The ICC Champions Trophy is to be held for the 9th time since it was dismissed in 2017. This time around it will be played after a long time. The defending champions will host the Champions Trophy this time around, and the ICC has also refused to relocate the competition for any participating team.
India’s History in the Champions Trophy
India has been the most dominant team in the Champions Trophy history since they made two successive finals in the last two editions. They have a rich history in the competition, as India won the Champions Trophy for the second time in 2013 when Dhoni led India to a Champions Trophy triumph in England. This was India’s second-ever best performance in the ICC tournament overseas under skipper Dhoni after his famous T20 World Cup triumph.
Pakistan to host the Champions Trophy 2025
The PCB has announced that the three stadiums of Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore will host the matches for the Champions Trophy 2025. Of which Lahore will host the most number of matches, which is 7, and also the final is scheduled to be played there.
The hosts Pakistan will be placed alongside India, Bangladesh, and also New Zealand from Group A as two of these top teams advance into the semis. Next, overseas giants Australia, England, and South Africa and underdog newcomers Afghanistan have been placed in Group B.
India: The biggest contenders for CT 2025
India was also the finalist of the 2017 Champions Trophy alongside Pakistan, though despite having a splendid tournament, they failed miserably in the finals as they suffered the biggest of losses against the arch-rivals.
The World Cup finalists and crowned no. 1 ranked ODI team by the ICC, Team India led by skipper Rohit Sharma, will be considered the favourites to win the ICC Champions Trophy another time. The team has the best possible lineup for an ODI team, and now with the return of Rishabh Pant, it only adds to their finesse of being an even better team.
Also, this would mark the end of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s careers in the Champions Trophy, as they might not be available until the next, hence this adds to the team’s determination to win it. Also, the perfect blend of pace and spin in the team, like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
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Under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, ex-Pakistan bowling coach, Morne Morkel, who has a close insight into the tracks of Pakistan, will spearhead the Indian pace attack. The India team can be picked as the one-handed predicted winners of the competition.