us,” he added.

Hopeful that India would bounce back strongly, Yuvraj said he has full faith in not just Rohit and Kohli but also new head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was his former teammate as well.

“I feel that Gautam Gambhir as a coach, Ajit Agarkar as a selector, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, they are the best minds in cricket right now,” he asserted.

“And they have to decide what’s the way for Indian cricket in future,” he said.

The big-hitting former batter also lauded Rohit for dropping himself from the Sydney Test, saying it was a selfless act.

“I think it is a big thing. I have never seen in the past that the captain’s form is not going well and he himself has gone out. And this is Rohit Sharma’s greatness that he has kept the team ahead of himself,” Yuvraj said.

“I think he is a great captain. Whether win or lose, he will always be a great captain. And in his captaincy, we have played the (ODI) World Cup final. We won a T20 World Cup. We have achieved a lot,” he pointed out.

He urged the critics to exercise restraint while dissecting the team’s performance.

“I was a student of the game and now I am a student of the game. The amount of cricket I have played, they have played more cricket than me,” said the man, who played 304 ODIs, 40 Tests and 58 T20 Internationals for India, amassing 11,000 runs across formats.

“I can give my opinion. And my opinion is that when players are not performing, it is easy to say bad about them. But it is very difficult to support them. Media’s job is to say bad about them. My job is to support my friends and brothers. For me, they are my family. Simple,” he signed off.