ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Naseem Shah rejects Pakistan PM’s order to crush India

Naseem Shah disregarded Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s order by stating that the Men in Green cannot focus solely on their group match against India in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Naseem Shah emphasized that if Pakistan do so, they won't be able to win the Champions Trophy.

Recently, the Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, made waves during the inauguration ceremony of the newly revamped Gaddafi Stadium by giving a bold challenge to the national cricket team. He said that the Men in Green should not just focus on winning the Champions Trophy but also on beating their arch-rivals India in the Group A match on February 23.

Naseem Shah reacts to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's order against India

The Prime Minister also ordered Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah to dismantle India's batting lineup in the upcoming high-voltage match of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This match will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.

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Shehbaz Sharif said in Lahore: “The real task now is to not only win the Champions Trophy but also defeat our arch-rival, India, in the upcoming match in Dubai. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, I hope you will get the wickets of Indian batters.”

Now, Naseem Shah's response to the Prime Minister's fiery words has made headlines. The pacer boldly said that words won't win matches, but it’s the team's hard work and performance on the field that makes the real difference.

Words won't win matches: Naseem Shah to PAK PM

The Pakistani pace sensation has stressed that the Pakistan National Cricket Team is not focusing too much on the PM’s statement regarding India vs Pakistan match in Dubai; rather, they want to avoid unnecessary pressure and stay grounded amid the high expectations.

Naseem Shah said at the press conference ahead of the PAK vs SA ODI: “Words are one thing, but performance is another. As players, we don’t focus too much on such statements. If you keep thinking about these things, the pressure will only increase. The more disciplined we stay, the better we will perform. Our entire team is working hard, and we hope to play good cricket.”

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The pace sensation also revealed that Pakistan have not yet made any plan against the Men in Blue and made it clear that their focus is on performing well throughout the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, not just against Rohit Sharma and his team.

Naseem Shah opens up about Pakistan's plans for India at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

He also noted the importance of staying calm under pressure and playing their best cricket to achieve the task given by the Pakistan PM. Shah signed off by saying, “We haven't had a discussion about what or what we are not going to do against India.

We are focused on how we play well in the entire tournament because we want to reach the final and win it. If we concentrate only on one match, our target will not be met. It is a pressure match, and the team that handles it well and plays their best cricket on that day will win.”