The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 is set to kick off on February 19, 2025, with Pakistan as the host nation and defending champions. Eight of the world’s best cricket teams will compete for the prestigious title, making this one of the most anticipated cricket tournaments of the year.
🏆 Champions Trophy 2025 Captains! 🔥
— wicketbuzz (@wicketbuzz) February 11, 2025
🇮🇳 Rohit Sharma
🇦🇺 Pat Cummins
🏴 Jos Buttler
🇵🇰 Mohammad Rizwan
🇿🇦 Temba Bavuma
🇳🇿 Mitchell Santner
🇧🇩 Najmul Hossain Shanto
🇦🇫 Hashmatullah Shahidi
Who will lift the trophy? 🏏🔥 #ChampionsTrophy #CT2025 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Ig8Tp5mVcd
Key matches :
India vs Pakistan
India vs Australia
India vs England
India vs Bangladesh
Tournament Format and Group Stage
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will feature eight teams divided into two groups. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Group A:
- Pakistan (Host & Defending Champion)
- India
- New Zealand
- Bangladesh
Group B:
- Australia
- England
- South Africa
- Afghanistan
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Squads
Group A Teams and Squads
India:
Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
Bangladesh:
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.
New Zealand:
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.
Pakistan:
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.
Group B Teams and Squads
Afghanistan:
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.
England:
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.
Australia:
Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.* (Four replacements to be named)
South Africa:
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.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Full Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb | Pakistan vs New Zealand | Karachi |
| 20 Feb | Bangladesh vs India | Dubai |
| 21 Feb | Afghanistan vs South Africa | Karachi |
| 22 Feb | Australia vs England | Lahore |
| 23 Feb | Pakistan vs India | Dubai |
| 24 Feb | Bangladesh vs New Zealand | Rawalpindi |
| 25 Feb | Australia vs South Africa | Rawalpindi |
| 26 Feb | Afghanistan vs England | Lahore |
| 27 Feb | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Rawalpindi |
| 28 Feb | Afghanistan vs Australia | Lahore |
| 1 Mar | South Africa vs England | Karachi |
| 2 Mar | New Zealand vs India | Dubai |
| 4 Mar | Semi-final 1 | Dubai |
| 5 Mar | Semi-final 2 | Lahore |
| 9 Mar | Final | Lahore |
Key Players to Watch Out For
- Virat Kohli (India) – The experienced batter will be key to India’s success.
- Babar Azam (Pakistan) – A consistent performer and crucial for Pakistan’s chances.
- Steve Smith (Australia) – The backbone of Australia’s batting lineup.
- Jos Buttler (England) – A dangerous wicketkeeper-batsman in limited overs.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – Afghanistan’s game-changing spinner.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – One of the best pacers in the world today.
Predictions & Expectations
As the defending champions, Pakistan will look to retain their title on home soil. However, India, Australia, and England pose strong challenges. New Zealand and South Africa have well-balanced teams, while Afghanistan and Bangladesh can cause major upsets.
With world-class talent and exciting rivalries like India vs Pakistan, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises to be a thrilling cricket spectacle. Stay tuned for more updates, fantasy tips, and match predictions!