AI Simulation, IND-C vs PAK-C | Yusuf Pathan's all-round performance guides India Champs to WCL 2025 final with three-run win against Pak Champs

Pitch and Weather

It was a classic Edgbaston surface, with good bounce and an early carron, which slowed down in the second half of the game.

It was an overcast day in Birmingham, with bright sunshine. There was no rain threat throughout the entire game, providing a good contest between bat and ball.

Toss

India Champions won the toss and decided to bat first.

Lineups

IND-C XI: Robin Uthappa (WK), Shikhar Dhawan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Yuvraj Singh (C), Yusuf Pathan, Abhimanyu Mithun, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Pawan Negi.

PAK-C XI: Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asif Ali, Shoaib Malik (C), Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal (WK).

Match Report

India faced an early blow as they lost the in-form opener Shikhar Dhawan at the team’s score of just 26 runs in 3.4 overs, when he fell prey to Sohail Khan. Then came a crucial 35-run partnership for the second wicket between Robin Uthappa (28 off 23 balls) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (27-ball 39) to stabilise India Champions. It ended when Uthappa was caught by Kamran Akmal off Sohail Tanvir in the seventh over. Later in the innings, Later in the innings, skipper Yuvraj Singh and star all-rounder Yusuf Pathan contributed with the brilliant knocks of 33 and 34 runs, respectively. These knocks helped the India Champions post 186/6 in the allotted 20 overs. Tanvir claimed two wickets for 32 runs in his four overs, alongside the contribution of a wicket each by Imad Wasim and Sohail Tanvir.

While chasing the target, the Pakistan Champions were off to a quick start of 49 runs for the first wicket in just 4.1 overs by the opening pair of Sharjeel Khan and Shoaib Maqsood. However, Abhimnayu Mithun gave India the first breakthrough as he dismissed Maqsood (11-ball 13), getting him caught by Suresh Raina. Later, Sharjeel Khan stood there in the middle to score 42 runs off 22 balls, followed by 31 and 28 runs scored by Asif Ali and Shoaib Malik. But Pakistan still fell short of the target as they were restricted to a total of 183/8 in the entire 20 overs. Mithun and Harbhajan Singh shared four wickets between them, alongside a big wicket of Fawad Alam taken by Yusuf Pathan. With this win, India Champions have qualified for the WCL 2025 final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final, between Australia Champions and South Africa Champions.

Player of the Match

India Champions’ Yusuf Pathan won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his exceptional all-round performance both with the bat and the ball.

Scorecard