Pride, bragging rights and a $2.24m winner’s cheque will be on the line when the world’s top eight one-day international teams meet in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, beginning on Wednesday.
Pakistan won the last edition in 2017, defeating India in the final at The Oval in England. This time around, Pakistan will look to celebrate the return of a major ICC event to their country after 29 years by winning the crown in front of an adoring home crowd.
Meanwhile, T20 world champions India will have their eyes set on avenging that devastating 180-run defeat to Pakistan eight years ago and are eyeing a second successive ICC title in two years.
Unassuming New Zealand will count themselves amongst the contenders after their impressive win in the tri-nation series hosted in Pakistan, which also included South Africa.
Australia’s loss of their talismanic captain Pat Cummins, as well as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh, has seen them slump into disarray and out of contention for the title.
Here’s a look at the three favourites for victory at the ICC Champions Trophy:
Best result: Champions (2002, 2013)
ODI ranking: 1
Players to watch: Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya
The 50-over World Cup in 2023 was set to be India’s crowning glory on home soil, until Australia turned the tables on the undefeated host nation and walked away with the title on November 19, 2023.
Rohit Sharma’s men brushed aside that crushing final loss, regrouped, and just seven months later were crowned T20 world champions.
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