Former Indian spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harbhajan-singh">Harbhajan Singh</a> has predicted that the much-anticipated <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> clash between India and Pakistan on February 23 at the Dubai International Stadium will be a one-sided affair, with Rohit Sharma's team having a clear edge over their arch-rivals.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan called the match "overhyped," citing Pakistan's poor form in the recently concluded Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand and South Africa. Pakistan lost twice to New Zealand&mdash;once in the league stage and again in the final&mdash;despite playing at home in Lahore and Karachi, two key venues for the Champions Trophy. Their only victory came against South Africa, chasing 353 in Karachi earlier this week.
"The match is overhyped because there is nothing in it. India are a solid side while Pakistan are inconsistent. If you look at the stats, the difference is clear," Harbhajan said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-champions-trophy-2025-rishabh-pant-suffers-blow-to-knee-in-training-as-india-jolted-by-injury-scare-8727157">Champions Trophy: Pant suffers blow to knee in training as India jolted by injury scare</a>
The veteran off-spinner pointed out that Pakistan&rsquo;s star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/babar-azam">Babar Azam</a> struggled in the Tri-Nation Series, and he labelled the Mohammad Rizwan-led side as 'inexperienced'.
"Stats are taken from past matches, and while no one can predict the future, there is a clear gap between the two teams. India looks mature, while Pakistan relies heavily on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Their bowling isn&rsquo;t in form either," he added.
Harbhajan highlighted Babar&rsquo;s modest average of 31 against India and Rizwan&rsquo;s average of 25, while praising Fakhar Zaman's impressive average of 46 against India, acknowledging his ability to take the game away.
In contrast, he emphasised the strong form of Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, and KL Rahul. Although Virat Kohli isn&rsquo;t in his peak form, Harbhajan expressed confidence that he would score runs in the Champions Trophy.
"Rohit, Gill, and Axar are in form. Kohli got a half-century recently against England, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kl-rahul">KL Rahul</a> is also playing well. Our bowling is also in good shape," Harbhajan said.
<h2>'NZ will hammer Pak in opening match'</h2>
Looking ahead to the tournament, Harbhajan predicted that Pakistan would face a heavy defeat against New Zealand in their opener on February 19, noting that the Blackcaps had figured out how to dominate them.
"New Zealand will hammer Pakistan in the opening match. They know how to tackle Pakistan. The India-Pakistan match will be one-sided, as India are far ahead," the 44-year-old signed off.
Before wrapping up, Harbhajan highlighted the impressive averages of Indian batters against Pakistan&mdash;Virat Kohli (52), Shreyas Iyer (67), Rohit Sharma (51), and Hardik Pandya (69)&mdash;as well as the strong performances of Indian bowlers in these encounters.
The two teams last faced each other in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, where India won by nine runs. In their previous ODI meeting during the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, India comfortably defeated Pakistan by seven wickets.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The veteran cricketer highlighted the struggle of Pakistan star batter Babar Azam in the Tri-Nation Series and called the Mohammad Rizwan-led side 'inexperienced'

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has predicted that the much-anticipated Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan on February 23 at the Dubai International Stadium will be a one-sided affair, with Rohit Sharma's team having a clear edge over their arch-rivals. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan called the match "overhyped," citing Pakistan's poor form in the recently concluded Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand and South Africa. Pakistan lost twice to New Zealand—once in the league stage and again in the final—despite playing at home in Lahore and Karachi, two key venues for the Champions Trophy. Their only victory came against South Africa, chasing 353 in Karachi earlier this week. "The match is overhyped because there is nothing in it. India are a solid side while Pakistan are inconsistent. If you look at the stats, the difference is clear," Harbhajan said. Also Read: Champions Trophy: Pant suffers blow to knee in training as India jolted by injury scare The veteran off-spinner pointed out that Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam struggled in the Tri-Nation Series, and he labelled the Mohammad Rizwan-led side as 'inexperienced'. "Stats are taken from past matches, and while no one can predict the future, there is a clear gap between the two teams. India looks mature, while Pakistan relies heavily on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Their bowling isn’t in form either," he added. Harbhajan highlighted Babar’s modest average of 31 against India and Rizwan’s average of 25, while praising Fakhar Zaman's impressive average of 46 against India, acknowledging his ability to take the game away. In contrast, he emphasised the strong form of Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, and KL Rahul. Although Virat Kohli isn’t in his peak form, Harbhajan expressed confidence that he would score runs in the Champions Trophy. "Rohit, Gill, and Axar are in form. Kohli got a half-century recently against England, and KL Rahul is also playing well. Our bowling is also in good shape," Harbhajan said. 'NZ will hammer Pak in opening match' Looking ahead to the tournament, Harbhajan predicted that Pakistan would face a heavy defeat against New Zealand in their opener on February 19, noting that the Blackcaps had figured out how to dominate them. "New Zealand will hammer Pakistan in the opening match. They know how to tackle Pakistan. The India-Pakistan match will be one-sided, as India are far ahead," the 44-year-old signed off. Before wrapping up, Harbhajan highlighted the impressive averages of Indian batters against Pakistan—Virat Kohli (52), Shreyas Iyer (67), Rohit Sharma (51), and Hardik Pandya (69)—as well as the strong performances of Indian bowlers in these encounters. The two teams last faced each other in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, where India won by nine runs. In their previous ODI meeting during the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, India comfortably defeated Pakistan by seven wickets. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Former Indian spinner predicts winner of 'overhyped' India-Pak clash

Tim Southee, a stalwart of New Zealand cricket, will find himself in an unfamiliar position during the ICC Men&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2025&mdash;watching from the sidelines rather than playing. The former Blackcaps bowler and captain announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of 2024, meaning both he and Trent Boult will be absent as New Zealand aims to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2000.
Despite the relatively inexperienced fast-bowling attack, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tim-southee">Southee</a> is optimistic about his former team&rsquo;s chances in Pakistan. The Blackcaps&rsquo; recent victory in the Tri-Nation Series, which served as a warm-up for the tournament, left a strong impression on him.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-defending-title-is-more-important-than-beating-says-pak-vice-captain-salman-8725525" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy: 'Defending title is more important than beating...', says Pak vice-captain Salman</a>
&ldquo;The way the team has played, with different guys stepping up, shows a great mix of experience and exciting young talent," Southee remarked. "The Tri-Nation Series has provided valuable experience and momentum heading into the Champions Trophy. Getting accustomed to the conditions in Pakistan can only be beneficial."
Key to New Zealand&rsquo;s prospects will be Kane Williamson and captain Mitchell Santner. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kane-williamson">Williamson</a>, back in form with crucial contributions in the Tri-Nation Series, brings a calming presence and a seasoned understanding of match situations.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great to see Kane with some scores under his belt," Southee said. "He&rsquo;s pure class, and even though he hasn&rsquo;t played much one-day cricket recently, he looked completely in control. That ability to read the game and stay composed is what sets top batters apart."
<h2>'Santer is a skillful bowler'</h2>
Southee also praised Santner&rsquo;s leadership, describing him as a calm and thoughtful captain who leads by example across all facets of the game.
&ldquo;Mitch has done a fantastic job," he noted. "He&rsquo;s a skilful bowler, a sharp fielder, and a more-than-capable batter. I experienced his captaincy toward the end of my career, and he thinks about the game well. I&rsquo;m sure he&rsquo;ll lead from the front."
While Williamson and Santner provide the backbone of experience, the spotlight will also be on emerging stars like fast bowler Will O&rsquo;Rourke and all-rounder Nathan Smith. O&rsquo;Rourke, who claimed four wickets in the Tri-Nation final, has impressed in both Test and limited-overs formats.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s different not having Trent and myself at an ICC event, but it&rsquo;s exciting to see this new group take the stage," Southee said. &ldquo;Will has the attributes to succeed at the international level&mdash;pace, bounce, and a desire to keep improving. The exposure to these conditions in Pakistan will be invaluable for him."
Southee also highlighted Smith&rsquo;s confidence and self-belief, traits he sees as essential at the top level.&nbsp;&ldquo;Will is a man of few words but listens and learns. Nathan has a real confidence about him, and you need that in international cricket. Both are still growing, and I&rsquo;m sure they&rsquo;ll be massive assets for New Zealand for years to come."
As the Champions Trophy approaches, Southee remains hopeful that the Blackcaps can replicate the success of the 2000 squad.
&ldquo;New Zealand has a strong track record in ICC events&mdash;they&rsquo;re always in the mix. In a tournament like this, if you get on a roll, anything can happen. I&rsquo;d love to see the team there at the end, lifting the trophy," he concluded.

Sports, Cricket: Despite the relatively inexperienced fast-bowling attack, former Blackcaps bowler Time Southee is optimistic about his former team’s chances in Pakistan

Tim Southee, a stalwart of New Zealand cricket, will find himself in an unfamiliar position during the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025—watching from the sidelines rather than playing. The former Blackcaps bowler and captain announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of 2024, meaning both he and Trent Boult will be absent as New Zealand aims to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2000. Despite the relatively inexperienced fast-bowling attack, Southee is optimistic about his former team’s chances in Pakistan. The Blackcaps’ recent victory in the Tri-Nation Series, which served as a warm-up for the tournament, left a strong impression on him. Also Read: Champions Trophy: 'Defending title is more important than beating...', says Pak vice-captain Salman “The way the team has played, with different guys stepping up, shows a great mix of experience and exciting young talent," Southee remarked. "The Tri-Nation Series has provided valuable experience and momentum heading into the Champions Trophy. Getting accustomed to the conditions in Pakistan can only be beneficial." Key to New Zealand’s prospects will be Kane Williamson and captain Mitchell Santner. Williamson, back in form with crucial contributions in the Tri-Nation Series, brings a calming presence and a seasoned understanding of match situations. “It’s great to see Kane with some scores under his belt," Southee said. "He’s pure class, and even though he hasn’t played much one-day cricket recently, he looked completely in control. That ability to read the game and stay composed is what sets top batters apart." 'Santer is a skillful bowler' Southee also praised Santner’s leadership, describing him as a calm and thoughtful captain who leads by example across all facets of the game. “Mitch has done a fantastic job," he noted. "He’s a skilful bowler, a sharp fielder, and a more-than-capable batter. I experienced his captaincy toward the end of my career, and he thinks about the game well. I’m sure he’ll lead from the front." While Williamson and Santner provide the backbone of experience, the spotlight will also be on emerging stars like fast bowler Will O’Rourke and all-rounder Nathan Smith. O’Rourke, who claimed four wickets in the Tri-Nation final, has impressed in both Test and limited-overs formats. “It’s different not having Trent and myself at an ICC event, but it’s exciting to see this new group take the stage," Southee said. “Will has the attributes to succeed at the international level—pace, bounce, and a desire to keep improving. The exposure to these conditions in Pakistan will be invaluable for him." Southee also highlighted Smith’s confidence and self-belief, traits he sees as essential at the top level. “Will is a man of few words but listens and learns. Nathan has a real confidence about him, and you need that in international cricket. Both are still growing, and I’m sure they’ll be massive assets for New Zealand for years to come." As the Champions Trophy approaches, Southee remains hopeful that the Blackcaps can replicate the success of the 2000 squad. “New Zealand has a strong track record in ICC events—they’re always in the mix. In a tournament like this, if you get on a roll, anything can happen. I’d love to see the team there at the end, lifting the trophy," he concluded.

Champions Trophy 2025: Former Blackcaps bowler backs Kiwi mix of youth and experience to shine

Pakistan cricket team's vice-captain, Salman Ali Agha, has emphasised that clinching the ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> holds greater significance than merely defeating arch-rival India in a single match. In a recent interview on the PCB Podcast, Salman expressed his excitement about Pakistan hosting the prestigious tournament and the prospect of lifting the trophy in his hometown, Lahore.
"I am excited for the Champions Trophy as Pakistan hosting an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a> event is special. Being from Lahore, lifting the trophy in my hometown would be a dream come true for me. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket">Pakistan</a> team has the potential to win it," Salman stated.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-additional-tickets-to-go-on-sale-from-today-how-and-where-to-buy-tickets-8725455" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy 2025: Additional tickets to go on sale from today- How and where to buy tickets</a>
Addressing the much-anticipated clash against India, scheduled for February 23 in Dubai, Salman acknowledged the unique atmosphere of the rivalry but stressed the importance of focusing on the ultimate goal&mdash;winning the tournament.
<h2>'We want to win the match against India'</h2>
"The atmosphere during the India-Pakistan match remains very different. As they say, it is the biggest game in the world. But the thing is, that is just one game; winning the Champions Trophy is more important than winning that one game," he remarked.
Salman further elaborated, "If we beat India but don't win the Champions Trophy, there's no benefit. Even if, God forbid, we lose that match but go on to win the Champions Trophy, that would be the biggest achievement for me."
While emphasising the team's broader objectives, Salman also expressed a strong desire to perform well against India. "We all want to win the India match, and we will try our best to achieve that. I will also strive to give my best performance against them," he added.
As the tournament approaches, Salman's focus underscores Pakistan's commitment to prioritising the championship title over individual match victories.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Pakistan's vice-captain acknowledged the unique atmosphere of the rivalry but stressed the importance of focusing on the ultimate goal—winning the tournament

Pakistan cricket team's vice-captain, Salman Ali Agha, has emphasised that clinching the ICC Champions Trophy holds greater significance than merely defeating arch-rival India in a single match. In a recent interview on the PCB Podcast, Salman expressed his excitement about Pakistan hosting the prestigious tournament and the prospect of lifting the trophy in his hometown, Lahore. "I am excited for the Champions Trophy as Pakistan hosting an ICC event is special. Being from Lahore, lifting the trophy in my hometown would be a dream come true for me. The Pakistan team has the potential to win it," Salman stated. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Additional tickets to go on sale from today- How and where to buy tickets Addressing the much-anticipated clash against India, scheduled for February 23 in Dubai, Salman acknowledged the unique atmosphere of the rivalry but stressed the importance of focusing on the ultimate goal—winning the tournament. 'We want to win the match against India' "The atmosphere during the India-Pakistan match remains very different. As they say, it is the biggest game in the world. But the thing is, that is just one game; winning the Champions Trophy is more important than winning that one game," he remarked. Salman further elaborated, "If we beat India but don't win the Champions Trophy, there's no benefit. Even if, God forbid, we lose that match but go on to win the Champions Trophy, that would be the biggest achievement for me." While emphasising the team's broader objectives, Salman also expressed a strong desire to perform well against India. "We all want to win the India match, and we will try our best to achieve that. I will also strive to give my best performance against them," he added. As the tournament approaches, Salman's focus underscores Pakistan's commitment to prioritising the championship title over individual match victories. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy: 'Defending title is more important than beating...', says Pak vice-captain Salman

Additional tickets for the three-group stage India matches and semi-final 1 of the ICC Men&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> which are taking place in Dubai, UAE will go on sale today.
Demand for Champions Trophy tickets remain high and fans will be able to purchase limited tickets when they go on general sale today, Sunday, 16 February at 1:30 PM IST onwards.
Fans will be able to purchase tickets for the opening match in Dubai on 20 February between Bangladesh and India, the Pakistan versus India clash on 23 February and India&rsquo;s final group stage match against New Zealand on 2 March. There are also limited tickets available for semi-final 1 taking place on 4 March.
Tickets can be purchased online&nbsp;<a data-auth="NotApplicable" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://u39693854.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.TtFIMp7udciS-2FN92BxkjO6aT-2FBnyBXx-2B-2BSKIxh2sSxnt3fgkoLv-2FdQkxHCWOv5qTfjPjS9jZC-2F1Ly8xv1NXnK-2Bhsbx6ZBQ1uUPAuo-2FNosa27i4f2dy39gJv8Ja9Y5vMlvl54-2Fk6Bc9QAlBRzTGK4O9Bkoa1hsyZXmBMos0i5jLcHqD1VTVHWfAS7xbbmwC09MtuPz-2BlIPljmMD4xSnJsF6HDWkllHcBrJA5MZ5FnyM8qKrg-2FzgvNWYdrJQaYl5EA-2BXMl-2F8yTaz-2BRX7DR-2FuJbtiIo-2FCPnO8A3RwIrDuH97yRL4QXJKJRWaXun0nUFOW8YZ3vtd1HiYoShD4uNLvqJX7LFnq0S4ytGjiZ2oRNy1c6643oXJfNdqIsz-2Bb-2Bn5lm8-2BoLMr4Vzr5jJ2FHDQugjFcHUOMnhHwrU56Cb4X6V4O-2FHoZkdUYHgqJn2Gy5ii6a5lMAZUejPJlZ4py7wFH89ug-2BXT-2BgzhuCKyw3cVz-2BwAlDAlPfCw7V1-2B1XOXtxB1RATZok-2FzxGWyDHWkwPrsesdLOkTBwdHOI6DonxfVA4m1rU8U58AZZvp84-2F87v41dLLZ6pM8CwF8LFqFgzRmH0KOeYPeO2rh6pKzTtGmle1bauTj2c7B1HLyinRxe-2FnYulgWu2QB5rGHKjVOOc52NZHPJKUg6TfUG0sjIwxxms-2BD1QUfoCKK3N2tTQsBiaDrRpJp-2BDfsQSXlh0ch6TBiS-2F-2BqjSbzjmdDWUypk0I7J1w9ZB25P1mYUcacSKdpINdnW1oY9Km6Q-2BlVRsIZur7DIpJAgA-3D-3DkYIC_MkbEUnH6ERM2h-2B-2FkuAT-2FNry4NVbeUzV5uWV3KTyKjwAVgeWvWDC53L4bTxwMlCac0HeUOx-2BhUOXsvGY-2B5kxzhiuvgWVMDEHb8sCZH-2BiyGiOujjk3XxQfLoNvhTdJFuRFXfYuUM-2BumE0HNk2KmMWZJuV-2BfQ5JRQi9nh0o1m28O3tsyxT7v0EwET5dDpH0G52z3QUlqkIqS8x5GLm1YN7a-2FoYpcZeSSZUADtS-2F86qcAv8UhHvqFfT4ObAV4gXKy5ujPtykBdIJ1zQ-2FyUxinFvj9Wdv3oQtZxRKQ-2BNaxdXsqN8EDU1S07lqY1c0uOgbiahssI6AzxsI1zu3mZvh6Z99lU5Jea3PQsI6n1ndDmLmoEUkC5apk183Ku8iYLSwpYLG" title="https://u39693854.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.TtFIMp7udciS-2FN92BxkjO6aT-2FBnyBXx-2B-2BSKIxh2sSxnt3fgkoLv-2FdQkxHCWOv5qTfjPjS9jZC-2F1Ly8xv1NXnK-2Bhsbx6ZBQ1uUPAuo-2FNosa27i4f2dy39gJv8Ja9Y5vMlvl54-2Fk6Bc9QAlBRzTGK4O9Bkoa1hsyZXmBMos0i5jLcHqD1VTVHWfAS7xbbmwC09MtuPz-2BlIPljmMD4xSnJsF6HDWkllHcBrJA5MZ5FnyM8qKrg-2FzgvNWYdrJQaYl5EA-2BXMl-2F8yTaz-2BRX7DR-2FuJbtiIo-2FCPnO8A3RwIrDuH97yRL4QXJKJRWaXun0nUFOW8YZ3vtd1HiYoShD4uNLvqJX7LFnq0S4ytGjiZ2oRNy1c6643oXJfNdqIsz-2Bb-2Bn5lm8-2BoLMr4Vzr5jJ2FHDQugjFcHUOMnhHwrU56Cb4X6V4O-2FHoZkdUYHgqJn2Gy5ii6a5lMAZUejPJlZ4py7wFH89ug-2BXT-2BgzhuCKyw3cVz-2BwAlDAlPfCw7V1-2B1XOXtxB1RATZok-2FzxGWyDHWkwPrsesdLOkTBwdHOI6DonxfVA4m1rU8U58AZZvp84-2F87v41dLLZ6pM8CwF8LFqFgzRmH0KOeYPeO2rh6pKzTtGmle1bauTj2c7B1HLyinRxe-2FnYulgWu2QB5rGHKjVOOc52NZHPJKUg6TfUG0sjIwxxms-2BD1QUfoCKK3N2tTQsBiaDrRpJp-2BDfsQSXlh0ch6TBiS-2F-2BqjSbzjmdDWUypk0I7J1w9ZB25P1mYUcacSKdpINdnW1oY9Km6Q-2BlVRsIZur7DIpJAgA-3D-3DkYIC_MkbEUnH6ERM2h-2B-2FkuAT-2FNry4NVbeUzV5uWV3KTyKjwAVgeWvWDC53L4bTxwMlCac0HeUOx-2BhUOXsvGY-2B5kxzhiuvgWVMDEHb8sCZH-2BiyGiOujjk3XxQfLoNvhTdJFuRFXfYuUM-2BumE0HNk2KmMWZJuV-2BfQ5JRQi9nh0o1m28O3tsyxT7v0EwET5dDpH0G52z3QUlqkIqS8x5GLm1YN7a-2FoYpcZeSSZUADtS-2F86qcAv8UhHvqFfT4ObAV4gXKy5ujPtykBdIJ1zQ-2FyUxinFvj9Wdv3oQtZxRKQ-2BNaxdXsqN8EDU1S07lqY1c0uOgbiahssI6AzxsI1zu3mZvh6Z99lU5Jea3PQsI6n1ndDmLmoEUkC5apk183Ku8iYLSwpYLG" data-linkindex="0">here.</a>
ICC Men&rsquo;s Champions Trophy Final tickets &ndash; to be played on Sunday 9 March - will be available for purchase following the conclusion of the first semi-final in Dubai.
The thrilling two-week competition will see the world&rsquo;s top eight teams put it all on the line in 15 intense matches across 19 days, with every match counting in the pursuit of the iconic white jackets.
<h2>ICC announces hike of $3,600,000 in Champions Trophy prize money</h2>
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a> has announced that the total <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-announces-hike-of-3600000-in-champions-trophy-2025-prize-money-winners-will-get-224-million-or-19-crore-in-inr-runners-up-will-win-112-million-or-9-crore-in-inr-8720316">prize money</a> will be $6.9 million - a staggering 53 per cent increase ($3.6 million or INR 31 crore approx) in comparison to the 2017 edition as eight teams brace to face each other in the tournament. The teams are divided into two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group going into the semi-final.&nbsp;
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 runners-up will take home $1.12 million or INR 9.5 crore approx, while the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 losing semi-finalists will take home $560,000 or INR 5 crore approx.
The eight-team tournament, happening for the first time since 2017, is set to begin on February 19 in Pakistan. India, meanwhile will play all its matches in Dubai.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Additional tickets for the three-group stage India matches and semi-final 1 at the ICC Champions Trophy which are taking place in Dubai, UAE will go on sale today

Additional tickets for the three-group stage India matches and semi-final 1 of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy which are taking place in Dubai, UAE will go on sale today. Demand for Champions Trophy tickets remain high and fans will be able to purchase limited tickets when they go on general sale today, Sunday, 16 February at 1:30 PM IST onwards. Fans will be able to purchase tickets for the opening match in Dubai on 20 February between Bangladesh and India, the Pakistan versus India clash on 23 February and India’s final group stage match against New Zealand on 2 March. There are also limited tickets available for semi-final 1 taking place on 4 March. Tickets can be purchased online here. ICC Men’s Champions Trophy Final tickets – to be played on Sunday 9 March - will be available for purchase following the conclusion of the first semi-final in Dubai. The thrilling two-week competition will see the world’s top eight teams put it all on the line in 15 intense matches across 19 days, with every match counting in the pursuit of the iconic white jackets. ICC announces hike of $3,600,000 in Champions Trophy prize money The ICC has announced that the total prize money will be $6.9 million - a staggering 53 per cent increase ($3.6 million or INR 31 crore approx) in comparison to the 2017 edition as eight teams brace to face each other in the tournament. The teams are divided into two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group going into the semi-final. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 runners-up will take home $1.12 million or INR 9.5 crore approx, while the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 losing semi-finalists will take home $560,000 or INR 5 crore approx. The eight-team tournament, happening for the first time since 2017, is set to begin on February 19 in Pakistan. India, meanwhile will play all its matches in Dubai. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Additional tickets to go on sale from today- How and where to buy tickets

In a massive boost to England&rsquo;s chances of tasting success in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a>, opener Ben Duckett passed the fitness test, getting cleared of a left groin injury scare he suffered during the third ODI against India in Ahmedabad. Duckett scored twin fifties on an otherwise horrid tour of India, where England lost seven of the eight contested matches across two formats.
During the final ODI at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, Duckett pulled up his groin while fielding, looking visibly hampered during his quick-fire 34 in England&rsquo;s chase. Although he smoked a few boundaries, including hitting Arshdeep Singh for a few fours in an over, Duckett struggled with his groin during this brief stay.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bcci-paid-gigantic-sum-for-star-cricketers-150-kg-worth-of-luggage-containing-27-bags-on-tour-down-under-report-8724274" rel="dofollow">BCCI paid gigantic sum for &lsquo;star cricketer&rsquo;s&rsquo; 150 kg worth of luggage on tour Down Under &ndash; Report</a>
However, with England spending some time in the UAE ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign, the tests done on Duckett&rsquo;s left groin revealed no significant issue, with the ECB press release declaring him &lsquo;fit and available&rsquo; for the eight-team tournament starting February 19 in Pakistan.
England will take on rivals Australia in their tournament opener (February 22) in Lahore.&nbsp;
<h2>Injury-hit England camp</h2>
England is due to arrive in Pakistan a day before the curtain-raiser between the hosts and New Zealand, and with Duckett being declared fit, the camp must be oozing with confidence.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/waqar-younis-sees-injury-free-pakistan-rocking-in-champions-trophy-2025-mohammad-amir-backs-babar-azam-to-hit-top-form-8724435" rel="dofollow">Waqar Younis sees Pakistan rocking in Champions Trophy 2025; Amir backs Babar Azam to hit top form</a>
While England has already lost their emerging all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/massive-blow-to-england-as-jacob-bethell-doubtful-for-3rd-odi-champions-trophy-tom-banton-called-up-as-cover-8704464" rel="dofollow">Jacob Bethell to a hamstring injury</a>, with opener Tom Banton replacing him in the CT squad, the former world champions are sweating over Jamie Smith&rsquo;s calf injury, who hasn&rsquo;t featured in the playing XI since January 28.
England also remain concerned about their bowling department, with seamer Brydon Carse nursing a toe injury while all-rounder Jamie Overton is down with a hamstring issue. Premier seamer Jofra Archer also suffered a cut on his hand.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, following an outburst from former cricketers, including England&rsquo;s own Kevin Pietersen and India&rsquo;s Ravi Shastri, over their failed preparation for the sub-continent leg, head coach Brendon McCullum defended his team&rsquo;s training against remarks about the number of practice session.
"Guys have come from a lot of cricket, and keeping guys fresh is just as important, especially when you have injuries. We've done lots of training. We have had injuries in the camp, so we've backed guys off a little bit to make sure we had a fit team,&rdquo; McCullum said while responding to Shastri&rsquo;s remarks of England having just one training session throughout the ODI series, which they lost 0-3.&nbsp;
<h3>England&rsquo;s Champions Trophy Squad &ndash;</h3>
Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt and Mark Wood
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Duckett scored twin fifties on an otherwise horrid tour of India, where England lost seven of the eight contested matches across two formats.

In a massive boost to England’s chances of tasting success in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, opener Ben Duckett passed the fitness test, getting cleared of a left groin injury scare he suffered during the third ODI against India in Ahmedabad. Duckett scored twin fifties on an otherwise horrid tour of India, where England lost seven of the eight contested matches across two formats. During the final ODI at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, Duckett pulled up his groin while fielding, looking visibly hampered during his quick-fire 34 in England’s chase. Although he smoked a few boundaries, including hitting Arshdeep Singh for a few fours in an over, Duckett struggled with his groin during this brief stay. Also read | BCCI paid gigantic sum for ‘star cricketer’s’ 150 kg worth of luggage on tour Down Under – Report However, with England spending some time in the UAE ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign, the tests done on Duckett’s left groin revealed no significant issue, with the ECB press release declaring him ‘fit and available’ for the eight-team tournament starting February 19 in Pakistan. England will take on rivals Australia in their tournament opener (February 22) in Lahore. Injury-hit England camp England is due to arrive in Pakistan a day before the curtain-raiser between the hosts and New Zealand, and with Duckett being declared fit, the camp must be oozing with confidence. Also read | Waqar Younis sees Pakistan rocking in Champions Trophy 2025; Amir backs Babar Azam to hit top form While England has already lost their emerging all-rounder Jacob Bethell to a hamstring injury, with opener Tom Banton replacing him in the CT squad, the former world champions are sweating over Jamie Smith’s calf injury, who hasn’t featured in the playing XI since January 28. England also remain concerned about their bowling department, with seamer Brydon Carse nursing a toe injury while all-rounder Jamie Overton is down with a hamstring issue. Premier seamer Jofra Archer also suffered a cut on his hand. Meanwhile, following an outburst from former cricketers, including England’s own Kevin Pietersen and India’s Ravi Shastri, over their failed preparation for the sub-continent leg, head coach Brendon McCullum defended his team’s training against remarks about the number of practice session. "Guys have come from a lot of cricket, and keeping guys fresh is just as important, especially when you have injuries. We've done lots of training. We have had injuries in the camp, so we've backed guys off a little bit to make sure we had a fit team,” McCullum said while responding to Shastri’s remarks of England having just one training session throughout the ODI series, which they lost 0-3. England’s Champions Trophy Squad – Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt and Mark Wood (With inputs from agencies)

England receive massive boost ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

All eyeballs are on the Pakistan men&rsquo;s cricket team that hosts the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a> starting February 19. Though they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-vs-nz-clinical-new-zealand-thump-pakistan-to-win-tri-nations-final-ahead-of-champions-trophy-2025-8722277" rel="dofollow">lost the Tri-Series Final to New Zealand</a> in the dress rehearsal for the eight-team tournament&rsquo;s opener, former seamers Waqar Younis and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-amir" rel="dofollow">Mohammad Amir</a> have backed them to rock in the first showpiece event of the year. Amir also remarked that Babar Azam is one inning away from hitting top form.
Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh, New Zealand and arch-rivals India, against whom they are scheduled to face off (on Feb 23) in the marquee clash.
Speaking on the same lines, Waqar Younis reflected on this high-octane clash, saying everyone&rsquo;s been waiting for this big day on the cricket calendar, which will hit bull's eye engagement-wise.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bcci-paid-gigantic-sum-for-star-cricketers-150-kg-worth-of-luggage-containing-27-bags-on-tour-down-under-report-8724274" rel="dofollow">BCCI paid gigantic sum for &lsquo;star cricketer&rsquo;s&rsquo; 150 kg worth of luggage on tour Down Under &ndash; Report</a>
&ldquo;It is always going to be big. We all know how important this clash is. The entire world is anxiously waiting for the big day when the two teams face each other after a long time," Waqar said in a chat with TimesofIndia.com.&nbsp;
"In fact, we are all eagerly waiting. We will once again witness a fantastic game of cricket on March 23. It is going to be a full house. We can't wait," the former Pakistan coach continued.
Shedding some light on Pakistan&rsquo;s chances of defending the Champions Trophy title, Waqar said he is concerned about the injuries within the camp, knowing how much cricket everyone&rsquo;s been playing, but remains optimistic of the Men in Green doing wonders in the first home ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup.&nbsp;
"They are on the right track. I hope everyone stays fit and injury-free. The cricket schedule is packed these days, so injuries are a major concern. There are teams challenging for this Champions Trophy, and it is going to be a big and exciting tournament,&rdquo; said Waqar on Pakistan&rsquo;s chances in the Champions Trophy.
<h2>Waqar on Bumrah&rsquo;s absence</h2>
Team India will be without their ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah for the multi-team tournament in Pakistan (and Dubai &ndash; for India games), and Waqar said his absence is a massive blow for the tournament&rsquo;s favourites as they never wanted to be in this position concerning Bumrah.
&ldquo;He is a world-class bowler&mdash;very quick, very aggressive, and very smart. It is difficult for any batter to handle him. India never wanted to miss him," Waqar said of Bumrah and his absence from the Champions Trophy.
<h3>Amir backs Pakistan, Babar to hit top form&nbsp;</h3>
Former Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir has backed his team to exceed expectations, especially throwing weight behind star batter Babar Azam, who hasn&rsquo;t hit an ODI hundred since August 2023.&nbsp;
On a social media post, Amir wrote, &ldquo;Don't worry everyone. Pakistan team and Babar Azam will perform in Champions Trophy INSHA ALLAH. Mark my words ☺️☺️☺️.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m768z0rm-8v4exlbz-2plhuz45">
Don't worry everyone. Pakistan team and babar azam will perform in champions trophy INSHA ALLAH. Mark my words ☺️☺️☺️.
&mdash; Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamamirofficial/status/1890744301375615100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, in the just concluded tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand, Babar opened in the absence of Saim Ayub, scoring 62 runs in three innings.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh, New Zealand and India, against whom they are scheduled to face off (on March 23) in the marquee clash.

All eyeballs are on the Pakistan men’s cricket team that hosts the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 starting February 19. Though they lost the Tri-Series Final to New Zealand in the dress rehearsal for the eight-team tournament’s opener, former seamers Waqar Younis and Mohammad Amir have backed them to rock in the first showpiece event of the year. Amir also remarked that Babar Azam is one inning away from hitting top form. Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh, New Zealand and arch-rivals India, against whom they are scheduled to face off (on Feb 23) in the marquee clash. Speaking on the same lines, Waqar Younis reflected on this high-octane clash, saying everyone’s been waiting for this big day on the cricket calendar, which will hit bull's eye engagement-wise. Also read | BCCI paid gigantic sum for ‘star cricketer’s’ 150 kg worth of luggage on tour Down Under – Report “It is always going to be big. We all know how important this clash is. The entire world is anxiously waiting for the big day when the two teams face each other after a long time," Waqar said in a chat with TimesofIndia.com. "In fact, we are all eagerly waiting. We will once again witness a fantastic game of cricket on March 23. It is going to be a full house. We can't wait," the former Pakistan coach continued. Shedding some light on Pakistan’s chances of defending the Champions Trophy title, Waqar said he is concerned about the injuries within the camp, knowing how much cricket everyone’s been playing, but remains optimistic of the Men in Green doing wonders in the first home ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup. "They are on the right track. I hope everyone stays fit and injury-free. The cricket schedule is packed these days, so injuries are a major concern. There are teams challenging for this Champions Trophy, and it is going to be a big and exciting tournament,” said Waqar on Pakistan’s chances in the Champions Trophy. Waqar on Bumrah’s absence Team India will be without their ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah for the multi-team tournament in Pakistan (and Dubai – for India games), and Waqar said his absence is a massive blow for the tournament’s favourites as they never wanted to be in this position concerning Bumrah. “He is a world-class bowler—very quick, very aggressive, and very smart. It is difficult for any batter to handle him. India never wanted to miss him," Waqar said of Bumrah and his absence from the Champions Trophy. Amir backs Pakistan, Babar to hit top form Former Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir has backed his team to exceed expectations, especially throwing weight behind star batter Babar Azam, who hasn’t hit an ODI hundred since August 2023. On a social media post, Amir wrote, “Don't worry everyone. Pakistan team and Babar Azam will perform in Champions Trophy INSHA ALLAH. Mark my words ☺️☺️☺️. Don't worry everyone. Pakistan team and babar azam will perform in champions trophy INSHA ALLAH. Mark my words ☺️☺️☺️. — Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) February 15, 2025 Meanwhile, in the just concluded tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand, Babar opened in the absence of Saim Ayub, scoring 62 runs in three innings. (With inputs from agencies)

Waqar Younis sees Pakistan rocking in Champions Trophy 2025; Amir backs Babar Azam to hit top form

Former Indian cricketer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravichandran-ashwin" rel="dofollow">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> has questioned Team India&rsquo;s strategy behind picking five spinners for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a>. As India will play all its matches in Dubai with their first game scheduled against Bangladesh on Thursday (Feb 20), Ashwin feels the Men in Blue might have picked spinners &lsquo;one too many, if not two&rsquo; for the eight-team tournament.
While two all-rounders, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/axar-patel" rel="dofollow">Axar Patel</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja" rel="dofollow">Ravindra Jadeja</a>, are sure-starters, with unorthodox Kuldeep Yadav being another one to play all matches, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and all-rounder Washington Sundar are backup options. In the 15-man squad, India has picked just three seamers - Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana.
Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel &lsquo;Ash ki Baat&rsquo;, Ashwin admitted India might have picked too many spinners for the Dubai pitch, which doesn't offer much assistance (to them) contradictory to the general notion of spinners doing well in that part of the world.
&ldquo;Five spinners in Dubai? I don&rsquo;t know. I think we are one spinner too many, if not two," Ashwin said.&nbsp;
"The two left-arm spinners (Jadeja and Axar) are your best all-rounders alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play, and Kuldeep will play,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>What's the playing combination?</h2>
Considering India will play two seamers alongside Hardik Pandya (and Axar and Jadeja), it leaves a window for just one spinner (of the three) for that one remaining spot, with ace left-armer Kuldeep Yadav leading the race.&nbsp;
Owing to star performances in the recently concluded T20I series against England at home, Varun replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final 15, whereas Sundar retained his place after impressing on his second tour Down Under earlier.
Meanwhile, Ashwin, who played the 2022 T20 World Cup in Dubai, where India crashed out from the group stages, feels should India pick Varun in the&nbsp;XI, they have to drop a seamer for that, or he must replace Kuldeep in the side, with both being risky calls.
"If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Else, you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer," he noted.
In the tournament, India is placed in Group A, alongside the host and arch-rivals Pakistan, with Bangladesh and New Zealand being the remaining two teams. After taking on Bangladesh in their tournament opener, India will face Pakistan three days later before facing New Zealand in their last league match (on March 2).&nbsp;
Dubai will continue to stage India&rsquo;s knockout games (should they qualify for the semis and the final, respectively.)&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: While Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are sure-starters, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and all-rounder Washington Sundar are backup options.

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned Team India’s strategy behind picking five spinners for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As India will play all its matches in Dubai with their first game scheduled against Bangladesh on Thursday (Feb 20), Ashwin feels the Men in Blue might have picked spinners ‘one too many, if not two’ for the eight-team tournament. While two all-rounders, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, are sure-starters, with unorthodox Kuldeep Yadav being another one to play all matches, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and all-rounder Washington Sundar are backup options. In the 15-man squad, India has picked just three seamers - Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana. Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’, Ashwin admitted India might have picked too many spinners for the Dubai pitch, which doesn't offer much assistance (to them) contradictory to the general notion of spinners doing well in that part of the world. “Five spinners in Dubai? I don’t know. I think we are one spinner too many, if not two," Ashwin said. "The two left-arm spinners (Jadeja and Axar) are your best all-rounders alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play, and Kuldeep will play,” he continued. What's the playing combination? Considering India will play two seamers alongside Hardik Pandya (and Axar and Jadeja), it leaves a window for just one spinner (of the three) for that one remaining spot, with ace left-armer Kuldeep Yadav leading the race. Owing to star performances in the recently concluded T20I series against England at home, Varun replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final 15, whereas Sundar retained his place after impressing on his second tour Down Under earlier. Meanwhile, Ashwin, who played the 2022 T20 World Cup in Dubai, where India crashed out from the group stages, feels should India pick Varun in the XI, they have to drop a seamer for that, or he must replace Kuldeep in the side, with both being risky calls. "If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Else, you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer," he noted. In the tournament, India is placed in Group A, alongside the host and arch-rivals Pakistan, with Bangladesh and New Zealand being the remaining two teams. After taking on Bangladesh in their tournament opener, India will face Pakistan three days later before facing New Zealand in their last league match (on March 2). Dubai will continue to stage India’s knockout games (should they qualify for the semis and the final, respectively.) (With inputs from agencies)

Ashwin questions India’s strategy behind picking five spinners for Champions Trophy 2025

The first group of Indian players and support staff arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday to depart for Dubai for the upcoming ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a>.
India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-former-england-cricketer-questions-teams-50-over-experience-8723511">Champions Trophy 2025: Former England cricketer questions team's 50-over experience</a>
Several key players were spotted at the airport, including star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, all-rounders <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</a> and Washington Sundar, and wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, along with middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Axar Patel, and pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, were also part of the travelling contingent. Skipper Rohit Sharma joined the squad, while Hardik Pandya was the last to arrive before departure.
Watch the video here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Mumbai: The first batch of the Indian Cricket team departs for Dubai to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy. All matches of Team India will be held in Dubai, while the rest will take place in Pakistan. The ICC Champions Trophy will begin on February 19 and will&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/C4VdRPddyn">pic.twitter.com/C4VdRPddyn</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1890677601100038645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen with his support staff, including fielding coach T. Dilip, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, as they geared up for the tournament. With their preparations in full swing, India aim to make a strong start in their quest for the prestigious title.
<h2>Squad shake-up</h2>
On Tuesday night (Feb 11), India made two significant changes to their 15-member squad. The first was widely anticipated&mdash;pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to a lower back injury, with Harshit Rana named as his replacement.
The second change came as a surprise to many: Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped in favour of spinner Varun Chakravarthy. This decision sparked mixed reactions from fans and former cricketers, with some questioning the need for the swap while others supported bolstering the spin attack.
Chakravarthy&rsquo;s inclusion followed his ODI debut against England, where he delivered a steady performance, recording figures of 1/54 in 10 overs.&nbsp;With these last-minute adjustments, India is set to take on the best in the world as they chase Champions Trophy glory.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen with his support staff, including fielding coach T. Dilip, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate

The first group of Indian players and support staff arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday to depart for Dubai for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Former England cricketer questions team's 50-over experience Several key players were spotted at the airport, including star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, and wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, along with middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Axar Patel, and pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, were also part of the travelling contingent. Skipper Rohit Sharma joined the squad, while Hardik Pandya was the last to arrive before departure. Watch the video here: #WATCH | Mumbai: The first batch of the Indian Cricket team departs for Dubai to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy. All matches of Team India will be held in Dubai, while the rest will take place in Pakistan. The ICC Champions Trophy will begin on February 19 and will… pic.twitter.com/C4VdRPddyn — ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2025 Head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen with his support staff, including fielding coach T. Dilip, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, as they geared up for the tournament. With their preparations in full swing, India aim to make a strong start in their quest for the prestigious title. Squad shake-up On Tuesday night (Feb 11), India made two significant changes to their 15-member squad. The first was widely anticipated—pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to a lower back injury, with Harshit Rana named as his replacement. The second change came as a surprise to many: Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped in favour of spinner Varun Chakravarthy. This decision sparked mixed reactions from fans and former cricketers, with some questioning the need for the swap while others supported bolstering the spin attack. Chakravarthy’s inclusion followed his ODI debut against England, where he delivered a steady performance, recording figures of 1/54 in 10 overs. With these last-minute adjustments, India is set to take on the best in the world as they chase Champions Trophy glory. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: First set of Indian players, support staff leave for Dubai

Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has expressed concerns over England&rsquo;s lack of experience in the 50-over format ahead of the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a>. His remarks follow England&rsquo;s crushing 3-0 ODI series defeat against India, which exposed significant weaknesses in their one-day setup.
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast after England&rsquo;s third ODI loss in Ahmedabad, Butcher pointed out the inexperience within the squad. Several players had limited exposure to List A cricket, including Jacob Bethell, who had played just 16 List A matches before making his ODI debut last summer. Similarly, Gus Atkinson, who debuted internationally in 2023 after only two List A games, struggled on tour, conceding 139 runs in two ODIs. Following Bethell&rsquo;s injury, England recalled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tom-banton">Tom Banton</a>, who had not played a 50-over match since his last ODI appearance in 2020.
&ldquo;The first thing that struck me during the first two ODIs was just how naive most of our cricket is in the 50-over format,&rdquo; Butcher said, as quoted by Wisden.
&ldquo;I thought, &lsquo;Why might that be?&rsquo; It&rsquo;s because we don&rsquo;t play enough of it. The 50-over game demands an evolving tempo. It&rsquo;s not about playing at a constant pace; knowing when to accelerate, when to consolidate, and having the awareness to adjust comes only with experience,&rdquo; he explained.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-pakistan-head-coach-backs-babar-azam-as-opener-8722953">Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan head coach backs Babar Azam as opener</a>
Butcher drew a comparison to the 1990s when England played just three to six ODIs per summer. Back then, he noted, opposition teams&mdash;be it India, West Indies, or Australia&mdash;had players with significantly more caps than their English counterparts. He believes England now finds itself in a similar situation, where players from teams like India boast far greater experience. For instance, even a seasoned player like Jos Buttler is outmatched in terms of ODI caps compared to his Indian counterparts.
&ldquo;Many of our players will improve from this exposure. Gus Atkinson, for example, has had a tough tour, but that&rsquo;s not necessarily a bad thing. He has dominated easily until now, and this is his first major challenge. If he has the hunger and drive, he&rsquo;ll come out stronger. But if we&rsquo;re talking about winning the Champions Trophy in just a few weeks, the lack of experience in our squad makes it unlikely. The 50-over game requires more than just an aggressive approach&mdash;it demands skill, adaptability, and game awareness,&rdquo; he added.
<h2>India's young players more experienced</h2>
In contrast, India&rsquo;s younger players have far more experience in the format. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shubhman-gill">Shubman Gill</a>, at just 25, has already played 50 ODIs and over 100 List A matches. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut in the second match of the series in Cuttack, has already featured in 30 List A games despite being in the early stages of his career.
England will begin their Champions Trophy campaign on February 22 in Lahore against arch-rivals Australia. They will also face Afghanistan and South Africa in the group stage, hoping to overcome their recent struggles and make a strong impact in the tournament.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: England will begin their campaign on February 22 in Lahore against arch-rivals Australia. They will also face Afghanistan and South Africa in the group stage

Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has expressed concerns over England’s lack of experience in the 50-over format ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy. His remarks follow England’s crushing 3-0 ODI series defeat against India, which exposed significant weaknesses in their one-day setup. Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast after England’s third ODI loss in Ahmedabad, Butcher pointed out the inexperience within the squad. Several players had limited exposure to List A cricket, including Jacob Bethell, who had played just 16 List A matches before making his ODI debut last summer. Similarly, Gus Atkinson, who debuted internationally in 2023 after only two List A games, struggled on tour, conceding 139 runs in two ODIs. Following Bethell’s injury, England recalled Tom Banton, who had not played a 50-over match since his last ODI appearance in 2020. “The first thing that struck me during the first two ODIs was just how naive most of our cricket is in the 50-over format,” Butcher said, as quoted by Wisden. “I thought, ‘Why might that be?’ It’s because we don’t play enough of it. The 50-over game demands an evolving tempo. It’s not about playing at a constant pace; knowing when to accelerate, when to consolidate, and having the awareness to adjust comes only with experience,” he explained. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan head coach backs Babar Azam as opener Butcher drew a comparison to the 1990s when England played just three to six ODIs per summer. Back then, he noted, opposition teams—be it India, West Indies, or Australia—had players with significantly more caps than their English counterparts. He believes England now finds itself in a similar situation, where players from teams like India boast far greater experience. For instance, even a seasoned player like Jos Buttler is outmatched in terms of ODI caps compared to his Indian counterparts. “Many of our players will improve from this exposure. Gus Atkinson, for example, has had a tough tour, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He has dominated easily until now, and this is his first major challenge. If he has the hunger and drive, he’ll come out stronger. But if we’re talking about winning the Champions Trophy in just a few weeks, the lack of experience in our squad makes it unlikely. The 50-over game requires more than just an aggressive approach—it demands skill, adaptability, and game awareness,” he added. India's young players more experienced In contrast, India’s younger players have far more experience in the format. Shubman Gill, at just 25, has already played 50 ODIs and over 100 List A matches. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut in the second match of the series in Cuttack, has already featured in 30 List A games despite being in the early stages of his career. England will begin their Champions Trophy campaign on February 22 in Lahore against arch-rivals Australia. They will also face Afghanistan and South Africa in the group stage, hoping to overcome their recent struggles and make a strong impact in the tournament. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Former England cricketer questions team's 50-over experience

Legendary Australian cricketer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/adam-gilchrist">Adam Gilchrist</a> has suggested that stand-in captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/steve-smith">Steve Smith</a> should open the batting in Australia&rsquo;s ODI team for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Gilchrist believes this move would allow Smith to face more deliveries and maximise his impact.
In Australia's recent 2-0 ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka, Smith, batting in the middle order, managed scores of just 12 and 29. With young opener Jake Fraser-McGurk struggling for consistency, Gilchrist sees Smith as a strong opening option, though he also finds Matt Short a viable candidate to partner with Travis Head.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tough call right now, but I believe Steve Smith should open. I&rsquo;m not sure where he batted in Sri Lanka, but Travis Head is a certainty. I also like Matt Short in that role&mdash;he forms a good left-hand, right-hand combination,&rdquo; Gilchrist said on ABC Summer Grandstand on Saturday.
He added, &ldquo;Smith has opened in T20 cricket successfully, so I don&rsquo;t see why he couldn&rsquo;t do it in ODIs. Maybe he&rsquo;s too valuable in the middle order, but in a 50-over game, you want your best batters facing as many balls as possible. It&rsquo;s a strong option to consider.&rdquo;
<h2>Injury woes for Australia</h2>
Australia will enter the Champions Trophy without key pacers <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-starc">Mitchell Starc</a>, Josh Hazlewood and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pat-cummins">Pat Cummins</a>, as well as all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh, who are sidelined due to injuries.
With group-stage clashes against England, Afghanistan, and South Africa, Gilchrist believes Australia could face difficulties in Pakistan, especially with limited preparation in the ODI format.
&ldquo;There hasn&rsquo;t been much focus on ODIs lately,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;Australia had a fantastic summer, but teams mainly prioritise 50-over cricket during a World Cup year. With the next ODI World Cup in 2027, this tournament is an opportunity to experiment with younger players, which could lead to mixed results.&rdquo;
Despite the challenges, Gilchrist acknowledged Australia&rsquo;s ability to fight through tough situations. &ldquo;They always find a way to get through tournaments, but conditions in Pakistan and the absence of key players will make this a tough campaign,&rdquo; he concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Australia go into the upcoming Champions Trophy without their first-choice pacers in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins

Legendary Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist has suggested that stand-in captain Steve Smith should open the batting in Australia’s ODI team for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Gilchrist believes this move would allow Smith to face more deliveries and maximise his impact. In Australia's recent 2-0 ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka, Smith, batting in the middle order, managed scores of just 12 and 29. With young opener Jake Fraser-McGurk struggling for consistency, Gilchrist sees Smith as a strong opening option, though he also finds Matt Short a viable candidate to partner with Travis Head. “It’s a tough call right now, but I believe Steve Smith should open. I’m not sure where he batted in Sri Lanka, but Travis Head is a certainty. I also like Matt Short in that role—he forms a good left-hand, right-hand combination,” Gilchrist said on ABC Summer Grandstand on Saturday. He added, “Smith has opened in T20 cricket successfully, so I don’t see why he couldn’t do it in ODIs. Maybe he’s too valuable in the middle order, but in a 50-over game, you want your best batters facing as many balls as possible. It’s a strong option to consider.” Injury woes for Australia Australia will enter the Champions Trophy without key pacers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, as well as all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh, who are sidelined due to injuries. With group-stage clashes against England, Afghanistan, and South Africa, Gilchrist believes Australia could face difficulties in Pakistan, especially with limited preparation in the ODI format. “There hasn’t been much focus on ODIs lately,” he said. “Australia had a fantastic summer, but teams mainly prioritise 50-over cricket during a World Cup year. With the next ODI World Cup in 2027, this tournament is an opportunity to experiment with younger players, which could lead to mixed results.” Despite the challenges, Gilchrist acknowledged Australia’s ability to fight through tough situations. “They always find a way to get through tournaments, but conditions in Pakistan and the absence of key players will make this a tough campaign,” he concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Smith should open the batting for Australia, says former Oz wicketkeeper

Pakistan's interim head coach Aqib Javed has backed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/babar-azam">Babar Azam</a> to continue opening the batting as the team prepares for the ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy 2025</a>, scheduled from February 19 to March 9.
Following Pakistan's five-wicket loss to New Zealand in the tri-nation ODI series final, Javed addressed concerns about Babar&rsquo;s elevation to the opening slot. He defended the management&rsquo;s decision, highlighting that the move was made to maximise the team's advantage in the powerplay, adding that Babar is well-suited for the role.
Explaining the decision, Javed pointed to past series where Babar often found himself at the crease early, regardless of his batting position. "If you look at our away series against South Africa, Babar had to bat in the first over in every game. Then, when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/saim-ayub">Saim Ayub</a> got injured, he had to open in Tests as well. These pitches aren&rsquo;t troubling batters early on, so we wanted our best batter to make the most of the powerplay," he stated in a post-match press conference.
Confident in Babar&rsquo;s ability, he added, "I believe Babar should open in these conditions, and I am hopeful he will play a big innings in important matches."
Despite Pakistan securing just one win in three matches in the tri-series, Javed expressed optimism about the team&rsquo;s prospects in the Champions Trophy. He stressed that the squad has all the necessary components to challenge top teams.
"This team has everything it needs to do well in the Champions Trophy. If our batting lineup plays normally, we can score 350 runs consistently down to number eight. With Haris Rauf returning to form alongside Naseem Shah, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shaheen-afridi">Shaheen Afridi</a>, and our spinners, we have all the ingredients to defeat any team," he stated.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/live-2025-champions-trophy-check-icc-champions-trophy-2025-latest-news-and-updates-today-feb-15-8722940">LIVE | 2025 Champions Trophy: Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Latest News and Updates Today | Feb 15</a>
Javed also defended the selection of Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf, explaining that their inclusion was necessary for balance in an extended tournament.
"We needed both a spin all-rounder and a pace all-rounder, which is why Khushdil and Faheem are part of the squad," he explained.
<h2>Ex-Pak cricketer Basit Ali questions move</h2>
However, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali criticised the decision to promote Babar as an opener, especially after the team&rsquo;s disappointing tri-series performance.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he questioned the move and its impact on both Babar&rsquo;s form and the team's confidence. "If Pakistan had won the tri-nation series, the confidence level of the entire team would have been high," he said.
Basit expressed frustration over the change, arguing that Babar was already excelling at number three and should not have been shifted.
"Who told Babar Azam to open? I am shocked at this decision. What kind of thinking is this? He was scoring 50-70 at number three against South Africa, but they disrupted that as well. Now, just 62 runs in three matches&mdash;this is the approach they are going with?" he lamented.
Pakistan will open their Champions Trophy campaign against New Zealand in the tournament opener on February 19 in Karachi.
With Babar&rsquo;s batting position under scrutiny, his performances in the marquee event will be closely watched.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The head coach endorsed the management's decision to move Babar up the order and expressed optimism that former captain would thrive in this role

Pakistan's interim head coach Aqib Javed has backed Babar Azam to continue opening the batting as the team prepares for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled from February 19 to March 9. Following Pakistan's five-wicket loss to New Zealand in the tri-nation ODI series final, Javed addressed concerns about Babar’s elevation to the opening slot. He defended the management’s decision, highlighting that the move was made to maximise the team's advantage in the powerplay, adding that Babar is well-suited for the role. Explaining the decision, Javed pointed to past series where Babar often found himself at the crease early, regardless of his batting position. "If you look at our away series against South Africa, Babar had to bat in the first over in every game. Then, when Saim Ayub got injured, he had to open in Tests as well. These pitches aren’t troubling batters early on, so we wanted our best batter to make the most of the powerplay," he stated in a post-match press conference. Confident in Babar’s ability, he added, "I believe Babar should open in these conditions, and I am hopeful he will play a big innings in important matches." Despite Pakistan securing just one win in three matches in the tri-series, Javed expressed optimism about the team’s prospects in the Champions Trophy. He stressed that the squad has all the necessary components to challenge top teams. "This team has everything it needs to do well in the Champions Trophy. If our batting lineup plays normally, we can score 350 runs consistently down to number eight. With Haris Rauf returning to form alongside Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and our spinners, we have all the ingredients to defeat any team," he stated. Also Read: LIVE | 2025 Champions Trophy: Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Latest News and Updates Today | Feb 15 Javed also defended the selection of Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf, explaining that their inclusion was necessary for balance in an extended tournament. "We needed both a spin all-rounder and a pace all-rounder, which is why Khushdil and Faheem are part of the squad," he explained. Ex-Pak cricketer Basit Ali questions move However, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali criticised the decision to promote Babar as an opener, especially after the team’s disappointing tri-series performance. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he questioned the move and its impact on both Babar’s form and the team's confidence. "If Pakistan had won the tri-nation series, the confidence level of the entire team would have been high," he said. Basit expressed frustration over the change, arguing that Babar was already excelling at number three and should not have been shifted. "Who told Babar Azam to open? I am shocked at this decision. What kind of thinking is this? He was scoring 50-70 at number three against South Africa, but they disrupted that as well. Now, just 62 runs in three matches—this is the approach they are going with?" he lamented. Pakistan will open their Champions Trophy campaign against New Zealand in the tournament opener on February 19 in Karachi. With Babar’s batting position under scrutiny, his performances in the marquee event will be closely watched. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan head coach backs Babar Azam as opener

Pace bowler Will O'Rourke claimed four wickets while Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham hit half centuries as New Zealand defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch the tri-nations series final on Friday.
O'Rourke's 4-43 helped the tourists dismiss Pakistan for 242 in 49.3 overs before Mitchell's 58-ball 57 anchored the chase as the Black Caps finished on 243-5 in 45.2 overs at Karachi's National stadium.
The victory gives the New Zealanders a timely boost ahead of the Champions Trophy opener against the same opponents at this venue on Wednesday.
New Zealand lost opener Will Young in pacer Naseem Shah's first over for five before Devon Conway (48) and Kane Williamson (34) steadied the chase with a second wicket stand of 71.
Williamson lost his wicket while charging down the wicket against spinner Salman Agha while Naseem returned for his second spell to dismiss Conway.
At 108-3 the tourists' chase wobbled but Mitchell found an able ally in Latham (56) as the two added 87 for the fourth wicket.
When Mitchell fell caught and bowled off spinner Abrar Ahmed the tourists needed just 48 runs which Latham and Glenn Phillips (20 not out) reduced to ten.
Mitchell hit six boundaries in his knock while Latham's 64-ball innings featured five fours.
Naseem was the pick of an otherwise ineffective Pakistan bowling attack with 2-43 off eight overs.&nbsp;
"It is nice to win tonight," said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner.&nbsp;
"Different guys stepping up at different times is good but it means nothing till we play that first game at the Champions Trophy."
Losing captain Mohammad Rizwan gave credit to New Zealand's bowlers.
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<h2>Lost our way</h2>
"We were looking at a target of 280 plus but their bowlers put a squeeze on us," said Rizwan.&nbsp;
"We ended up 15 runs short as my wicket was crucial and we lost our way."
Earlier, spinners Santner (2-20) and Michael Bracewell (2-38) backed up O'Rourke to ensure Pakistan did not post a big total.
Rizwan top-scored with a 76-ball 46, while Salman Agha hit 45 off 65 balls as slow and variable bounce on the National stadium pitch proved tough for batting.
Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman to O'Rourke in the fourth over for 10 and then Saud Shakeel for eight.
Babar Azam looked good for his 29 runs, hitting four boundaries and a six, and reached 6,000 runs scored in one-day internationals when he was on 10.
He was playing his 123rd innings, the joint fastest to reach the 6,000-run milestone with South African Hashim Amla.
Azam fell to a miscued shot off Nathan Smith, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54-3.
Rizwan and Agha, who shared a match-winning 260-run partnership against South Africa on Wednesday, then revived the innings with an 88-run stand.
Rizwan hit four boundaries and a six but he and Agha fell within 19 runs of each other to end any hope of a challenging total.
Tayyab Tahir hit a 33-ball 38, also with four boundaries and a six, while Faheem Ashraf (22) and Naseem (19) added 39 invaluable runs to get Pakistan past 240.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Cricket: The victory gives the New Zealanders a timely boost ahead of the Champions Trophy opener against the same opponents at this venue on Wednesday.

Pace bowler Will O'Rourke claimed four wickets while Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham hit half centuries as New Zealand defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch the tri-nations series final on Friday. O'Rourke's 4-43 helped the tourists dismiss Pakistan for 242 in 49.3 overs before Mitchell's 58-ball 57 anchored the chase as the Black Caps finished on 243-5 in 45.2 overs at Karachi's National stadium. The victory gives the New Zealanders a timely boost ahead of the Champions Trophy opener against the same opponents at this venue on Wednesday. New Zealand lost opener Will Young in pacer Naseem Shah's first over for five before Devon Conway (48) and Kane Williamson (34) steadied the chase with a second wicket stand of 71. Williamson lost his wicket while charging down the wicket against spinner Salman Agha while Naseem returned for his second spell to dismiss Conway. At 108-3 the tourists' chase wobbled but Mitchell found an able ally in Latham (56) as the two added 87 for the fourth wicket. When Mitchell fell caught and bowled off spinner Abrar Ahmed the tourists needed just 48 runs which Latham and Glenn Phillips (20 not out) reduced to ten. Mitchell hit six boundaries in his knock while Latham's 64-ball innings featured five fours. Naseem was the pick of an otherwise ineffective Pakistan bowling attack with 2-43 off eight overs. "It is nice to win tonight," said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner. "Different guys stepping up at different times is good but it means nothing till we play that first game at the Champions Trophy." Losing captain Mohammad Rizwan gave credit to New Zealand's bowlers. ALSO READ | Logan Paul challenges soccer star Lionel Messi to boxing bout - know all details Lost our way "We were looking at a target of 280 plus but their bowlers put a squeeze on us," said Rizwan. "We ended up 15 runs short as my wicket was crucial and we lost our way." Earlier, spinners Santner (2-20) and Michael Bracewell (2-38) backed up O'Rourke to ensure Pakistan did not post a big total. Rizwan top-scored with a 76-ball 46, while Salman Agha hit 45 off 65 balls as slow and variable bounce on the National stadium pitch proved tough for batting. Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman to O'Rourke in the fourth over for 10 and then Saud Shakeel for eight. Babar Azam looked good for his 29 runs, hitting four boundaries and a six, and reached 6,000 runs scored in one-day internationals when he was on 10. He was playing his 123rd innings, the joint fastest to reach the 6,000-run milestone with South African Hashim Amla. Azam fell to a miscued shot off Nathan Smith, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54-3. Rizwan and Agha, who shared a match-winning 260-run partnership against South Africa on Wednesday, then revived the innings with an 88-run stand. Rizwan hit four boundaries and a six but he and Agha fell within 19 runs of each other to end any hope of a challenging total. Tayyab Tahir hit a 33-ball 38, also with four boundaries and a six, while Faheem Ashraf (22) and Naseem (19) added 39 invaluable runs to get Pakistan past 240. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

PAK vs NZ: Clinical New Zealand thump Pakistan to win tri-nations final ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Australia were handed a reality check before the Champions Trophy 2025 as they lost the ODI series to Sri Lanka 2-0 on Friday (Feb 14). Playing at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Australian batters were all over the place as the 2009 Champions Trophy winners were bowled out for 107 while chasing 282 and thereby lost the match by a massive 174 runs. This comes after they lost the opening ODI of the series by 49 runs.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Sri Lanka humiliate Australia</h2>
Having taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match ODI series, Australia were handed a stern challenge to chase 282 runs to win the second ODI. However, Australia lost wickets at consistent intervals with a patched-up team. Only three batters got into double figures for the Aussies with captain Steve Smith (29), Josh Inglis (22) and Travis Head (18) amongst runs.
No Aussie batter showed any resilience with the bat as Dunith Wellalage (35/4), Wanindu Hasaranga (23/3) and Asitha Fernando (23/3) helped Sri Lanka win the match and the series.
Batting first, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Kusal Mendis (101 off 115) led the charge along with Charith Asalanka (78) as they helped the hosts reach 281/4 in 50 overs. Nishan Madushka (51) and Janith Liyanage (32) also made healthy contributions for Sri Lanka.
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Australia in crisis?</h2>
Australia are facing a crisis before the start of the Champions Trophy 2025 as they will be without frontline bowlers like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Cummins and Hazlewood are nursing injuries while Starc pulled out due to personal reasons. Mitchell Marsh is also not part of the side while Marcus Stoinis also shockingly announced his retirement from the sport. Marnus Labuschagne&rsquo;s form is also a concern for the side as they try to end their 16-year drought for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Sports, Cricket: Playing at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Australia were bowled out for 107 while chasing 282 and thereby lost the match by a massive 174 runs.

Australia were handed a reality check before the Champions Trophy 2025 as they lost the ODI series to Sri Lanka 2-0 on Friday (Feb 14). Playing at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Australian batters were all over the place as the 2009 Champions Trophy winners were bowled out for 107 while chasing 282 and thereby lost the match by a massive 174 runs. This comes after they lost the opening ODI of the series by 49 runs. Sri Lanka humiliate Australia Having taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match ODI series, Australia were handed a stern challenge to chase 282 runs to win the second ODI. However, Australia lost wickets at consistent intervals with a patched-up team. Only three batters got into double figures for the Aussies with captain Steve Smith (29), Josh Inglis (22) and Travis Head (18) amongst runs. No Aussie batter showed any resilience with the bat as Dunith Wellalage (35/4), Wanindu Hasaranga (23/3) and Asitha Fernando (23/3) helped Sri Lanka win the match and the series. Batting first, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (101 off 115) led the charge along with Charith Asalanka (78) as they helped the hosts reach 281/4 in 50 overs. Nishan Madushka (51) and Janith Liyanage (32) also made healthy contributions for Sri Lanka. ALSO READ | Logan Paul challenges soccer star Lionel Messi to boxing bout - know all details Australia in crisis? Australia are facing a crisis before the start of the Champions Trophy 2025 as they will be without frontline bowlers like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Cummins and Hazlewood are nursing injuries while Starc pulled out due to personal reasons. Mitchell Marsh is also not part of the side while Marcus Stoinis also shockingly announced his retirement from the sport. Marnus Labuschagne’s form is also a concern for the side as they try to end their 16-year drought for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Sri Lanka hand reality check to Australia before Champions Trophy 2025, win ODI series 2-0

Team India is all set to begin its Champions Trophy 2025 campaign in less than a week as they bid for their third title in the tournament. The team selection was a close call as batters like Ishan Kishan and later Yashasvi Jaiswal missed the plane despite performing in the domestic circuit. However, one name that stood out was Karun Nair who made a statement in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy but was snubbed in favour of big names. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Nair opens up on CT 2025 snub<o:p></o:p></h2>
According to Nair, chief selector Agarkar had a clear plan for the Champions Trophy squad. Nair's omission comes despite him having an impressive record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which saw him in the conversation for a place in the tournament. However, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant were preferred in the squad.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
"It was good to see that a clear statement was given, and I think he made it very clear that, you know, what their thinking was, which makes it easier for the player to understand where he needs to go and what he needs to do. For me at least, it is just about focusing on the next match and focusing on winning the Ranji Trophy at the moment," Karun Nair told RevSportz in an interview.<o:p></o:p>
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India will open their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on Feb 19 in Dubai before playing against Pakistan on Feb 23. The Men in Blue will then face New Zealand on March 2 at the same venue. <o:p></o:p>
India&rsquo;s squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.<o:p></o:p>
Non-traveling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.

Sports, Cricket: Opening up on his snub, Karun Nair reckons chief selector Ajit Agarkar made a clear statement by failing to make the Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

Team India is all set to begin its Champions Trophy 2025 campaign in less than a week as they bid for their third title in the tournament. The team selection was a close call as batters like Ishan Kishan and later Yashasvi Jaiswal missed the plane despite performing in the domestic circuit. However, one name that stood out was Karun Nair who made a statement in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy but was snubbed in favour of big names. Nair opens up on CT 2025 snub According to Nair, chief selector Agarkar had a clear plan for the Champions Trophy squad. Nair's omission comes despite him having an impressive record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which saw him in the conversation for a place in the tournament. However, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant were preferred in the squad. "It was good to see that a clear statement was given, and I think he made it very clear that, you know, what their thinking was, which makes it easier for the player to understand where he needs to go and what he needs to do. For me at least, it is just about focusing on the next match and focusing on winning the Ranji Trophy at the moment," Karun Nair told RevSportz in an interview. ALSO READ | Logan Paul challenges soccer star Lionel Messi to boxing bout - know all details India will open their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on Feb 19 in Dubai before playing against Pakistan on Feb 23. The Men in Blue will then face New Zealand on March 2 at the same venue. India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy. Non-traveling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.

Karun Nair opens up on Champions Trophy snub, says 'Ajit Agarkar made it very clear'

Australia&rsquo;s Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson&rsquo;s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament. Derailed with injuries, Johnson will have a huge role to play in the Champions Trophy as Australia will be without skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc as they are ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. The Aussie pacer will be one to watch out for as his side bid for the second Champions Trophy title in Pakistan.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Johnson dreams of replicating Starc</h2>
&ldquo;While the ball is swinging, it&rsquo;s (the approach) pitch the ball up and try and hit the stumps,&rdquo; Johnson said after his side&rsquo;s defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening ODI.
&ldquo;Guys like Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Starcy, left-armers who are aggressive, hopefully it&rsquo;s what I can bring to Pakistan. It&rsquo;s something I have pictured in my mind, come in and play a similar role to him (Starc). There was a bit of nerves there. I think I am better for the run, it&rsquo;s only my third ODI, hopefully a few more and I&rsquo;ll be able to replicate some of the stuff he&rsquo;s done,&rdquo; Johnson added.
On Wednesday, Starc decided to pull out of Australia&rsquo;s Champions Trophy squad owing to personal reasons while injury has already seen Cummins and Hazlewood sit out of the tournament. All three pacers have been pivotal to Australia&rsquo;s success in the ODI format having helped them win the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup.
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On the other hand, Johnson has taken his opportunity and so far made the most in the Playing XI. He ended with figures of 44/2 in the opening ODI on Wednesday and vows to bring his best during the Champions Trophy.
Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on Saturday (Feb 22). With Cummins absent, Steve Smith will lead the team from Down Under as they bid for their first Champions Trophy title since 2009.

Sports, Cricket: Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson’s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament.

Australia’s Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson’s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament. Derailed with injuries, Johnson will have a huge role to play in the Champions Trophy as Australia will be without skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc as they are ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. The Aussie pacer will be one to watch out for as his side bid for the second Champions Trophy title in Pakistan. Johnson dreams of replicating Starc “While the ball is swinging, it’s (the approach) pitch the ball up and try and hit the stumps,” Johnson said after his side’s defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening ODI. “Guys like Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Starcy, left-armers who are aggressive, hopefully it’s what I can bring to Pakistan. It’s something I have pictured in my mind, come in and play a similar role to him (Starc). There was a bit of nerves there. I think I am better for the run, it’s only my third ODI, hopefully a few more and I’ll be able to replicate some of the stuff he’s done,” Johnson added. On Wednesday, Starc decided to pull out of Australia’s Champions Trophy squad owing to personal reasons while injury has already seen Cummins and Hazlewood sit out of the tournament. All three pacers have been pivotal to Australia’s success in the ODI format having helped them win the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup. ALSO READ | Kevin Pietersen gobsmacked after England surrender ODI series 3-0, says 'I’m sorry, but I am absolutely...' On the other hand, Johnson has taken his opportunity and so far made the most in the Playing XI. He ended with figures of 44/2 in the opening ODI on Wednesday and vows to bring his best during the Champions Trophy. Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on Saturday (Feb 22). With Cummins absent, Steve Smith will lead the team from Down Under as they bid for their first Champions Trophy title since 2009.

Champions Trophy 2025: Australia's Spencer Johnson dreams of replicating Mitchell Starc

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has hit back at social media critics who doubted the board&rsquo;s ability to complete renovations at Karachi and Lahore stadiums ahead of the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">ICC Champions Trophy</a>, set to begin on February 19.&nbsp;
Over the past month, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket-board">PCB</a> was under lens over the timely completion of these upgrades. Concerns mounted after a bilateral Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh was relocated from Karachi to Rawalpindi last year, and the deadline for renovations was extended.&nbsp;
Many questioned whether Pakistan could complete the necessary work in time.&nbsp;However, the PCB successfully ensured both venues were ready ahead of the tournament. Lahore&rsquo;s Gaddafi Stadium hosted two tri-nation matches featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/south-africa-cricket">South Africa</a>.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/2025-champions-trophy-list-of-players-doubtful-or-ruled-out-of-tournament-bumrah-cummins-hazlewood-rauf-nortje-coetzee-ferguson-bethell-8710335">2025 Champions Trophy: List of players doubtful for or ruled out of tournament - Updated</a>
<h2>'We proved you wrong'</h2>
During the inauguration of the newly renovated Karachi National Bank Stadium on Tuesday, Naqvi took a swipe at critics who doubted the board&rsquo;s efforts.&nbsp;
"We win, you lose. This is for those who claimed on social media that we wouldn't be able to complete the construction. Had we failed, you would have won, but by completing this project, we proved you wrong," Naqvi said, as quoted by Geo News.&nbsp;
He also acknowledged the hard work of labourers and officials who ensured the renovations were completed on time. "I admit that Karachi&rsquo;s stadium now looks better than Lahore&rsquo;s Gaddafi Stadium," he added.&nbsp;
The revamped Karachi National Bank Stadium features a newly constructed pavilion with upgraded dressing rooms for players and match officials, along with premium hospitality rooms. Several other enhancements have also been made to improve both the playing and spectator experience.&nbsp;
The stadium is set to host an ODI tri-nation series match between Pakistan and South Africa on Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Over the past month, PCB was under lens over the timely completion of these upgrades. The PCB successfully ensured both venues were ready ahead of the tournament

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has hit back at social media critics who doubted the board’s ability to complete renovations at Karachi and Lahore stadiums ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, set to begin on February 19. Over the past month, PCB was under lens over the timely completion of these upgrades. Concerns mounted after a bilateral Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh was relocated from Karachi to Rawalpindi last year, and the deadline for renovations was extended. Many questioned whether Pakistan could complete the necessary work in time. However, the PCB successfully ensured both venues were ready ahead of the tournament. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium hosted two tri-nation matches featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa. Also Read: 2025 Champions Trophy: List of players doubtful for or ruled out of tournament - Updated 'We proved you wrong' During the inauguration of the newly renovated Karachi National Bank Stadium on Tuesday, Naqvi took a swipe at critics who doubted the board’s efforts. "We win, you lose. This is for those who claimed on social media that we wouldn't be able to complete the construction. Had we failed, you would have won, but by completing this project, we proved you wrong," Naqvi said, as quoted by Geo News. He also acknowledged the hard work of labourers and officials who ensured the renovations were completed on time. "I admit that Karachi’s stadium now looks better than Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium," he added. The revamped Karachi National Bank Stadium features a newly constructed pavilion with upgraded dressing rooms for players and match officials, along with premium hospitality rooms. Several other enhancements have also been made to improve both the playing and spectator experience. The stadium is set to host an ODI tri-nation series match between Pakistan and South Africa on Wednesday. (With inputs from agencies)

‘We win, you lose’: PCB Chairman hits back at social media trolls

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma failed to build on his Cuttack heroics as he was dismissed for just 1 by England bowler Mark Wood in the third ODI in Ahmedabad. Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rohit was sent packing quickly by Mark Wood. Needing just 14 runs to reach 11,000 ODI runs, the Indian captain will next take the field in the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Rohit Sharma departs cheaply</h2>
After playing a match-winning 119-run knock in Cuttack, Rohit fell prey to Mark Wood on the first ball of his spell in the second over. In a ball moving away from the body, Rohit did not judge the flight and was caught by wicketkeeper Phil Salt and departed early.
He had faced plenty of criticism in the build-up to the Champions Trophy for lack of form and inconsistency. However, just when the situation had eased, the 37-year-old had another poor showing.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-trophy-2025-jasprit-bumrah-ruled-out-due-to-back-injury-harshit-rana-roped-in-as-replacement-8712214" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to back injury; Harshit Rana roped in as replacement</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">India recover after poor start</h2>
With India 6/1 after Rohit&rsquo;s dismissal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli helped India back into the contest. At the time of writing, India were 120/1 with Gill playing on 60 and Kohli also slamming a fifty with an unbeaten 52. The pair had stitched an unbeaten partnership of 115 runs as India looked set for a big total.
Interestingly, England had asked India to bat first having won the toss as it looked to avoid a clean sweep. India currently lead the series 2-0 and have momentum heading into the Champions Trophy 2025 which begins on February 19.

Sports, Cricket: Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rohit Sharma was expected to build on his match-winning knock in Cuttack but was dismissed for 1 by Mark Wood. 

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma failed to build on his Cuttack heroics as he was dismissed for just 1 by England bowler Mark Wood in the third ODI in Ahmedabad. Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rohit was sent packing quickly by Mark Wood. Needing just 14 runs to reach 11,000 ODI runs, the Indian captain will next take the field in the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. Rohit Sharma departs cheaply After playing a match-winning 119-run knock in Cuttack, Rohit fell prey to Mark Wood on the first ball of his spell in the second over. In a ball moving away from the body, Rohit did not judge the flight and was caught by wicketkeeper Phil Salt and departed early. He had faced plenty of criticism in the build-up to the Champions Trophy for lack of form and inconsistency. However, just when the situation had eased, the 37-year-old had another poor showing. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to back injury; Harshit Rana roped in as replacement India recover after poor start With India 6/1 after Rohit’s dismissal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli helped India back into the contest. At the time of writing, India were 120/1 with Gill playing on 60 and Kohli also slamming a fifty with an unbeaten 52. The pair had stitched an unbeaten partnership of 115 runs as India looked set for a big total. Interestingly, England had asked India to bat first having won the toss as it looked to avoid a clean sweep. India currently lead the series 2-0 and have momentum heading into the Champions Trophy 2025 which begins on February 19.

IND vs ENG, 3rd ODI: Rohit Sharma fails after Cuttack heroics, dismissed for 1 by Mark Wood

Australia have been dealt another blow in their Champions Trophy 2025 preparations after star bowler Mitchell Starc pulled out of the tournament owing to personal reasons on Wednesday (Feb 12). The information was confirmed by Cricket Australia&rsquo;s (CA) chief selector George Bailey who added that he respected the player&rsquo;s decision. This comes after skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had already been ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury concerns. In another major development, Steve Smith has been named captain of the ODI side for the Champions Trophy 2025 ahead of Travis Head.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Starc pulls out of Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
"We understand and respect Mitch&rsquo;s decision,&rdquo; chair of the national selection panel Bailey said on Wednesday.
"Mitch is deeply respected for his commitment to international cricket and the priority he places on performing for Australia.
"His well-documented ability to play through pain and adversity, as well as forgoing opportunities in other parts of his career to put his country first should be applauded.&rdquo;
Starc pulling out of the Champions Trophy means Australia will have to do without their three frontline pace bowlers as they are already without Cummins and Hazlewood. The trio was instrumental in Australia&rsquo;s 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup success, but will now have to rely on other options.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-trophy-2025-jasprit-bumrah-ruled-out-due-to-back-injury-harshit-rana-roped-in-as-replacement-8712214" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to back injury; Harshit Rana roped in as replacement</a>
On the other hand, former skipper Smith won the race to lead the side in the Champions Trophy ahead of Head. The 35-year-old has tonnes of experience in the leadership role and is bidding to become the second captain after Ricky Ponting to win the Champions Trophy for Australia. Ponting led Australia in the 2009 campaign, which remains their sole title in the coveted ICC tournament.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Australia Champions Trophy squad</h2>
Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey,&nbsp; Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.

Sports, Cricket: Australia were dealt another blow in their Champions Trophy 2025 preparations after Mitchell Starc pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons. 

Australia have been dealt another blow in their Champions Trophy 2025 preparations after star bowler Mitchell Starc pulled out of the tournament owing to personal reasons on Wednesday (Feb 12). The information was confirmed by Cricket Australia’s (CA) chief selector George Bailey who added that he respected the player’s decision. This comes after skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had already been ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury concerns. In another major development, Steve Smith has been named captain of the ODI side for the Champions Trophy 2025 ahead of Travis Head. Starc pulls out of Champions Trophy 2025 "We understand and respect Mitch’s decision,” chair of the national selection panel Bailey said on Wednesday. "Mitch is deeply respected for his commitment to international cricket and the priority he places on performing for Australia. "His well-documented ability to play through pain and adversity, as well as forgoing opportunities in other parts of his career to put his country first should be applauded.” Starc pulling out of the Champions Trophy means Australia will have to do without their three frontline pace bowlers as they are already without Cummins and Hazlewood. The trio was instrumental in Australia’s 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup success, but will now have to rely on other options. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to back injury; Harshit Rana roped in as replacement On the other hand, former skipper Smith won the race to lead the side in the Champions Trophy ahead of Head. The 35-year-old has tonnes of experience in the leadership role and is bidding to become the second captain after Ricky Ponting to win the Champions Trophy for Australia. Ponting led Australia in the 2009 campaign, which remains their sole title in the coveted ICC tournament. Australia Champions Trophy squad Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.

Champions Trophy 2025: Mitchell Starc pulls out in another major blow for Australia; Steve Smith to lead

West Indies legend <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chris-gayle">Chris Gayle</a> has thrown his support behind India skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>, calling him a 'world-class' batter who is poised to deliver big performances in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played later this month in Pakistan and Dubai.
Rohit, who faced a lean patch in the Test series against New Zealand (home) and Australia (away), struggled in the first ODI against England in Nagpur. However, he roared back to form with a match-winning 119-run knock in India's four-wicket victory in Cuttack on Sunday.
During his 32nd ODI century, Rohit hammered seven sixes, surpassing Gayle to become the second-most six-hitter in ODI cricket with 338 maximums.
"Rohit is a world-class player. He has multiple double-centuries in ODIs. He&rsquo;s the Hitman and now holds the record for the most sixes in ODI cricket. He just scored a century the other day. I know he had a tough Test series, but great players always bounce back," Gayle was quoted as saying by IANS.
<h2>Rohit Sharma on His Comeback</h2>
Speaking after his century in Cuttack, Rohit acknowledged his form and credited his mindset for helping him regain his touch.&nbsp;"When you&rsquo;ve played for years and scored so many runs, it means something," Rohit said in a BCCI video.
"I&rsquo;ve been in this game long enough to understand what&rsquo;s required of me. It&rsquo;s just about going out there and playing my game. Today was one of those days where I did what I do best. One or two knocks don&rsquo;t change my mindset&mdash;I just focus on giving my best every time I step onto the field."
After the third ODI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, India will shift their focus to the Champions Trophy, where they will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy 2025</a> is all set to start from February 19 in Pakistan. This is the first time since 1996 ODI World Cup that Pakistan are hosting an ICC tournament.They had co-hosted the 1996 ODI WC along with India and Sri Lanka.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: After the second ODI at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Rohit acknowledged his contribution to the team and backed his mindset to regain his touch

West Indies legend Chris Gayle has thrown his support behind India skipper Rohit Sharma, calling him a 'world-class' batter who is poised to deliver big performances in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played later this month in Pakistan and Dubai. Rohit, who faced a lean patch in the Test series against New Zealand (home) and Australia (away), struggled in the first ODI against England in Nagpur. However, he roared back to form with a match-winning 119-run knock in India's four-wicket victory in Cuttack on Sunday. During his 32nd ODI century, Rohit hammered seven sixes, surpassing Gayle to become the second-most six-hitter in ODI cricket with 338 maximums. "Rohit is a world-class player. He has multiple double-centuries in ODIs. He’s the Hitman and now holds the record for the most sixes in ODI cricket. He just scored a century the other day. I know he had a tough Test series, but great players always bounce back," Gayle was quoted as saying by IANS. Rohit Sharma on His Comeback Speaking after his century in Cuttack, Rohit acknowledged his form and credited his mindset for helping him regain his touch. "When you’ve played for years and scored so many runs, it means something," Rohit said in a BCCI video. "I’ve been in this game long enough to understand what’s required of me. It’s just about going out there and playing my game. Today was one of those days where I did what I do best. One or two knocks don’t change my mindset—I just focus on giving my best every time I step onto the field." After the third ODI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, India will shift their focus to the Champions Trophy, where they will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to start from February 19 in Pakistan. This is the first time since 1996 ODI World Cup that Pakistan are hosting an ICC tournament.They had co-hosted the 1996 ODI WC along with India and Sri Lanka. (With inputs from agencies)

'Rohit Sharma is a...', says West Indies batter & 2004 Champions Trophy winner

The selectors of the Indian cricket team will have a tough decision on their hands as they have to submit the final squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Feb 11). With India sweating on the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah, the selectors panel led by Ajit Agarkar will have to take a call on the star bowler&rsquo;s fitness. In case Bumrah is not available, the Indian side is likely to pick Varun Chakravarthy in the final 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Bumrah or Chakravarthy?<o:p></o:p></h2>
The ICC&rsquo;s deadline to submit the final 15-member squad is on Tuesday, meaning the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its selectors will no longer be allowed to make changes (unless an injury or unavoidable situation arises). According to reports, Bumrah&rsquo;s selection in the final squad is a tight call after he had scans on a back injury at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) last week. The star bowler has not played since the Sydney Test in January when he left the field on the final day. <o:p></o:p>
On the other hand, Varun Chakravarthy has taken the spotlight with Player of the Series performances in the England T20I series. His game has caught the eye of the selectors, which saw him get drafted into the ODI side. He made his debut for India in the ODIs in Cuttack and ended with figures of 54/1.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/comeback-loading-shardul-thakur-confident-of-india-return-8708411" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Comeback loading? Shardul Thakur confident of India return</a> 
He comes in handy with the bat as well and was one of the expensive players in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp, having been retained for $1.6mn (INR 140 million). <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">India&rsquo;s current Champions Trophy 2025 squad<o:p></o:p></h2>
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Cricket: The selectors of the Indian cricket team will have a tough decision on their hands as they have to submit the final squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday.

The selectors of the Indian cricket team will have a tough decision on their hands as they have to submit the final squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Feb 11). With India sweating on the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah, the selectors panel led by Ajit Agarkar will have to take a call on the star bowler’s fitness. In case Bumrah is not available, the Indian side is likely to pick Varun Chakravarthy in the final 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. Bumrah or Chakravarthy? The ICC’s deadline to submit the final 15-member squad is on Tuesday, meaning the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its selectors will no longer be allowed to make changes (unless an injury or unavoidable situation arises). According to reports, Bumrah’s selection in the final squad is a tight call after he had scans on a back injury at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) last week. The star bowler has not played since the Sydney Test in January when he left the field on the final day. On the other hand, Varun Chakravarthy has taken the spotlight with Player of the Series performances in the England T20I series. His game has caught the eye of the selectors, which saw him get drafted into the ODI side. He made his debut for India in the ODIs in Cuttack and ended with figures of 54/1. ALSO READ | Comeback loading? Shardul Thakur confident of India return He comes in handy with the bat as well and was one of the expensive players in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp, having been retained for $1.6mn (INR 140 million). India’s current Champions Trophy 2025 squad Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.

Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah or Varun Chakravarthy? Indian selectors to take call on deadline day

Former Australian captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting">Ricky Ponting</a> has emphasised the impact of Saim Ayub&rsquo;s absence from Pakistan&rsquo;s squad for the 2025 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a>.&nbsp;The young batter has been ruled out due to injury, posing a challenge for the defending champions as they prepare for the marquee tournament.
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket-board">Pakistan Cricket Board</a> (PCB) confirmed Ayub&rsquo;s injury setback, leaving a significant gap in the team&rsquo;s batting lineup. However, there remains a possibility that he could recover in time for Pakistan&rsquo;s white-ball tour of New Zealand in March 2025.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-india-will-need-both-rohit-and-virat-to-fire-to-win-says-sls-1996-wc-winner-8707994">Champions Trophy 2025: India will need both Rohit and Virat to fire to win', says SL's 1996 WC winner</a> Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting described Ayub as a "high-quality player" and acknowledged the difficulties Pakistan will face without him. He also praised Pakistan&rsquo;s formidable fast bowling unit, led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, for their recent performances.
&ldquo;Saim Ayub is a high-quality player, and his absence is a massive gap to fill,&rdquo; Ponting noted. &ldquo;But Pakistan&rsquo;s fast bowling brigade is very, very good. Led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, they have the pace and skill to trouble any batting lineup.&rdquo;
<h2>'With Babar &amp; Rizwan, Pak can be incredibly dangerous'&nbsp;</h2>
Ponting also highlighted the importance of experienced players <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/babar-azam">Babar Azam</a> and Mohammad Rizwan stepping up in the tournament, stating that Pakistan becomes "incredibly dangerous" when they are at their best.
"Babar has been a bit up and down in recent years, but if he and Rizwan can bring their A-games, that&rsquo;s when Pakistan becomes incredibly dangerous," he said.
Discussing Pakistan&rsquo;s home advantage, Ponting noted that playing in front of a passionate crowd could serve as both motivation and pressure.
"The pressure of playing at home can work both ways. It can be a real motivator, especially with the home crowd behind you. That support can sometimes help you cross the line in big moments," he added. "They still have enough high-quality players to beat any team on any given day. If they play well, they&rsquo;ll be right in it."
Pakistan will begin their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand in the curtain-raiser at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on February 19. Their much-anticipated clash with archrivals India is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai, followed by their final group-stage fixture against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports:  The young batter has been ruled out due to injury, posing a challenge for the defending champions as they prepare for the marquee tournament

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has emphasised the impact of Saim Ayub’s absence from Pakistan’s squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The young batter has been ruled out due to injury, posing a challenge for the defending champions as they prepare for the marquee tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Ayub’s injury setback, leaving a significant gap in the team’s batting lineup. However, there remains a possibility that he could recover in time for Pakistan’s white-ball tour of New Zealand in March 2025. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: India will need both Rohit and Virat to fire to win', says SL's 1996 WC winner Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting described Ayub as a "high-quality player" and acknowledged the difficulties Pakistan will face without him. He also praised Pakistan’s formidable fast bowling unit, led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, for their recent performances. “Saim Ayub is a high-quality player, and his absence is a massive gap to fill,” Ponting noted. “But Pakistan’s fast bowling brigade is very, very good. Led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, they have the pace and skill to trouble any batting lineup.” 'With Babar & Rizwan, Pak can be incredibly dangerous' Ponting also highlighted the importance of experienced players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan stepping up in the tournament, stating that Pakistan becomes "incredibly dangerous" when they are at their best. "Babar has been a bit up and down in recent years, but if he and Rizwan can bring their A-games, that’s when Pakistan becomes incredibly dangerous," he said. Discussing Pakistan’s home advantage, Ponting noted that playing in front of a passionate crowd could serve as both motivation and pressure. "The pressure of playing at home can work both ways. It can be a real motivator, especially with the home crowd behind you. That support can sometimes help you cross the line in big moments," he added. "They still have enough high-quality players to beat any team on any given day. If they play well, they’ll be right in it." Pakistan will begin their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand in the curtain-raiser at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on February 19. Their much-anticipated clash with archrivals India is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai, followed by their final group-stage fixture against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Ponting highlights Saim Ayub’s absence as key factor for Pakistan

Former World Cup winners <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-shastri" rel="dofollow">Ravi Shastri</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting" rel="dofollow">Ricky Ponting</a> have warned all participating teams against discounting Pakistan in the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a> starting February 19. While Shastri has backed the hosts to go deep into the tournament, expecting them to qualify for the semis, Ponting feels their pace attack, backed with several match winners in the batting line-up, can come in handy for them in the first showpiece event of the year.
Pakistan named their final 15-man squad for the eight-team tournament, with gloveman Mohammad Rizwan leading the side. Shaheen Afridi will spearhead the pace attack, with the seasoned duo of Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf also picked. While the selectors picked out-of-contract batter Fakhar Zaman in injured opener Saim Ayub's absence, Pakistan would pin hopes on star batter Babar Azam to find the Midas touch in the home tournament.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/england-register-unwanted-record-after-cuttack-odi-loss-becomes-team-with-most-8706467" rel="dofollow">England register unwanted record after Cuttack ODI loss, becomes team with most...</a>
Speaking highly of Pakistan, knowing the gravity of the damage they can do on their day, Shastri said, "There&rsquo;s always pressure when you play at home in the subcontinent &ndash; whether it&rsquo;s India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Pakistan &ndash; the expectations are massive.
&ldquo;But, I think Pakistan are the kind of side that, with the exposure they&rsquo;ve had in the last six to eight months in white-ball cricket, have put up some really strong performances, especially in South Africa.&nbsp;They've missed Ayub at the top, and he&rsquo;s a crucial player."&nbsp;
"But Pakistan have enough depth to be dangerous, especially in home conditions. I would say they should qualify for the semi-finals, and from there, it&rsquo;s anyone&rsquo;s game.&nbsp;Pakistan are still very, very dangerous, and if they qualify, they&rsquo;ll be doubly more dangerous," Shastri said in a conversation on The ICC Review.
<h2>Ponting echoes same words</h2>
Having played and won (2006 and 2009) a few editions of the ICC Champions Trophy during his time, Ponting expressed the same feelings over what to expect out of Pakistan in this multi-team tournament.
"I agree with Ravi. Saim Ayub is a high-quality player, and his absence is a massive gap to fill. But Pakistan&rsquo;s fast bowling brigade is very, very good. Led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who&rsquo;ve been terrific in recent series, they have the pace and skill to trouble any batting line-up,&rdquo; Ponting said in a chat with The ICC Review.&nbsp;
"Babar has been a bit up and down in recent years, but if he and Rizwan can bring their A-games, that&rsquo;s when Pakistan becomes incredibly dangerous," Ponting continued.
Meanwhile, Ponting also said that the pressure of playing at home can work both ways, motivating one to cross the line in big games or putting the hosts under pressure. &nbsp;
"The pressure of playing at home can work both ways. It can be a real motivator, especially with the home crowd behind you. That support can sometimes help you cross the line in big moments."&nbsp;
"They&rsquo;ve still got enough high-quality players to beat any team on any given day," he said. "If they play well, they&rsquo;ll be right in it,&rdquo; he concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: While Shastri backs the hosts to go deep into the tournament, Ponting feels their pace attack can come in handy for them in the first showpiece event of the year.

Former World Cup winners Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting have warned all participating teams against discounting Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 starting February 19. While Shastri has backed the hosts to go deep into the tournament, expecting them to qualify for the semis, Ponting feels their pace attack, backed with several match winners in the batting line-up, can come in handy for them in the first showpiece event of the year. Pakistan named their final 15-man squad for the eight-team tournament, with gloveman Mohammad Rizwan leading the side. Shaheen Afridi will spearhead the pace attack, with the seasoned duo of Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf also picked. While the selectors picked out-of-contract batter Fakhar Zaman in injured opener Saim Ayub's absence, Pakistan would pin hopes on star batter Babar Azam to find the Midas touch in the home tournament. Also read | England register unwanted record after Cuttack ODI loss, becomes team with most... Speaking highly of Pakistan, knowing the gravity of the damage they can do on their day, Shastri said, "There’s always pressure when you play at home in the subcontinent – whether it’s India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Pakistan – the expectations are massive. “But, I think Pakistan are the kind of side that, with the exposure they’ve had in the last six to eight months in white-ball cricket, have put up some really strong performances, especially in South Africa. They've missed Ayub at the top, and he’s a crucial player." "But Pakistan have enough depth to be dangerous, especially in home conditions. I would say they should qualify for the semi-finals, and from there, it’s anyone’s game. Pakistan are still very, very dangerous, and if they qualify, they’ll be doubly more dangerous," Shastri said in a conversation on The ICC Review. Ponting echoes same words Having played and won (2006 and 2009) a few editions of the ICC Champions Trophy during his time, Ponting expressed the same feelings over what to expect out of Pakistan in this multi-team tournament. "I agree with Ravi. Saim Ayub is a high-quality player, and his absence is a massive gap to fill. But Pakistan’s fast bowling brigade is very, very good. Led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who’ve been terrific in recent series, they have the pace and skill to trouble any batting line-up,” Ponting said in a chat with The ICC Review. "Babar has been a bit up and down in recent years, but if he and Rizwan can bring their A-games, that’s when Pakistan becomes incredibly dangerous," Ponting continued. Meanwhile, Ponting also said that the pressure of playing at home can work both ways, motivating one to cross the line in big games or putting the hosts under pressure. "The pressure of playing at home can work both ways. It can be a real motivator, especially with the home crowd behind you. That support can sometimes help you cross the line in big moments." "They’ve still got enough high-quality players to beat any team on any given day," he said. "If they play well, they’ll be right in it,” he concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

Shastri, Ponting warn teams against discounting Pakistan in Champions Trophy

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/fakhar-zaman">Fakhar Zaman</a> arrived at the ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2017 without a single ODI cap to his name. By the time he returned to Pakistan, he had become a national hero, with fans travelling hundreds of kilometres just for a chance to take a picture with him.
Now, eight years later, the left-handed opener is set to return to the Pakistan team on home soil as the prestigious tournament makes its comeback. He will be looking to recreate the magic of 2017, when he turned a dream debut into a historic final-winning performance against India.
Fakhar was not part of the playing XI at the start of the tournament, but once given the opportunity, he made an immediate impact. His defining moment came in the final against India at the Oval, where he scored a sensational 114 off 106 balls, helping Pakistan post a formidable total of 338 for four in 50 overs.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/going-to-australia-to-learn-those-coaching-sls-karunaratne-hints-at-new-career-following-international-retirement-8704808">"Going to Australia to learn...": SL's Karunaratne hints at new career following international retirement</a> His innings might have been cut short early when he was caught off Jasprit Bumrah&rsquo;s bowling on just three runs. However, fortune favoured him as the third umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, confirmed it was a no-ball.
&ldquo;I remember talking to Shadab (Khan) about how great it would be to get out on a no-ball. It was just a random thought because every time I get out, I always look at the umpire, hoping for some kind of review. But it never happens.&rdquo;
&ldquo;That day, when I was walking back, I heard Kumar Dharmasena call out, &lsquo;Wait there.&rsquo; I was halfway off the field, and the moment I saw it was a no-ball, I knew it was my day,&rdquo; Fakhar recalled in an interview with the ICC.
It certainly was. He was named Player of the Match as Pakistan crushed India by 180 runs, with Mohammad Amir dismantling India&rsquo;s dangerous top order in a clinical bowling display.
Although Fakhar entered the tournament with modest expectations, the belief within the Pakistan camp never wavered. The turning point came after a tense three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the group stage, which ignited confidence within the squad that they could go all the way.
<h2>'Sarfaraz believed we could win'</h2>
&ldquo;Myself and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sarfaraz-ahmed">Sarfaraz</a> (Ahmed, the captain) had played club cricket together in Karachi. After the group stage, there was a big tournament happening in Karachi, and I told Sarfaraz, &lsquo;We will be playing in Pakistan soon.&rsquo; He looked at me and said, &lsquo;No, we&rsquo;ll return to Pakistan with the Champions Trophy.&rsquo;
&ldquo;At that moment, I thought he had lost his senses. But the confidence of our leadership&mdash;Sarfaraz and Mickey Arthur&mdash;never wavered. Even after our opening defeat to India, they kept telling us we would win the trophy.&rdquo;
Pakistan&rsquo;s belief only grew stronger after their dominant eight-wicket victory over England in the semi-finals. Their bowlers executed a masterful performance in Cardiff, dismantling the previously dominant English batting lineup.
That win set up a dream final against India, a match that Fakhar almost missed. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t feeling well the day before the game. I told Mickey Arthur that I wouldn&rsquo;t be able to play. He just looked at me and said, &lsquo;Go out there and get a first-ball duck, it doesn&rsquo;t matter&mdash;you have to play.&rsquo;
&ldquo;I barely slept that night, but Mickey insisted I play. Looking back, I&rsquo;m so grateful he did.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The left-handed opening batter will make his return to the Pakistan team on home soil when the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 starts on February 19.

Fakhar Zaman arrived at the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 without a single ODI cap to his name. By the time he returned to Pakistan, he had become a national hero, with fans travelling hundreds of kilometres just for a chance to take a picture with him. Now, eight years later, the left-handed opener is set to return to the Pakistan team on home soil as the prestigious tournament makes its comeback. He will be looking to recreate the magic of 2017, when he turned a dream debut into a historic final-winning performance against India. Fakhar was not part of the playing XI at the start of the tournament, but once given the opportunity, he made an immediate impact. His defining moment came in the final against India at the Oval, where he scored a sensational 114 off 106 balls, helping Pakistan post a formidable total of 338 for four in 50 overs. Also Read: "Going to Australia to learn...": SL's Karunaratne hints at new career following international retirement His innings might have been cut short early when he was caught off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling on just three runs. However, fortune favoured him as the third umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, confirmed it was a no-ball. “I remember talking to Shadab (Khan) about how great it would be to get out on a no-ball. It was just a random thought because every time I get out, I always look at the umpire, hoping for some kind of review. But it never happens.” “That day, when I was walking back, I heard Kumar Dharmasena call out, ‘Wait there.’ I was halfway off the field, and the moment I saw it was a no-ball, I knew it was my day,” Fakhar recalled in an interview with the ICC. It certainly was. He was named Player of the Match as Pakistan crushed India by 180 runs, with Mohammad Amir dismantling India’s dangerous top order in a clinical bowling display. Although Fakhar entered the tournament with modest expectations, the belief within the Pakistan camp never wavered. The turning point came after a tense three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the group stage, which ignited confidence within the squad that they could go all the way. 'Sarfaraz believed we could win' “Myself and Sarfaraz (Ahmed, the captain) had played club cricket together in Karachi. After the group stage, there was a big tournament happening in Karachi, and I told Sarfaraz, ‘We will be playing in Pakistan soon.’ He looked at me and said, ‘No, we’ll return to Pakistan with the Champions Trophy.’ “At that moment, I thought he had lost his senses. But the confidence of our leadership—Sarfaraz and Mickey Arthur—never wavered. Even after our opening defeat to India, they kept telling us we would win the trophy.” Pakistan’s belief only grew stronger after their dominant eight-wicket victory over England in the semi-finals. Their bowlers executed a masterful performance in Cardiff, dismantling the previously dominant English batting lineup. That win set up a dream final against India, a match that Fakhar almost missed. “I wasn’t feeling well the day before the game. I told Mickey Arthur that I wouldn’t be able to play. He just looked at me and said, ‘Go out there and get a first-ball duck, it doesn’t matter—you have to play.’ “I barely slept that night, but Mickey insisted I play. Looking back, I’m so grateful he did.” (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: ‘I thought maybe...’: Fakhar Zaman recalls Pakistan's triumph

Two days after playing a mature knock against India in the Nagpur ODI, rookie England all-rounder Jacob Bethell suffered a hamstring injury, getting ruled out of the ongoing second match in Cuttack, with the visitors calling up Somerset batter Tom Banton as his cover for the third ODI in Ahmedabad. His injury, however, has also cast doubts over his participation in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a> starting February 19 in Pakistan.
Jacob has been a star emerging player for England since his all-format debut, having succeeded in the longer formats. His inclusion in the One-Day side boosted England&rsquo;s middle order, and given how he performed under pressure in the series opener, his absence could hurt England that are already without Ben Stokes for workload management.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-odi-shreyas-iyer-or-yashasvi-jaiswal-who-sits-out-when-virat-kohli-returns-to-playing-xi-in-cuttack-8703976" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Iyer or Jaiswal, who sits out when Kohli returns to playing XI in Cuttack?</a>
Meanwhile, Banton is called up as his cover for the final One-Dayer, and upon assessing Bethell&rsquo;s injury ahead of the 3rd ODI on Wednesday (Feb 12), the England team management could extend his stay for the eight-team tournament if needed.
The right-handed batter last played for England five years ago in 2020, and been in outstanding form in the franchise cricket lately. Banton, a keeper-batter, is the leading run-scorer in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/international-league-t20" rel="dofollow">ILT20 competition</a> in the UAE, having amassed 493 runs from 11 innings, averaging 54.77, including two hundreds and three fifties. Per an ECB presser, Banton will link up with the England squad on Monday in India.
<h2>Changes to the XIs for both teams</h2>
While England made three changes, including a forced one in Jacob Bethell, India made two, with Virat Kohli&rsquo;s inclusion being the biggest.&nbsp;
England also rested seamers Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer, replacing them with Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, with Jamie Overton playing ahead of Bethell.&nbsp;On the other hand, India sat out Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut in the previous game, with Kohli replacing him while handing a maiden One-Day cap to mystery spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy" rel="dofollow">Varun Chakaravarthy</a>, who replaced seasoned spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt added 81 for the first wicket before the debutant Varun removed the gloveman on 26, caught by Ravindra Jadeja. By the 15th over, Duckett had completed his fifty, with England also closing in on the 100-run mark for one wicket.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, England lost the five-match T20Is (1-4) and the first One-Dayer by four wickets, with the Cuttack game being the must-win.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: Tom Banton is called up as his cover for the final One-Dayer, and upon assessing Bethell’s injury ahead of the 3rd ODI on Wednesday (Feb 12).

Two days after playing a mature knock against India in the Nagpur ODI, rookie England all-rounder Jacob Bethell suffered a hamstring injury, getting ruled out of the ongoing second match in Cuttack, with the visitors calling up Somerset batter Tom Banton as his cover for the third ODI in Ahmedabad. His injury, however, has also cast doubts over his participation in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 starting February 19 in Pakistan. Jacob has been a star emerging player for England since his all-format debut, having succeeded in the longer formats. His inclusion in the One-Day side boosted England’s middle order, and given how he performed under pressure in the series opener, his absence could hurt England that are already without Ben Stokes for workload management. Also read | IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Iyer or Jaiswal, who sits out when Kohli returns to playing XI in Cuttack? Meanwhile, Banton is called up as his cover for the final One-Dayer, and upon assessing Bethell’s injury ahead of the 3rd ODI on Wednesday (Feb 12), the England team management could extend his stay for the eight-team tournament if needed. The right-handed batter last played for England five years ago in 2020, and been in outstanding form in the franchise cricket lately. Banton, a keeper-batter, is the leading run-scorer in the ILT20 competition in the UAE, having amassed 493 runs from 11 innings, averaging 54.77, including two hundreds and three fifties. Per an ECB presser, Banton will link up with the England squad on Monday in India. Changes to the XIs for both teams While England made three changes, including a forced one in Jacob Bethell, India made two, with Virat Kohli’s inclusion being the biggest. England also rested seamers Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer, replacing them with Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, with Jamie Overton playing ahead of Bethell. On the other hand, India sat out Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut in the previous game, with Kohli replacing him while handing a maiden One-Day cap to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who replaced seasoned spinner Kuldeep Yadav. England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt added 81 for the first wicket before the debutant Varun removed the gloveman on 26, caught by Ravindra Jadeja. By the 15th over, Duckett had completed his fifty, with England also closing in on the 100-run mark for one wicket. Meanwhile, England lost the five-match T20Is (1-4) and the first One-Dayer by four wickets, with the Cuttack game being the must-win. (With inputs from agencies)

Massive blow to England as Jacob Bethell doubtful for 3rd ODI, Champions Trophy

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australia-cricket">Australia cricket team</a> captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pat-cummins">Pat Cummins</a> and his wife Becky have been blessed with a baby girl. They have named her Edi and she is the couple's second child.
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&ldquo;She&rsquo;s here. Our beautiful baby girl, Edi &hellip; Words can&rsquo;t describe how overjoyed &amp; full of love we feel right now," Becky Cummins shared on her Instagram account.
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Notably, Cummins had taken paternity leave for the birth of Edi and as a result, is not leading the Kangaroos during the ongoing Sri Lanka series. The Australia skipper has been vocal about the need to prioritise family time along with cricket.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohan-jaitley-frontrunner-for-bccis-joint-secretary-post-sgm-on-march-1-8701050">Rohan Jaitley frontrunner for BCCI's Joint Secretary post, SGM on March 1</a> Speaking in October, Cummins had said, &ldquo;I missed a big chunk [of son Albie&rsquo;s early days] last time and I want to work out how we can spend a bit more time at home for that initial period this time around,&rdquo;&nbsp;
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&ldquo;Within reason, no one is ever going to bat an eyelid if someone needs to put their family first&hellip;We&rsquo;re playing cricket, it&rsquo;s not the end of the world, so we want people to have long, successful careers for Australia, and you can&rsquo;t just ask them to put their life on hold to go tour the world and forget about everything else. We&rsquo;re pretty open when it comes to family," the Australian captain added.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW212687527 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1869724648" paraeid="{44ba0ef2-98ed-4501-9878-517f0680cdec}{147}">Cummins out of Champions Trophy 2025&nbsp;</h2>
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Pat Cummins is yet to recover from the ankle niggle that frustrated him during the end of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India which has led him to being ruled out of the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> starting next month.&nbsp;
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"Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven't come up in time for the Champions Trophy," national selection panel chairman George Bailey announced earlier this week.&nbsp;
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The absence of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh will open the doors for Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson, both of whom were not included in the tour of Sri Lanka. Post the two-match Test series, Australia will play a one-off ODI before flying to Pakistan for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a> Champions Trophy 2025.&nbsp;
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(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Pat Cummins and his wife Becky welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Edi. Cummins is currently on paternity leave, prioritizing family time

Australia cricket team captain Pat Cummins and his wife Becky have been blessed with a baby girl. They have named her Edi and she is the couple's second child. “She’s here. Our beautiful baby girl, Edi … Words can’t describe how overjoyed & full of love we feel right now," Becky Cummins shared on her Instagram account. Notably, Cummins had taken paternity leave for the birth of Edi and as a result, is not leading the Kangaroos during the ongoing Sri Lanka series. The Australia skipper has been vocal about the need to prioritise family time along with cricket. Also Read: Rohan Jaitley frontrunner for BCCI's Joint Secretary post, SGM on March 1 Speaking in October, Cummins had said, “I missed a big chunk [of son Albie’s early days] last time and I want to work out how we can spend a bit more time at home for that initial period this time around,” “Within reason, no one is ever going to bat an eyelid if someone needs to put their family first…We’re playing cricket, it’s not the end of the world, so we want people to have long, successful careers for Australia, and you can’t just ask them to put their life on hold to go tour the world and forget about everything else. We’re pretty open when it comes to family," the Australian captain added. Cummins out of Champions Trophy 2025 Pat Cummins is yet to recover from the ankle niggle that frustrated him during the end of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India which has led him to being ruled out of the upcoming Champions Trophy starting next month. "Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven't come up in time for the Champions Trophy," national selection panel chairman George Bailey announced earlier this week. The absence of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh will open the doors for Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson, both of whom were not included in the tour of Sri Lanka. Post the two-match Test series, Australia will play a one-off ODI before flying to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Injured Australia skipper Pat Cummins welcomes second child

Former India spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravichandran-ashwin">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> believes <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> finds himself in a 'catch-22 situation' amid his struggles with form and insists the India skipper must silence his critics with strong performances ahead of the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a>.
Rohit, who opted out of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia due to poor form, made his return to international cricket in the first ODI against England in Nagpur but managed just two runs after a month-long break.
"This isn't easy. From Rohit's perspective, it must be frustrating. He wants to focus on the series, knowing he has performed well in this format and wants to continue that momentum," Ashwin shared on his YouTube channel.
"But questions will be asked. People watching the game will raise concerns. It&rsquo;s a catch-22 situation&mdash;these questions won&rsquo;t stop unless he delivers with the bat," he added.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/live-2025-champions-trophy-check-icc-champions-trophy-2025-latest-news-and-updates-feb-8-8700894">LIVE | 2025 Champions Trophy: Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Latest News and Updates | Feb 8</a>
Rohit has managed just 166 runs in his last 16 innings across formats. "As a cricketer, I understand what he&rsquo;s going through. It&rsquo;s not easy. I sincerely hope he finds his rhythm and scores a century in this series," Ashwin said.
India clinched the first ODI against England in Nagpur with a four-wicket victory on Thursday. The second ODI is set to take place in Cuttack on Sunday (Feb 9).
<h2>'Jadeja is a jackpot jango'</h2>
Ashwin also heaped praise on all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</a>, calling him 'more gifted' than himself.
In the first ODI, Jadeja delivered an excellent spell, claiming 3 for 26 in nine overs, and later remained unbeaten on 12 off 10 balls while steering India to victory.&nbsp;"Our media doesn&rsquo;t always recognize performances when a player does well. When we lose, players are vilified. But Jadeja deserves more appreciation&mdash;he dismissed Joe Root, yet he often flies under the radar. He&rsquo;s a 'Jackpot Jango'," Ashwin remarked.
"He's exceptional&mdash;his fielding alone adds so much value, and he thrives in pressure situations with both bat and ball. We don't give him enough credit."
"Jadeja is naturally gifted, far more than I ever was. He&rsquo;s a born athlete, incredibly fit. Even at this stage of his career, he can cover the ground from long-on to deep square leg while stationed at mid-wicket. I wouldn't be surprised, and I&rsquo;d be thrilled for him," Ashwin concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The India captain Rohit Sharma scored just two runs in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on his return to international cricket after a month

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Rohit Sharma finds himself in a 'catch-22 situation' amid his struggles with form and insists the India skipper must silence his critics with strong performances ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy. Rohit, who opted out of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia due to poor form, made his return to international cricket in the first ODI against England in Nagpur but managed just two runs after a month-long break. "This isn't easy. From Rohit's perspective, it must be frustrating. He wants to focus on the series, knowing he has performed well in this format and wants to continue that momentum," Ashwin shared on his YouTube channel. "But questions will be asked. People watching the game will raise concerns. It’s a catch-22 situation—these questions won’t stop unless he delivers with the bat," he added. Also Read: LIVE | 2025 Champions Trophy: Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Latest News and Updates | Feb 8 Rohit has managed just 166 runs in his last 16 innings across formats. "As a cricketer, I understand what he’s going through. It’s not easy. I sincerely hope he finds his rhythm and scores a century in this series," Ashwin said. India clinched the first ODI against England in Nagpur with a four-wicket victory on Thursday. The second ODI is set to take place in Cuttack on Sunday (Feb 9). 'Jadeja is a jackpot jango' Ashwin also heaped praise on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, calling him 'more gifted' than himself. In the first ODI, Jadeja delivered an excellent spell, claiming 3 for 26 in nine overs, and later remained unbeaten on 12 off 10 balls while steering India to victory. "Our media doesn’t always recognize performances when a player does well. When we lose, players are vilified. But Jadeja deserves more appreciation—he dismissed Joe Root, yet he often flies under the radar. He’s a 'Jackpot Jango'," Ashwin remarked. "He's exceptional—his fielding alone adds so much value, and he thrives in pressure situations with both bat and ball. We don't give him enough credit." "Jadeja is naturally gifted, far more than I ever was. He’s a born athlete, incredibly fit. Even at this stage of his career, he can cover the ground from long-on to deep square leg while stationed at mid-wicket. I wouldn't be surprised, and I’d be thrilled for him," Ashwin concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

It's a catch 22 situation for out-of-form Rohit: Ravichandran Ashwin

Australia received a major blow preparing for the Champions Trophy 2025 after captain Pat Cummins and star bowler Josh Hazlewood got ruled out on Thursday (Feb 6). Cummins, who led Australia to World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup glory in 2023, is ruled out due to an ankle issue. The news was confirmed by national team selector George Bailey on Thursday as the 2009 champions prepare for the latest challenge.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Cummins, Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy<o:p></o:p></h2>
"Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven&rsquo;t come up in time for the Champion&rsquo;s Trophy," national selection panel chair George Bailey said today.<o:p></o:p>
"While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event."<o:p></o:p>
Cummins was on paternity leave ahead of the Sri Lanka tour and was due to return for the Champions Trophy, however, he now will sit on the sidelines for the tournament in Pakistan and UAE. Hazlewood will also sit out of the Champions Trophy, weakening Australia's pace bowling unit. Both were part of Australia&rsquo;s ODI World Cup winning squad in 2023 and were considered pivotal for the nation&rsquo;s success.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-explained-why-there-is-no-india-umpire-and-match-referee-in-icc-list-8695378" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy 2025: Explained - Why there's no India umpire and match referee in ICC's list</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Travis Head to lead Australia?<o:p></o:p></h2>
With Cummins out, the captaincy armband could be given to Steve Smith or Travis with the latter considered a favourite. Head is likely the first-choice of the selectors while Steve Smith&rsquo;s experience will come in handy having previously served in the captaincy role. Smith was Cummins deputy in the Sri Lanka tour while Head has made his mark with the bat in recent years.<o:p></o:p>
Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The former champions will then face South Africa on February 25 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi before returning to Lahore for final group game against Afghanistan on February 28.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Cricket: Pat Cummins, who led Australia to World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup glory in 2023, is ruled out due to an ankle issue from the Champions Trophy. 

Australia received a major blow preparing for the Champions Trophy 2025 after captain Pat Cummins and star bowler Josh Hazlewood got ruled out on Thursday (Feb 6). Cummins, who led Australia to World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup glory in 2023, is ruled out due to an ankle issue. The news was confirmed by national team selector George Bailey on Thursday as the 2009 champions prepare for the latest challenge. Cummins, Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy "Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champion’s Trophy," national selection panel chair George Bailey said today. "While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event." Cummins was on paternity leave ahead of the Sri Lanka tour and was due to return for the Champions Trophy, however, he now will sit on the sidelines for the tournament in Pakistan and UAE. Hazlewood will also sit out of the Champions Trophy, weakening Australia's pace bowling unit. Both were part of Australia’s ODI World Cup winning squad in 2023 and were considered pivotal for the nation’s success. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Explained - Why there's no India umpire and match referee in ICC's list Travis Head to lead Australia? With Cummins out, the captaincy armband could be given to Steve Smith or Travis with the latter considered a favourite. Head is likely the first-choice of the selectors while Steve Smith’s experience will come in handy having previously served in the captaincy role. Smith was Cummins deputy in the Sri Lanka tour while Head has made his mark with the bat in recent years. Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The former champions will then face South Africa on February 25 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi before returning to Lahore for final group game against Afghanistan on February 28.

Champions Trophy 2025: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood ruled out in major blow for Australia

Former Australian captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting">Ricky Ponting</a> has shared his thoughts on the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan ahead of the ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2025. He believes the matches between these two cricketing giants hold a special significance, making them among the most anticipated contests in the sport.
Ponting, who has played in multiple high-pressure encounters, emphasised that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/india-pakistan">India-Pakistan</a> clashes have an extra edge due to the historical and emotional backdrop associated with them. "There's always something more to these games. The history between the two nations and their passionate fan bases add a different level of excitement and pressure," Ponting stated.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-odi-india-should-start-with-rahul-ahead-of-pant-says-bangar-8694037">IND vs ENG 1st ODI: India should start with Rahul ahead of Pant, says Bangar</a>
The highly awaited Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted in Pakistan, will once again bring the two teams face-to-face. This marks India's return to Pakistan for an ICC event after several years, making the match even more significant. Cricketing ties between the two nations have largely been limited to ICC tournaments due to political tensions, making every contest a rare and electrifying affair.
<h2>'Stakes are incredibly high'</h2>
Ponting highlighted the intensity of the rivalry, drawing comparisons with the Ashes series between Australia and England. "I've been a part of some of the biggest rivalries in cricket, but the India-Pakistan contests are on another level. The stakes are incredibly high, and the pressure on players is immense," he said.
India and Pakistan last met in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India secured a dominant victory. However, Pakistan will be eager to turn the tide on home soil in the upcoming tournament. Ponting believes both teams have world-class talent, and the match will be a test of skill, temperament, and composure.
As the countdown to the Champions Trophy 2025 begins, cricket fans around the world are eagerly awaiting another thrilling chapter in one of the sport&rsquo;s greatest rivalries. Ponting&rsquo;s insights further fuel the anticipation, setting the stage for what promises to be a high-voltage encounter.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Ponting believes the matches between these two cricketing giants hold a special significance, making them among the most anticipated contests in the sport

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has shared his thoughts on the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He believes the matches between these two cricketing giants hold a special significance, making them among the most anticipated contests in the sport. Ponting, who has played in multiple high-pressure encounters, emphasised that India-Pakistan clashes have an extra edge due to the historical and emotional backdrop associated with them. "There's always something more to these games. The history between the two nations and their passionate fan bases add a different level of excitement and pressure," Ponting stated. Also Read: IND vs ENG 1st ODI: India should start with Rahul ahead of Pant, says Bangar The highly awaited Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted in Pakistan, will once again bring the two teams face-to-face. This marks India's return to Pakistan for an ICC event after several years, making the match even more significant. Cricketing ties between the two nations have largely been limited to ICC tournaments due to political tensions, making every contest a rare and electrifying affair. 'Stakes are incredibly high' Ponting highlighted the intensity of the rivalry, drawing comparisons with the Ashes series between Australia and England. "I've been a part of some of the biggest rivalries in cricket, but the India-Pakistan contests are on another level. The stakes are incredibly high, and the pressure on players is immense," he said. India and Pakistan last met in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India secured a dominant victory. However, Pakistan will be eager to turn the tide on home soil in the upcoming tournament. Ponting believes both teams have world-class talent, and the match will be a test of skill, temperament, and composure. As the countdown to the Champions Trophy 2025 begins, cricket fans around the world are eagerly awaiting another thrilling chapter in one of the sport’s greatest rivalries. Ponting’s insights further fuel the anticipation, setting the stage for what promises to be a high-voltage encounter. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: 'There's more edge to these games,' feels Ricky Ponting on India-Pakistan rivalry

Australia cricket team could be handed a major blow in their preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025 as skipper Pat Cummins could be unfit due to an ankle injury. Speaking on Wednesday (Feb 5), head coach Andrew McDonald insisted that Cummins is &ldquo;heavily unlikely to feature for Australia having missed the Sri Lanka tour as well. According to McDonald, Steve Smith and Travis Head are the leading contenders to lead the Aussies in absence of Cummins as they try to win their second CT title. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Cummins unlikely for Champions Trophy<o:p></o:p></h2>
"Pat Cummins hasn't been able to resume any type of bowling so he's heavily unlikely, so that would mean that we do need a captain," McDonald told SEN. "Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we've been having conversations with while we've been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home. They'll be the two that we look at for that leadership post.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
Having skipped the Sri Lanka tour due to paternity leave and an ankle issue, Cummins could now miss the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The Aussie skipper has been in brilliant form in recent weeks having led his nation to a Test series win over India and helping reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While he is yet to be officially ruled out, Cricket Australia (CA) is already looking at a captaincy alternative.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/english-batters-will-fare-better-against-in-50-over-format-kevin-pietersen-8690821" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">English batters will fare better against... in 50-over format: Kevin Pietersen</a> 
Mitchell Marsh&rsquo;s poor run of form has seen him drop out of the team while Travis Head and Steve Smith emerge as potential options. Smith had previously served as Australia&rsquo;s full-time captain before the 2018 sandpaper gate scandal saw him vacate the post. However, despite this, Smith has led Australia in Cummins&rsquo; absence. <o:p></o:p>
Head on the other hand remains a clear favourite to take the captaincy role having thrived in recent months. He played a key role in Australia&rsquo;s 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup wins, scoring hundreds in both finals.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Cricket: Australia cricket team could be handed a major blow in their preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025 as Pat Cummins could be unfit due to an ankle injury

Australia cricket team could be handed a major blow in their preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025 as skipper Pat Cummins could be unfit due to an ankle injury. Speaking on Wednesday (Feb 5), head coach Andrew McDonald insisted that Cummins is “heavily unlikely to feature for Australia having missed the Sri Lanka tour as well. According to McDonald, Steve Smith and Travis Head are the leading contenders to lead the Aussies in absence of Cummins as they try to win their second CT title. Cummins unlikely for Champions Trophy "Pat Cummins hasn't been able to resume any type of bowling so he's heavily unlikely, so that would mean that we do need a captain," McDonald told SEN. "Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we've been having conversations with while we've been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home. They'll be the two that we look at for that leadership post.” Having skipped the Sri Lanka tour due to paternity leave and an ankle issue, Cummins could now miss the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The Aussie skipper has been in brilliant form in recent weeks having led his nation to a Test series win over India and helping reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While he is yet to be officially ruled out, Cricket Australia (CA) is already looking at a captaincy alternative. ALSO READ | English batters will fare better against... in 50-over format: Kevin Pietersen Mitchell Marsh’s poor run of form has seen him drop out of the team while Travis Head and Steve Smith emerge as potential options. Smith had previously served as Australia’s full-time captain before the 2018 sandpaper gate scandal saw him vacate the post. However, despite this, Smith has led Australia in Cummins’ absence. Head on the other hand remains a clear favourite to take the captaincy role having thrived in recent months. He played a key role in Australia’s 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup wins, scoring hundreds in both finals.

Champions Trophy 2025: Pat Cummins 'heavily unlikely' to feature; Travis Head, Steve Smith in captaincy race

The 2025 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025">Champions Trophy</a> is a fortnight away and all the teams have set their sights on the prestigious trophy taking place after eight years. Pakistan, the last winner of the ICC tournament, are the host this time along with Dubai, UAE, which will host India's matches as well as the first semi-final (March 4).
The tournament starts on February 19, and the final will be played on March 9. A total of eight teams are participating and have been divided into two groups of four teams each. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-final-tickets-sale-date-tickets-for-india-champions-trophy-match-india-schedule-in-champions-trophy-2025-india-vs-pakistan-feb-23-8659064">tickets are already available</a> to buy but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/2025-champions-trophy-india-vs-pakistan-tickets-for-feb-23-in-dubai-already-sold-out-8687700">India vs Pakistan is sold out</a>.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-virat-and-rohits-form-will-be-key-to-indias-campaign-says-former-indian-cricketer-suresh-raina-8690031">'Virat and Rohit complement each other well', feels Suresh Raina</a>
Group A: India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan
<h2>Check the full squad for all teams in Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
India Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja
Pakistan Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
New Zealand Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O&rsquo;Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young
Bangladesh Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana
Australia Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, (one further player to be added)
England Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood
South Africa Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen
Afghanistan Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran

2025 Champions Trophy: The tournament starts on February 19 and the final will be played on March 9. A total of eight teams are participating and have been divided in two groups of four teams each. Cricket Sports

The 2025 Champions Trophy is a fortnight away and all the teams have set their sights on the prestigious trophy taking place after eight years. Pakistan, the last winner of the ICC tournament, are the host this time along with Dubai, UAE, which will host India's matches as well as the first semi-final (March 4). The tournament starts on February 19, and the final will be played on March 9. A total of eight teams are participating and have been divided into two groups of four teams each. The tickets are already available to buy but India vs Pakistan is sold out. Also Read: 'Virat and Rohit complement each other well', feels Suresh Raina Group A: India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan Check the full squad for all teams in Champions Trophy 2025 India Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja Pakistan Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi New Zealand Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young Bangladesh Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana Australia Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, (one further player to be added) England Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood South Africa Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen Afghanistan Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran

2025 Champions Trophy: Check full squads of all teams

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On the back of India&rsquo;s 4-1 T20I series win against England, the Men in Blue are now gearing up for the three-match ODI series, which will serve as a crucial test for India&rsquo;s ICC Men&rsquo;s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. <span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Former Indian cricketer, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suresh-raina">Suresh Raina</a> shared his thoughts on the upcoming series, He was speaking on Star Sports&rsquo; special show Game Plan.&nbsp;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Talking about the expectations from Rohit Sharma, the left-handed batsman said, &ldquo;I think Rohit should play aggressively. You saw how he batted in the 2023 ODI World Cup&mdash;he was attacking even in the final. So, I believe his approach will remain the same. The key question is who will open alongside him&mdash;will it be Shubman? I remember, whenever they play together, they maintain an aggressive intent.&rdquo;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}"> 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sl-vs-aus-2nd-test-live-streaming-when-where-to-watch-sri-lanka-vs-australia-live-8689336">SL vs AUS, 2nd Test live streaming: When &amp; where to watch Sri Lanka vs Australia live</a> Sharing his thoughts&nbsp;about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> as a captain, Raina said, &ldquo;Rohit is an attacking captain. The way he utilizes his bowlers is commendable. He brings Mohammad Shami at&nbsp;key&nbsp;moments and relying on spinners strategically. When Rohit scores, it also reflects in his captaincy. This could be his last ICC trophy as captain, and if he wins, he will become the first Indian player to win four ICC trophies. He has already won the T20 World Cup, and securing the Champions Trophy would be a remarkable achievement.&rdquo;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Speaking on how crucial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> and Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s form will be for the upcoming ICC Men&rsquo;s Champions Trophy, Raina said, &ldquo;Rohit Sharma's strike rate has improved significantly after the ODI World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has scored runs at a strike rate of 119-120, making him one of India&rsquo;s best ODI batsmen. For Rohit and Virat, I would say that when you have a strong record of past performances, it gives you a lot of confidence. They complement each other well, and both have the skill to score big runs. If they perform well, India&rsquo;s campaign will benefit immensely.&rdquo;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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Talking about Virat Kohli, Raina said, &ldquo;When it comes to white-ball cricket, Virat knows how to switch on and switch off. He has scored the most runs against England, so his energy will be at a different level automatically. The three ODIs will be played in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Cuttack&mdash;all of which are high-scoring venues.&rdquo;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW87193447 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1503131165" paraeid="{f31bedcb-0982-4fd2-8d6c-31edf4a57f6d}{82}">On India&rsquo;s spin bowling attack&nbsp;<span class="EOP SCXW87193447 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}">&nbsp;</h2>
</div>
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Speaking about the spin department and team combination, Raina said, &ldquo;I think Jadeja will definitely play because of his effectiveness in ODIs. Kuldeep has not played a match since his injury, but we also have Axar Patel, who has been consistently performing well. The pitches in Dubai will offer some seam movement, but spin will also play a role. That&rsquo;s why Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja need to be in top form.&rdquo;
</div>

Cricket Sports: The Men in Blue are now gearing up for the three-match ODI series, which will serve as a crucial test for India’s ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign

On the back of India’s 4-1 T20I series win against England, the Men in Blue are now gearing up for the three-match ODI series, which will serve as a crucial test for India’s ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. Former Indian cricketer, Suresh Raina shared his thoughts on the upcoming series, He was speaking on Star Sports’ special show Game Plan. Talking about the expectations from Rohit Sharma, the left-handed batsman said, “I think Rohit should play aggressively. You saw how he batted in the 2023 ODI World Cup—he was attacking even in the final. So, I believe his approach will remain the same. The key question is who will open alongside him—will it be Shubman? I remember, whenever they play together, they maintain an aggressive intent.” Also Read: SL vs AUS, 2nd Test live streaming: When & where to watch Sri Lanka vs Australia live Sharing his thoughts about Rohit Sharma as a captain, Raina said, “Rohit is an attacking captain. The way he utilizes his bowlers is commendable. He brings Mohammad Shami at key moments and relying on spinners strategically. When Rohit scores, it also reflects in his captaincy. This could be his last ICC trophy as captain, and if he wins, he will become the first Indian player to win four ICC trophies. He has already won the T20 World Cup, and securing the Champions Trophy would be a remarkable achievement.” Speaking on how crucial Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form will be for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, Raina said, “Rohit Sharma's strike rate has improved significantly after the ODI World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has scored runs at a strike rate of 119-120, making him one of India’s best ODI batsmen. For Rohit and Virat, I would say that when you have a strong record of past performances, it gives you a lot of confidence. They complement each other well, and both have the skill to score big runs. If they perform well, India’s campaign will benefit immensely.” Talking about Virat Kohli, Raina said, “When it comes to white-ball cricket, Virat knows how to switch on and switch off. He has scored the most runs against England, so his energy will be at a different level automatically. The three ODIs will be played in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Cuttack—all of which are high-scoring venues.” On India’s spin bowling attack Speaking about the spin department and team combination, Raina said, “I think Jadeja will definitely play because of his effectiveness in ODIs. Kuldeep has not played a match since his injury, but we also have Axar Patel, who has been consistently performing well. The pitches in Dubai will offer some seam movement, but spin will also play a role. That’s why Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja need to be in top form.”

Champions Trophy 2025: 'Virat and Rohit complement each other well', feels Suresh Raina

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Champions Trophy 2025, News on Champions Trophy 2025, stories on Champions Trophy 2025, articles on Champions Trophy 2025, Champions Trophy 2025 stories at Wion, Champions Trophy 2025 news, Champions Trophy 2025 latest news

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