"You get a horrible feeling" - Aakash Chopra on India facing Pakistan and New Zealand in Champions Trophy 2025 in the UAE
Former India player Aakash Chopra has said India facing Pakistan and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 group phase potentially in Dubai gives him a 'horrible feeling.' He recalled the Men in Blue's disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup campaign where they faced the two sides at the same venue.
India are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh for next year's Champions Trophy. They will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 before facing the Men in Green and the Kiwis on February 23 and March 2, respectively.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that India's fixtures for the Champions Trophy 2025 evoke unpleasant memories.
"You get a horrible feeling - Pakistan and New Zealand in our group with the matches in Dubai because the chances of it happening in Dubai are the brightest. It wasn't good the last time this happened in an ICC tournament. We were heartbroken," he said (2:10).
However, Chopra opined that India should qualify for the semi-finals from their group.
"However, that was T20. This is ODI. If ODI matches are played in the UAE, we will grab them. Rohit (Sharma) and (Virat) Kohli will both be seen playing there. Jasprit Bumrah will be there and we have understood the ODI template very well. So we should ideally qualify from our group," he reasoned.
India suffered crushing defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand in their first two group games of the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai. Although Virat Kohli and company registered comprehensive wins in their last three group games, they were eliminated from the tournament before the knockout phase.
"This pool is going to be the group of death" - Aakash Chopra on Champions Trophy 2025 Group B
![England and Australia are among the four teams in Group B. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/9d789-17350139065431-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Afghanistan might be upset about being placed in the 'group of death' (Group B), including Australia, South Africa, and England.
"Afghanistan are asking what is their mistake, as to why they are put in such a pool every time where the other three teams are South Africa, England and Australia. Why do you do this - Afghanistan is saying that. This pool is going to be the group of death because only two teams will progress," he said (2:55).
The former India opener questioned the first semi-final not having a reserve day.
"If India make it to the semi-finals, the match will be on March 4, for which by the way there is no reserve day, in the UAE. I am saying in Dubai. If India don't qualify, it will be in Pakistan. The semi-final on the 5th has a reserve day but it's not there for the one on the 4th. I don't know how it makes sense," Chopra observed.
There was no reserve day for India's semi-final against England in the 2024 T20 World Cup as well. Although the start of the game was delayed, it wasn't a truncated affair, with Rohit Sharma and company eventually trouncing the 2022 T20 World Cup champions by 68 runs.