2025 Champions Trophy: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today’s India vs Pakistan match ft. Mohammed Shami

India and Pakistan square off in the much-awaited 2025 Champions Trophy fixture on Sunday, February 23, at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. Both teams have played their opening matches and this is their second group game.

India won their opening match of the 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh and started their campaign on a positive note. They registered a six-wicket win and will be confident ahead of this encounter. India's bowlers put up an exceptional display with the ball.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will be under pressure after losing their opening match against New Zealand by 60 runs. Their bowlers and batters both had a tough time against the Kiwis.

This is now a must-win game for them to keep their hopes in the tournament alive. Pakistan are also the defending champions as they beat India in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Ahead of the re-match of the 2017 final, here are three bowlers who could pick the most wickets in the clash between India and Pakistan.

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Three players who could pick up the most wickets in today's India vs Pakistan 2025 Champions Trophy match

#3 Shaheen Afridi

Shaheen Afridi is among the top bowlers in Pakistan's side and a part of their famed pace trio. He did not have an ideal start to the 2025 Champions Trophy, conceding 68 runs for no wicket from ten overs against New Zealand.

However, Shaheen could have an edge given he is a left-arm seamer and has troubled India's top order in the past. With India's top three (Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli) being right-handers, he will be expected to try and bring the ball back in, which could pose a significant threat to these batters upfront.

Shaheen will be keen to provide Pakistan with early breakthroughs in the powerplay, much like he has done against India in the past as well.

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#2 Axar Patel

Although Ravindra Jadeja is the more experienced bowler between himself and Axar Patel, the 31-year-old impressed with the ball for India against Bangladesh.

Axar, the left-arm spinner, ended with figures of 2/43 from his nine overs, which also included a maiden, at an economy rate of 4.8. Apart from picking up crucial wickets, he also kept things tight in the middle.

The spinner was also on a hat-trick but an unfortunate drop catch by skipper Rohit denied him his hat-trick, which could also have been the first of the 2025 Champions Trophy. With the conditions in favor of spin, Axar will look to make the most and continue picking wickets.

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#1 Mohammed Shami

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami is leading India's pace attack at the 2025 Champions Trophy. Returning from injury and not looking at his best against England, there were doubts over how Shami would perform in the ICC event.

However, the pacer lived up to his reputation and began the tournament with a scintillating bowling performance. He picked up five wickets for 53 runs from his ten overs and broke the back of Bangladesh's batting line-up.

Shami was India's leading wicket-taker at the 2023 ODI World Cup and is a vital cog for them with the ball particularly in ICC tournaments. He is once again expected to be among the wickets in the clash against Pakistan.