India and Australia are the only two-time winners of the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, England, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh have yet to clinch the title. Pakistan will start as the defending champions of the tournament. The Men in Green beat India by 180 runs in the final to secure their first Champions Trophy.
Kevin Pietersen backed India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa to reach the knockout stage. The former cricketer cited Australia's injury struggles and England's recent poor form, including a 0-3 ODI series loss to India, as factors impacting their chances in the tournament.
Champions Trophy 2025 Set to Begin on February 19
The Champions Trophy 2025 will begin on February 19. Notably, matches of the marquee tournament will be played in Dubai and Pakistan in a hybrid model. India will play in Dubai, including one semifinal and possibly the final if they qualify. The final will be held in Lahore unless India reaches it.
My Dark Horse Is Afghanistan - Parthiv Patel
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has named Afghanistan as the dark horse for the upcoming Champions Trophy. He stated that India and Pakistan will secure the semi-final spots from Group A. Parthiv predicted South Africa and Australia to qualify for the knockout stage from Group B.
"There'll be India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia just given the record in the ICC trophies. But my dark horse is Afghanistan. They've got they've played really good cricket in a 50-over format. It was just Glenn Maxwell’s innings otherwise I think they were right there in the race to reach the semifinals. So you know Afghanistan could come in and surprise all other teams."
Also read: Chetan Sharma begins a new Cricket League in India days before IPL 2025; beginning of a new clash?
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