The best -classified ODI team in the world, the holders and the Champions 2000 refreshed as a favorite to raise the trophy once again.
The pride, the royalty rights and a winner’s check of $ 2.24 million will be at stake when the eight best international teams in the day will meet at the ICC 2025 champions trophy in Pakistan, from Wednesday.
Pakistan won the latest edition in 2017, beating India in the oval final in England. This time, Pakistan will seek to celebrate the return of a major CPI event in their country after 29 years by winning the crown in front of a crowd of worship.
Meanwhile, the world champions of T20 India will have their eyes on the avenging of this devastating defeat of 180 points against Pakistan eight years ago and envisage a second title of successive CPI in two years.
New Zealand unpretentious will be among the contenders after their impressive victory in the Tri-Nation series organized in Pakistan, which also included South Africa.
The loss by Australia of their Talismanic captain Pat Cummins, as well as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh, saw them collapse and out of action for the title.
Here is an overview of the three favorites for the victory in the ICC Champions trophy:
India
Best result: Champions (2002, 2013)
Odi classification: 1
Players to watch: Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, Hhelik Pandya
The 50 -year -old World Cup in 2023 was to be the coronation of India on the soil at home, until Australia turned the table of the unbeaten host nation and left with the title on November 19, 2023.
The men of Rohit Sharma dismissed that the overwhelming final loss gathered and seven months later, were crowned world champions T20.
In the past year, India has been sparkling in a limited cricket, managing to separate their dismal test performance to continue to dominate opposing teams in T20 and Odi formats.
Their recent Dubbing of England 3-0 in an ODI series at home, as well as the prolific form of the Run-Score race by Batter Shubman Gill, make India the main competitors of the title of the Champions Trophy. Kuldeep Yadav’s Bowling of the Raming Yadav and the always uninformed versatile form of Hherik Pandya make that twice champions of the team beat in the tournament at eight star teams.
Pakistan
Best result: Champions (2017)
Odi classification: 3
Players to watch: Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman
The endless roller coaster mountains of Pakistan Cricket, the ramps of the coach and the captain, the embarrassing losses and the inexplicable victories make all the predictions on their performance. However, Green’s men will appreciate the opportunity to win their first ICC title at home and provide their faithful fans with some respite.
Pakistan has won its last three bilateral series ODI far from home, including a 2-1 triumph against the Australian world champions and a 3-0 troops of a formidable South team.
The Mohammad Rizwan team has a range of winning players, including the star of the star Babar Azam, the fast launcher Shaheen Shah Afridi and the hero of their winning 2017 title race, Fakhar Zaman. If the three players find their best shape in front of a passionate and private cricket crowd, Pakistan will have more than the chance of a puncher to keep the title they won eight years ago.
New Zealand
Best result: Champions (2000)
Odi classification: 4
Players to watch: Kane Williamson, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner
New Zealand has found itself in the stadiums with direct elimination of all the last ICC World Cups, but has not yet taken advantage of their chances.
The Blackcaps have not won an ICC tournament since the 2000 edition of the Champions Trophy, but under the clever direction of Mitchell Santner and the return to former Captain Kane Williamson, New Zealand will be confident to shoot the trend this time this time .
They enter the tournament at the back of a comfortable victory in tri-nation series in Pakistan. Their best strikers rediscovered the score shape and their rhythm quisons managed to sneak into the counters at the right time.
New Zealand fitness and range standards will be an additional advantage when they face the best South Asian teams during the tournament.
