"Lack Of energy": Ex-England Skipper Slams Pakistan After Big Defeat Against India

Former England captain Michael Atherton has described the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan as "one-sided", following India's win in the Group A match of the Champions Trophy. The highly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the 2025 Champions Trophy turned out to be another lopsided affair, with Rohit Sharma's men securing a dominant six-wicket win in Dubai to seal their place in the semifinals. Speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast, Atherton highlighted that despite all the hype surrounding the fixture, the match has not lived up to expectations.

“Well, it was completely one-sided. It looked very predictable from a long way out. An underpowered Pakistan batting line-up, as it was in that first game against New Zealand. There just seemed to lack a bit of energy and dynamism in the batting," Atherton said on Sky Sports Podcast.

“There's a bit of an issue with that contest, isn't it? Because it's a highly anticipated contest for all kinds of reasons. Partly, you know, just because of the scarcity value. They only play each other in ICC events on neutral territory for obvious reasons.

“But there's such hype around that fixture. You kind of want the cricket to live up to that hype as well. If you look at the results in the last 10 years, I think they've played each other nine times in ODIs in the last 10 years," he added.

Beyond Pakistan's struggles, both Atherton and Nasser Hussain pointed out the undeniable advantage India have in the tournament by playing all their matches in Dubai.

“What about the advantage India have in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai? They don't have to travel between venues or countries, unlike other teams. They know exactly what conditions they're playing in, their selection can be tailored for