Pandya’s strategy was clever. After seeing Babar’s aggressive play, he adjusted his length and bowled a ball just outside the off-stump in the ninth over. While the pitch offered little movement, it was enough to tempt Babar into playing a cover drive.

Babar began the game very well, timing his strokes excellently. His early boundaries like a marked improvement compared to the previous game against New Zealand. Bowling the ninth over, Pandya was slammed for a glorious cover drive by Babar.

A touching moment unfolded between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam during the Champions Trophy 2025 match in Dubai on Sunday.

While Rohit Sharma and co began their campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh, Pakistan faced a big 60-run defeat in their opening game against New Zealand in Karachi. The Mohammad Rizwan-led side is expected to make certain changes in their Playing XI for the match highly anticipated match against India.

Hardik Pandya dismissed Babar Azam early and gave the Pakistan batter a send-off during the Champions Trophy clash in Dubai.

The blockbuster India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai witnessed Hardik Pandya playing a key role in setting the tone early on. The Indian all-rounder not only picked up the crucial wicket of Pakistan batter Babar Azam but also gestured a sarcastic 'bye-bye' send-off.