Although the ICC Champions Trophy is still far away, there is no shortage of news, ranging from India’s resistance to visiting Pakistan to Pakistan’s wish to host the tournament entirely on their grounds. Since the 1996 Wills Cup, Pakistan haven’t hosted any major ICC events, but this time it looks promising, though still uncertain. The PCB has proposed a schedule with 15 matches to be played over 20 days, starting from February 19 to March 9, with the India vs Pakistan match proposed to be held on March 1st.
This topic is generating significant attention and speculation, particularly about which teams have the potential to win the trophy. There will be eight teams competing, but only one will emerge as the winner. Although it is still early to predict since no teams have announced their squads and many bilateral tournaments are yet to take place, let’s take a look at three teams that we believe are strong contenders for winning the trophy.
Teams that may win the Champions Trophy 2025
India
T20 World Cup 2024 winners and 2023 50-over World Cup runners-up, it would be wrong not to put India on the chart. If we track India’s last year’s performances in ODIs and target two main tournaments, the 50-over World Cup and Asia Cup 2023, there is no doubt that the team came out on top despite the heartbreak in the finals on November 19, 2023, of the WC 2023, against Australia. However, it is also true that the team is undergoing a subtle transformation, with players like Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal trying to chip in. It would not be surprising if any of these young players feature in the Champions Trophy 2025.
India is playing only six ODIs before the Champions Trophy next year, with two already completed against Sri Lanka, which is a watershed moment. Apart from this series, they will have just three more matches against England in February. India surely needs a third pacer alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, or Hardik Pandya.
It could be Harshit Rana, who is traveling with the team in ODIs against Sri Lanka. With a power-packed batting lineup, the team looks really good. It is noteworthy that India hasn’t confirmed their participation due to political reasons, as they have suggested a hybrid model for the tournament. Will be interesting to see how it goes for the Men in Blue if they take part in the Champions Trophy 2025.
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Pakistan
Hungry to host and surely hungry to perform, Pakistan, who were the Champions Trophy 2017 winners, triumphed against India in a one-sided affair. However, this time it might not be as easy as it was last time, but Pakistan is surely a title contender. One significant advantage is their home ground; from Rawalpindi to Lahore, Babar Azam and his team understand these grounds fairly well.
There is no doubt that the team will look to grab the opportunity, but it is also important to note that Pakistan did not have a good outing in the last ICC tournaments after the T20 World Cup final in Australia, which they lost to England in 2022. In the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup 2024, which took place in the USA and West Indies, the team failed to qualify for the semifinals and was even knocked out in the group stage, courtesy of the USA.
Despite these setbacks, the hunger to win could still be there. There is also speculation about Babar Azam’s captaincy, but it looks like he could be the captain to lead players like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Fakhar Zaman once again. If they win, it could be their second title after 2017.
England
A team that won the T20 World Cup in 2022 but struggled in the 50-over tournament in 2023, England managed only 3 wins and 6 losses, including a stunning loss against Afghanistan. The team finished seventh on the table and qualified much like a tortoise, with their place initially at stake. This could be the main reason they are looking to make a turnaround.
However, one topic still at the center of discussion is who will be the quality replacement for Ben Stokes. If we look back at 2019 or 2022, in all these ICC events, one standout player was Ben Stokes. Since he decided not to play in the 50-over format, this has become a significant issue. The team has tried different combinations but ultimately failed to find a solid replacement.
Also, since England’s batters thrive on flat surfaces, making life difficult for bowlers, this gives us reason to mark England as a hot favorite compared to others.
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