Navjot Singh Sidhu Calls India-Pakistan Clash the ‘Mother of All Battles’

As anticipation builds for the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has described the iconic rivalry as “the mother of all battles.” With both nations sharing an intense cricketing history, Sidhu believes no other contest in the sport comes close to the magnitude and pressure of this matchup.

“It is the mother of all battles. There’s nothing bigger than this. I think it’s the tension that holds everybody together. When 150 crore people expect a win from you, they will never swallow a defeat. There is a culture of retribution,” Sidhu said while speaking on JioHotstar, highlighting the immense expectations that players from both sides carry whenever they take the field.

Beyond just skill, Sidhu pointed out that the India-Pakistan encounter is a psychological contest, with the ability to handle pressure often determining the outcome. “This game is played more between the ears than between the hands—it’s a psychological battle. There’s plenty of nervous energy floating around, but the side that converts it into positive energy is the side that will win,” he added.

The rivalry between India and Pakistan has long been considered one of the most intense in international cricket, drawing billions of viewers across the globe. Every meeting between the two sides brings an unparalleled level of excitement, emotion, and drama. The upcoming match on Sunday in Dubai is expected to be no different.

India will also have an extra layer of motivation going into this encounter, as memories of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final still linger. In one of the most one-sided finals in ICC tournament history, Pakistan stunned India with a dominant 180-run victory.

Batting first, Pakistan posted a massive total of 338/4 in 50 overs, driven by a spectacular century from Fakhar Zaman. The left-handed opener played a match-defining knock of 114 off 106 balls, smashing 12 fours and three sixes.

India’s chase got off to the worst possible start when Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck by Mohammad Amir on the third ball of the innings. The nightmare continued as Virat Kohli, India’s then-captain, fell for just five runs in the third over, once again undone by Amir’s brilliance. Within the first three overs, India found themselves struggling at 6/2, and their hopes of chasing the mammoth target quickly faded.

The batting collapse continued, with Pakistan’s bowling attack proving too strong for India’s lineup. Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali dismantled the batting order, each claiming three wickets. While the rest of India’s top and middle order crumbled, Hardik Pandya fought back with an explosive knock of 76 off just 43 balls, including four boundaries and six sixes. However, his efforts went in vain as he was run out by Mohammad Hafeez, ending India’s last hope of making a comeback.

India was eventually bowled out for just 158 in 30.3 overs, sealing Pakistan’s emphatic victory and leaving Indian fans with a bitter memory of the final.