The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is knocking at the door. The ninth edition of the tournament will follow a hybrid model and is set to take place on 19 February, in Pakistan and UAE, as India refuses to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns for the team. Therefore, India will play all matches in the UAE and If India can qualify for the Final, it will also be shifted from Pakistan to the UAE.
The eight teams split into two groups of four, Alongside India and Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand remain in Group A while Group B features Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan. The top two from each group will progress to the semi-finals, which will take place on the 4 and 5 March.
At a glance at all the Squads for the ICC Champions Trophy
Pakistan
The host Pakistan has a promising chance to secure back-to-back titles, as they defeated India in 2017. Pakistan is now playing a Tri-series along with New Zealand and South Africa on their soil, for the best outcome in the tournament. Veteran all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Fahim Asraf have returned to the side as they had shown excellent performance in BPL.
Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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India
India is once again one of the best contenders for the title as the team has many proven faces at the international level.
Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
Bangladesh
Stars like Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das’s omitted, Bangladesh is slightly on the back foot. If Somuya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan provide the team’s needs, Bangladesh will have the best chance to do better than the previous.
Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
New Zealand
Fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears have returned to New Zealand’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy. The Blackcaps has a solid combination of versatile faces.
Squad: 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.
Reserve: Jacob Duffy
Australia
Once again a team that has well-experienced and talented faces will have the opportunity to secure another 50-overs ICC trophy after winning the World Cup in 2023.
However, Australia faces a huge trouble ahead of the tournament as the fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood withdrew with injury, along with allrounder Mitch Marsh who was ruled out of the tournament in late January due to a back issue. Hence, the captain of the Aussie side has not been confirmed yet. Experienced Steven Smith and Travis Head are expected to wear the Captain’s brand.
Squad: Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa (four players to be added).
England
With Joe Root’s return, England named their experienced and balanced squad in December, with the same group to also play three ODIs in India before the tournament, but a disappointing result showed as India already leads the series by 2-0.
Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashi, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.
South Africa
South Africa has selected an experienced squad with 10 players having competed at the last ODI World Cup in India in 2023. Temba Bavuma captains the side while experienced guns Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen and Kagiso Rabada strengthen the team. A slight blow as seamer Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the tournament due to groin injury, youngster Kwena Mabhaka is be travelling reserve for the Proteas side.
Squad: 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.
Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran to their 15-man squad, who recovered from ankle surgery. But team management decided against rushing Mujeeb Ur Rahman back into 50-over cricket after the spinner sprained his hand last year.
Spin mystery Allah Ghazanfar and promising Star Sediqullah Atal are the focus points for Afghanistan, as they have already shown extreme talent with ball and bat.
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami.
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