Rashid Latif calls upon Pakistan to concentrate on attacking cricket against ICC Champions Trophy challenges.

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif believes the country should play attacking cricket when it stages the ICC Champions Trophy in February 2025. It would be 28 years since Pakistan last hosted an ICC event, and excitement in the country is at a fever pitch. Latif, though, does not think that should be the conversation; rather, it is about their winning ways, and not about India playing in Dubai.

Pakistan will go to the top tier as champions since they thrashed India in the final of 2017. India, on the other hand, is not coming to Pakistan, so Latif is of the view that the team must focus solely on their cricket and not be swayed by the surroundings. "These are enjoyable times for a cricket-crazy nation as the world-class teams are visiting; Pakistan must concentrate on playing attacking cricket only", Dawn newspaper interviewed.

Latif thanked the Pakistan government and PCB to host such an event for the country. He accepted the fact that whatever India did, playing all of their games in the UAE doesn't bother Pakistan at all, and that Pakistan mustn't be bothered by that, as this, according to Latif, all boils down to preparation on cricket for the event in Pakistan.

The area where Latif believes Pakistan can capitalize is from their spinners. As they are playing the tournament in their conditions, Latif believes that his spinners will be their strongest assets. "We have quality spinners like Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, Faisal Akram, and Salman Ali Agha. These players can make the difference in home conditions," he said. According to Latif, home advantage could be a big factor in Pakistan's quest to retain their title.

Despite the optimism, Latif expressed worry over Pakistan's opening pair for the tournament. Injuries to Saim Ayub on the second test against South Africa in Cape Town have added uncertainties to the opening combination. The opener said that "I am worried about the injury of Saim Ayub. With Abdullah Shafique still struggling with his form, the issue of the opening pair is also a bit of dilemma."

Pakistan has experimented with various opening combinations in recent years, including Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Shan Masood. While these players have shown promise, Latif believes finding the right combination is crucial to Pakistan's success. "All of these players are talented, but the selectors will need to make the right call. Fakhar Zaman and Shan Masood might be the best options, but we’ll have to wait and see," he said.

When asked to name Pakistan's opponents, Latif had no qualms in accepting India as a strong team but also did not forget the other challenging competitors. "India is a strong team, but I feel teams like England, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa would be more challenging," Latif said while pointing out his point of view. He feels that all these teams are regular and play aggressively, hence would be hard competition for the Champions Trophy.

For starters, Pakistan will look forward to meeting New Zealand at Karachi on the 19th of February in the first of its matches that this tournament hosts. Fans anticipate much excitement once India takes up its match which shall take place in Dubai on 23rd of February in 2025 as India will be finally seeing off old foes.

Latif would advise the Pakistan team to play their game, capitalize on their strengths, and be a positive attacking mind. This tournament provides an opportunity for Pakistan to prove itself superior on home ground, which will not be easy, but Latif's optimism reflects the hopeful outlook that the country has towards the Champions Trophy.