After eight years, the ICC Champions Trophy is back, with the top eight of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup competing in the 50-over competition.
With the tournament set to be played across Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates from Wednesday night (AEDT), here is an in-depth look at all teams, players to keep an eye on and the predicted XIs for all sides.
Pakistan
The hosts are coming off a successful few months, with ODI series wins in Australia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and making the tri-series final on their own den competing against New Zealand and South Africa before falling short to New Zealand. From the explosive Fakhar Zaman to the leg-side dominant Mohammad Rizwan and a seam attack that clocks high speeds, the Champions Trophy holders seem to have most bases covered. However, an ankle injury to Saim Ayub last month has thrown off their top order plans, with Babar Azam now partnering Fakhar Zaman as an opener.
Player to watch: Salman Ali Agha
The Pakistani all-rounder has been a breath of fresh air for Pakistan, striking in the high 90s at an average over 40 in the middle order while also contributing when needed with some gentle off breaks. In what will be his second ICC 50-over tournament, the 31-year-old is needed to succeed with the bat if Pakistan is to go into the semi finals and potentially defend their crown on home soil.
Best XI for Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Salman Ali Agha, Khushdil Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed
India
Runners-up from the 2017 edition, India will be hoping to go one step further and add their second Champions Trophy to their cabinet. The Indians have kept the core of their 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup squad, but the loss of Jasprit Bumrah to injury alongside the shock exclusion of Mohammad Siraj sees left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh tasked with the responsibility of leading the seam attack.
Player to watch: Shubman Gill
Averaging 60 in ODI cricket after 50 games, it is prime time for Gill to bring his bilateral series form into ICC tournaments. Despite playing risk free cricket, Gill still boasts an ODI strike rate over 100, and that’s what India will need given all their games will be in Dubai, a place they enjoyed thoroughly during a successful 2018 Asia Cup campaign. The fewer overs Gill bats, the lower the chances of India scoring over 320 when batting first.
Best XI for India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami/Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
Virat Kohli. (Photo by Jan Kruger-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
New Zealand
The Black Caps always seem to go under the radar in ICC tournaments, but this time they go into the Champions Trophy as one of the favourites. With Kane Williamson back in the top three, Glenn Phillips giving it a whack in the middle order, captain Mitch Santner being economical as usual, and Matt Henry leading the seam attack, New Zealand seems to have every base covered.
Player to watch: Michael Bracewell
New Zealand lack an out and out fifth bowling option, which is why a lot of the bowling responsibility will be on off-spinning all-rounder Michael Bracewell. Going at barely over four runs an over in the recently concluded tri series, Bracewell ensured South Africa and Pakistan could not dominate the middle overs. Add in his destructive batting averaging nearly 40 at a strike rate over 110, and New Zealand will be backing themselves to be chasing high totals.
Best XI for New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitch Santner (captain), Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke, Lockie Ferguson
Bangladesh
Bangladesh are in transition, and what better way for an inexperienced team to prepare for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup than the Champions Trophy two years prior to that? Expectations are low for the Tigers, but they do have an improving seam attack coached by former NSW bowling coach Andre Adams that will want to translate their recent Test victories into success in ODI cricket now.
Player to watch: Soumya Sarkar
Such is the conservatism in Bangladesh cricket, that only one player in Bangladesh’s ODI history has faced over 500 balls, averaged over 30 and strike it over 90 too. Soumya Sarkar brings freshness to the Bangladesh team with his ability to score quickly, but a lack of backing at times has seen the Bangladesh opener go through inconsistent patches. Sarkar has found some new found confidence after his career best of 169 against New Zealand, and if Bangladesh is to compete in the tournament, he needs to score big and score quick.
Best XI for Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana
Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s rise as a white-ball nation continues and they go into the Champions Trophy as underdogs. The batting relies heavily on their openers, Rashid Khan spins his nation to victory while new ball bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi is the deadly man in the powerplay. With Mohammad Nabi set to retire from ODI cricket at the end of this tournament, the Afghan squad want to send their legend out on a high.
Player to watch: Azmatullah Omarzai
Omarzai flexed his muscle with the bat in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, scoring 353 runs at a strike rate of 97 in the tournament. An explosive middle order batter who likes to charge spinners and pull seamers, Omarzai is a key wicket for the opposition in middle overs. Given Naveen Ul Haq has retired from ODI cricket, Omarzai will also possess responsibility to share the new ball with Farooqi.
(Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Best XI for Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad
South Africa
T20 World Cup finalists. WTC finalists. Surely the Proteas make the final of the Champions Trophy too right? Despite losing Anrich Nortje to injury, the Proteas will be backing themselves to go all the way. Temba Bavuma will be looking to lead from the front with the bat, Heinrich Klaasen will be looking to do what he does best – murder spinners’ bowling figures while Kagiso Rabada will be aiming to blast batters out with raw pace on flat wickets.
Player to watch: Keshav Maharaj
Easily the best spinner to come out of South Africa, Keshav Maharaj has changed how spinners are treated in South Africa. Going at an economy below 4.6, Maharaj is a reliable bowler who can keep things tight while also being a wicket taker in the subcontinent who can bowl in all three facets of an ODI game. For every game, Maharaj’s 10 overs will be the key towards South Africa winning or losing games.
Best XI for South Africa: Ryan Rickleton, Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie Van Der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
England
Having lost all four of their bilateral ODI series after a horror 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, England looks in all sorts of trouble heading into the tournament. The loss of form for Joe Root, not having a proper all-rounder alongside their inability to play slow bowlers puts England in just as bad of a position as Bangladesh.
Player to watch: Harry Brook
Brook has always threatened to take games away, but a lack of temperament has cost his wicket many times, which is the norm in English ODI cricket over the past 2-3 years. There’s no smog for Brook to complain about in Pakistan like he did during his horror tour of India, but an average of 24 in ODI cricket in Asia is not good enough. If Brook fires, then England will be able to compete with the bat.
Best XI for England: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Tom Blanton, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid
Harry Brook is bowled by Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo by Darrian Traynor-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Australia
Last, but not least, Australia. The Aussies have suffered setbacks with bilateral series losses against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while losing key players to injuries too. With Steve Smith set to lead an inexperienced team, the experienced heads in the squad will be tasked with stepping up in an ICC tournament and for Australia to win a Champions Trophy game after 16 years.
Player to watch: Glenn Maxwell
In what is likely to be Maxwell’s final ICC 50-over tournament, it will be one heck of a way to bow out of ODI cricket if he can win Australia the Champions Trophy. As the second spinner, Maxwell will need to keep things tight alongside having to bat well in the middle overs of Australia are to go far in the tournament, let alone win it.
Best XI for Australia: Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Steve Smith (captain), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
The verdict
In Group A, India and New Zealand will qualify for the semi-finals while one of Australia or Afghanistan will join the undefeated South Africa to get into the final four. Should Australia make it to the semis, it’s hard to see anyone defeating them in knockouts. If Afghanistan make the semis over Australia, then New Zealand can go all the way and win their first 50-over ICC tournament in 25 years.
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