{"id":240821,"date":"2025-02-17T15:10:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T15:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/17\/champions-trophy-2025-beleaguered-australia-still-strong-contenders-from-group-b-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T15:10:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T15:10:05","slug":"champions-trophy-2025-beleaguered-australia-still-strong-contenders-from-group-b-cricket-news-the-times-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/17\/champions-trophy-2025-beleaguered-australia-still-strong-contenders-from-group-b-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions Trophy 2025: Beleaguered Australia still strong contenders from Group B | Cricket News – The Times of India"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne (AFP Photo)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NEW DELHI: Australia will be without several key players, including their talismanic skipper Pat Cummins, yet they remain strong title contenders for the ICC Champions Trophy. Their impressive track record in global tournaments and ability to bounce back from any situation make them a formidable and dangerous side. Australia, who are placed alongside South Africa, England and Afghanistan in Group B, will kick off their campaign against England on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Australia will also be missing the services of fiery quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, along with star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, all ruled out due to injuries.<\/p>\n

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Poll<\/p>\n

How Do You Think Australia Will Perform in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

With Cummins unavailable, Steve Smith<\/a> has been given the captaincy armband. He will lead a squad featuring the likes of Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marnus Labuschagne, and Glenn Maxwell.
Like India, Australia boast two Champions Trophy titles, with their most recent triumph coming in 2009.<\/p>\n

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India begin Champions Trophy prep | Rishabh Pant struck on knee<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

AUSTRALIA SQUAD: <\/span>Steve Smith (captain), 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.<\/p>\n

AUSTRALIA MATCHES:<\/span>
vs England – February 22, Lahore
vs South Africa – February 25, Rawalpindi
vs Afghanistan – February 28, Lahore<\/p>\n

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Champions Trophy: Will India and South Africa clash in another ICC final?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

ENGLAND:<\/span>
England have hosted the prestigious Champions Trophy three times \u2014 2004, 2013, and 2017 \u2014 since the tournament’s inception in 1998 but have fallen short of lifting the title twice. They finished as runners-up in 2004, losing to the West Indies, and again in 2013, when India denied them the trophy.
With one ODI World Cup and two T20 World Cup titles in their cabinet, England will be eager to add a Champions Trophy triumph to their decorated collection this time around.
Their quest for the elusive title begins on February 26, when they face Australia in Karachi.
England head into the tournament following a limited-overs series defeat against India. However, Jos Buttler<\/a>‘s side looks strong on paper, boasting a formidable batting lineup that includes skipper Buttler, Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Liam Livingstone\u2014players capable of posing serious challenges for opposition bowlers.
In the bowling department, the experienced and in-form spinner Adil Rashid, along with pacers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, will be crucial to England\u2019s chances in the mega event.<\/p>\n

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How Mohammed Shami\u2019s horoscope foretells India’s success in Champions Trophy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

ENGLAND SQUAD:<\/span>
Jos Buttler (c), 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, Mark Wood.
ENGLAND MATCHES:<\/span>
vs Australia – February 22, Lahore
vs Afghanistan – February 26, Lahore
vs South Africa – March 1, Karachi
SOUTH AFRICA:<\/span>
The heartbreak of losing a thrilling T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados will still linger in South Africa\u2019s minds. They were on the brink of winning their maiden ICC World Cup title (ODI or T20), only for the infamous \u2018Chokers\u2019 tag to resurface. A sudden collapse saw them lose the title \u2014 resulting in a gut-wrenching defeat.
Looking for redemption, South Africa will aim for a fresh start when they kick off their Champions Trophy campaign against Afghanistan on February 21 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The Proteas were the winners of the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998, when Hansie Cronje\u2019s side triumphed over the West Indies in the final.
Led by skipper Temba Bavuma<\/a>, South Africa boast a formidable batting lineup featuring Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, and David Miller. Their bowling attack, spearheaded by Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj, will be key to their success in the tournament.
SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD:<\/span>
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, Corbin Bosch.
SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES:<\/span>
vs Afghanistan – February 21, Karachi
vs Australia – February 25 – Rawalpindi
vs England – March 1 – Karachi
AFGHANISTAN:<\/span>
Afghanistan enter the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy with the goal of pulling off upsets against top-tier teams\u2014something they’ve mastered in recent years.
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, they stunned England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while in the 2024 T20 World Cup, they made history by defeating New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh en route to their first-ever ICC tournament semifinal.
Riding high on confidence, Afghanistan will aim to replicate that success and push for a semifinal spot in the Champions Trophy. They are placed in a tough group alongside South Africa, Australia, and England \u2014 teams they have beaten in the past and will look to challenge once again.
Afghanistan begin their campaign against South Africa on February 21 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Led by skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan boasts a strong batting lineup featuring Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, veteran Mohammad Nabi, and the explosive Rashid Khan.
Their bowling attack is equally formidable, with pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Fareed Ahmad Malik providing firepower, while experienced spinners Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will spearhead the spin department.<\/p>\n

AFGHANISTAN SQUAD:<\/span>
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami
AFGHANISTAN MATCHES:<\/span>
vs South Africa – 21 February – Karachi
vs England – 26 February – Lahore
vs Australia – 28 February – Lahore<\/div>\n