Champions Trophy 2025 Teams List and Schedule

Eight teams will be competing in the 2025 Champions Trophy, a number fixed since the 2009 tournament. Pakistan, the winners from 2017, the last time it was played, are the nominal hosts – although India’s refusal to travel there has led to the adoption of the so-called hybrid model – which means they were guaranteed their place. They have been joined by the seven best teams from the last World Cup in 2023. The eight teams have been segregated into two groups: Group A, which contains India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, and Group B, Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa.

The top two finishers in each group will progress to the two semifinals, which will produce the two finalists.

Read more: A Detailed Guide to the 2025 Champions Trophy

Afghanistan

The presence of Afghanistan in the tournament is an anomalous and controversial one. That is because since the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021, women have been banned from many aspects of public life, including sports. The Afghan women’s team either went into hiding or fled the country. But, although it is against avowed ICC policy, the men’s team have been allowed to continue competing in major international tournaments.

Australia, though, have refused to play bilateral series against them, and now there is serious political pressure building on England to boycott their match, with the South African Sports Minister now joining in the demands. That is unlikely to happen, with the ICC hoping that the power of sport might persuade the Taliban to change their mind.

Afghanistan has never won a major international trophy, but they did surprise everyone by reaching the knock-out stages of the 2024 T20I World Cup. They also boast a recent ODI series win over South Africa. 

Their strength lies in their formidable spin attack, all of whom will be playing in conditions that suit them, with star Rashid Khan completed by veteran Mohammad Nabi and emerging talents Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad. In addition, they know Pakistan well; many of their players are familiar with the Pakistan Super League, and have family ties in the country. A weakness in the past has been their inability to cope with the mental pressures of a major tournament, and they are still comparatively inexperienced in ODI cricket.

Star Players

1. Rashid Khan

Captain and all-rounder Rashid Khan is Afghanistan’s best-known Player. A veteran of 111 ODIs, still just 26, he needs two wickets to reach the 200-wicket mark in the format. He also has extensive experience playing in Pakistan conditions, having played in the PSL for the Lahore Qalandars since 2021. Already, he has achieved a lot in the game – the youngest Player to top the ODI bowling rankings, the youngest man to captain an international side, and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets. But if he can steer his country to the knock-out stages at least, his near legendary status among Afghan cricket fans would be cemented.

He is a player much in demand in franchise cricket because of his disciplined bowling.

2. Mohammad Nabi

The number one ranked ODI all-rounder currently, according to the ICC, is Mohammad Nabi. He may have passed his 40th birthday, but he still plays at the highest level. An attacking right-handed batter with two ODI centuries and a further 16 fifties to his name, his right-arm-off spin is also a more than useful weapon for his team, especially on pitches that will offer him some help.

Odds on winning: 33/1. Prediction: Eliminated at the group stage.

Australia

Australia can justify its claim to be the most successful team in the history of limited-overs cricket. They won the Champions Trophy in 2006 and defended their title three years later. They have also won the World Cup a record five times, including the last tournament in 2023, and are the defending World Test Champions.

That 2023 World Cup also showed what this side can achieve. Having lost their first two group games, they were favourites to go home early, but they then won nine on the bounce, culminating in them lifting the trophy.

The country still has to play two tests in Sri Lanka beginning at the end of this month. Before the tournaments start, the country has no ODIs scheduled, and it will rely instead on training camps and player conditioning to prepare the squad.

Australia has an aggressive batting unit and arguably the best fast-bowling attack in the competition. The “Big Three” of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood are supplemented by the likes of Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson; however, the pitches in Pakistan may not suit them. They all have commandeered big prices in the Indian Premier League. Arguably, their spin attack is the weakest part of their game, although both Ashton Asgar and Adam Zampa can enjoy success on their day.

What really sets Australia apart from many of the other sides in the competition, though, is its mental strength and winning mentality. This team knows how to get the job done and win from difficult positions.

Star Players

1. Travis Head

India fans will have bitter memories of how destructive a player Travis Head can be from the World Cup final. Opening the innings for Australia, he effectively took the trophy away from India with a display of controlled hitting, something which has also become a familiar sight to supporters of the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. Head will set the tone for the rest of the batters to follow.

2. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell is nicknamed “The Big Show for a reason. His ability to play unconventional shots and improvise makes it difficult to set fields for him, and although he can be inconsistent when he gets it right, he is a one-person match-winner. An example came in the last World Cup when playing in a group game against Afghanistan with his side six wickets down and facing defeat. He then proceeded to score 201 off 128 balls, despite the fact that he was suffering from cramp and back pains for much of his innings and could not run between the wickets.

Odds on winning: 7/2. Prediction: Competition winners

Bangladesh

Bangladesh did not make its ICC international debut until 1979, and it has yet to win a major international trophy. However, its eighth-place finish at the last World Cup was enough for it to qualify for this tournament.

The Bangladesh selectors have made several big calls with their team for the Champions Trophy. Because of recent poor form, they have axed stalwarts batter Liton Das and pacer Shoriful Islam from their squad. However, they have been able to welcome back from injury captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and the pair of Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid Hridoy. However, there is no place for veteran all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan, who remains suspended from first-class cricket because of a suspected bowling action. With Tamim Iqbal having recently retired, this will be the first time that Bangladesh have gone into an international trophy without the pair in the team.

The team has no ODIs scheduled before the Champions Trophy, instead relying on intra-squad games and training camps. They have won four and lost eight of the 12 ODIs they have played since the last World Cup. In addition, they face the added travel burden of having to fly to Dubai to play their group game against India.

Their spin attack is one of the strengths of their team, although the absence of Shakib Al-Hasan is a big miss for them, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz will now have to step out of his shadow and take responsibility for picking up wickets. There are heavy question marks about their batting, as evidenced by the fact that their highest-ranked ODI batter, according to the ICC, is Shanto, and he currently is only 30th in the standings.

Read more: Champions Trophy 2025: A Guide to Buying Pak vs Ban Tickets

Star players

1. Mushfiqur Rahim

Bangladesh will be glad to have Mushfiqur Rahim back in the side, not least for the ODI experience that the wicket-keeper batter possesses, having already played 271 matches in the format. And they will also be hoping he can rediscover the form that has seen him score 9 ODI centuries and a further 49 fifties in the format and that his glove work is up to scratch.

2. Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Mehidy Hasan Miraz will be winning his 100th ODI cap in Bangladesh’s first match against India in Dubai, and a lot now rests on him. However, his numbers have declined since the days when he was the number two-ranked ODI bowler in the world. A bowling average close to 35 will not win matches for his team.

Odds on winning: 40/1. Prediction: Eliminated at the group stage.

England

England have never won the Champions Trophy, although they have been beaten finalists twice, both on home soil. They were beaten by the West Indies at The Oval in 2004 and by India at Edgbaston nine years later. However, they did win the World Cup in 2019, famously beating New Zealand after a Super Over at Lord’s.

This will be the first tournament with new head coach Brendon McCullum in charge. The New Zealander will now combine whiteball duties with his existing test responsibilities. Neutral observers will want to see if he can translate his “Bazball” style of test cricket to the shorter format of the game.

The first country to name their squad for the Champions Trophy, they will once again be led by Jos Buttler, but hopes that Ben Stokes, who had retired from ODI cricket before indicating that he was open to a recall, could play have been dashed because of the hamstring injury he suffered on test duty against New Zealand. Joe Root, who had not played the format since the 2023 World Cup, returns to the squad, though.

They have chosen to prepare for the Champions Trophy with a white-ball tour of India. The two teams will play a five-match T20I series, followed by three ODIs.

Their strengths lie in their batting. If openers Buttler and Phil Salt can get going, they can score big runs quickly and be backed up by the likes of Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett. England also bat deep, with even the tail-enders capable of getting valuable runs.

By contrast, bowling is a weakness, especially for spinners. Adil Rashid is now at the veteran stage, and whilst Liam Livingstone is also in the squad, he is not a frontline spinner. In terms of pace options, both Jofra Archer and Mark Wood’s inclusion in the team is a risk because of their recent injury records. They at least offer some variation to an attack otherwise dominated by medium pacers.

There must also be a question mark about how they will cope with the conditions. They toured Pakistan for a test series in October, and although they won the first match in Multan easily, when the groundsman prepared rank turning pitches for the Second and Third Tests, their inability to cope with the Pakistan spin bowlers was cruelly exposed. They can expect more of the same in this tournament.

Star players

1. Harry Brook

According to team mate Root, Harry Brook is by far and away the best batter in the world, and now he can prove that on an international stage. The 25-year-old scored a triple century in the First Test against Pakistan and knows the Indian sub-continent well. He has previously played in the Pakistan Super League for the Lahore Qalandars and was bought by the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 IPL player auction.

2. Joe Root

Ending his ODI hiatus, Root, who is already second on England’s all-time list, could surpass former captain Eoin Morgan to become England’s all-time ODI run scorer during the tournament. After several years of lean form, 2024 saw him back to his best, and he and Brook have both been nominated for the ICC Player of the Year award.

Odds on winning: 6/1. Prediction: Beaten semi-finalists.

India

India has twice won the Champions Trophy, winning it outright in 2015 and sharing it with Sri Lanka back in 2002. They have also won the World Cup twice and were beaten finalists in 2023 in front of their home fans in Ahmedabad.

India are the number one ranked ODI side in the world right now, and according to the bookmakers, favourites to win the tournament, adding it to the T20I World Cup, which they lifted last year. Yet the team comes into the competition under the spotlight after a damaging loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which also ended their hopes of reaching a third successive World Test Championship final. The position of head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under intense scrutiny, as has that of his captain, Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, who has scored more ODI centuries than any other player in history. Whilst there have been calls for some or all to be dropped, the BCCI appears to have stayed their hand. Concern about the effect such actions might have this close to a major tournament might have on the rest of the team and support staff has earned them a stay of execution.

They will warm-up for the tournament by hosting a white-ball series against England, with five T20Is followed by three ODIs.

Although India have yet to name their squad, they have many options available, and they will be boosted by the fact that Mohammed Shami, who has not played for them since the 2023 World Cup final, is back and available to provide frontline support to Jasprit Bumrah. They have both a strong batting and bowling line-up on paper, although the form of both Shamr and Kohli makes them a potential weakness, given the tendency sometimes for the rest of the batting order to collapse around them.

Another problem India has is coping with the burden of expectation. Indian fans expect their side to win every match and tournament that they play, and when they fall short, they can be quick to turn on their side.

However, they have less travel than any other team in the competition. Their board’s stubborn refusal to travel to Pakistan means that they will play all their matches in Dubai.

Star player

1. Jasprit Bumrah

If fit, there is no finer bowler in any format than Jasprit Bumrah. His 32 wickets meant that the Border-Gavaskar series was in doubt until he got injured, whilst he was the Player of the Series when India won the T20 World Cup in 2024. In white ball cricket, he uniquely threatens to take a wicket with every ball whilst giving the batters little opportunity to score runs off him. And he copes with the pressure of the death overs better than any other player currently active in the game. 

2. Rishabh Pant

Now, back to full fitness after the car accident that almost ended his life, not just his career, Pant has the ability to change games on his own. His unwillingness to compromise his style drew both praise and criticism during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but he remains a destructive player, and his wicket-keeping ability is often overlooked. India may be looking for a new ODI captain soon, so this could serve as a valuable audition for the job for Pant.

Odds on winning: 15/8. Prediction: They will reach the final but be beaten by Australia again.

New Zealand

Although the smallest country competing in terms of population, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight in international cricket. They won the second edition of the Champions Trophy in 2000, were beaten finalists in the 2019 World Cup, and were also the inaugural winners of the World Test Championship.

They have just completed a three match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which they won by the odd match in three. New Zealand will also play a tri-nation series in Pakistan, with South Africa also participating as part of their preparations.

Mitchell Santner will lead what looks like a balanced squad to Pakistan. However, there are question marks about the lack of experience in the side following the recent international retirements of players like Tim Southee. However, Kane Williamson, the former skipper, is available, and they will lean heavily into his experience of playing in sub-continental conditions – he has previously played in the IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Gujarat Titans. Fast bowling has been a strength for them in ODI cricket. Still, with Trent Boult, like Southee now gone, Lockie Ferguson will have added responsibilities to guide younger team-mates like Will Young and Will O’Rourke through their first major international tournament.

Their batters’ inability to cope with Pakistan’s turning pitches is a problem, and they will also have the inconvenience of the extra travel necessitated by playing their group game in Dubai.

Star players

1. Rachin Ravindra

The ICC Emerging Player of the Year, Rachin Ravindra, has already established himself in the New Zealand side in all three formats of the game. He was New Zealand’s highest run scorer—and the fourth overall—at the 2023 World Cup and was particularly strong against spin bowling. His technique was honed by trips to India organised by his father, who originally hails from Bengaluru.

His partnerships with Devon Conway have also boosted the team in the past, and the Black Caps will hope that the pair can continue their chemistry in this competition.

With his slow left-armed spin, he also offers a useful bowling option and will doubtless get more than his fair share of overs.

2. Doug Bracewell

A member of a famous cricketing family – both his father and uncle played for New Zealand – Bracewell’s recent career has not been without controversy. He served a one-month doping ban last year after testing positive for cocaine following a domestic cup match and previously had been charged with drunk driving. That means that, at the age of 34, he has not yet had the international career that his talent suggests he ought to have enjoyed.

Yet, he remains arguably New Zealand’s best spinner, and they will need him to deliver in this tournament if they hope to get out of the group stages. He is no rookie with the bat either, and he can get valuable runs at the tail.

Odds on winning: 7/1. Eliminated at the group stage.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s victory over India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final gave them hosting rights, and it joined the 1992 World Cup in their trophy cabinets. In between those two triumphs were years of international isolation following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus, which forced them to play all their international fixtures abroad for a decade. Hosting this tournament is a source of great pride for the Pakistani nation and a signal that they are no longer international pariahs.

They will host a tri-nation series in preparation, with New Zealand and South Africa also involved, as a warm-up for the Champions Trophy itself.

Since the last World Cup – which ended in disappointment with exit at the group stages – the team has been in strong form in ODIs, winning seven out of the nine matches they have played, including a clean sweep on South African soil. Of course, it would not be Pakistan cricket without some upheaval behind the scenes; white ball cricket Gary Kirsten resigned last year, and he was followed out the door by Jason Gillespie, the head coach of the test team. There was also a wholesale change of the selectors. 

Meanwhile, the drama surrounding the hosting of the Champions Trophy has provided a constant background. Pakistan may feel that they lost the battle – playing a match in Dubai against India is to their disadvantage – but they won the war, with the concept of the hybrid model now accepted, 

They enter the tournament with a pace attack led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, backed up by Hasan Ali and Usama Mir Shaheen. They have had to compensate in the past for an inconsistent batting line-up, although recent performances suggest that is now a thing of the past. Their spinning line-up was a problem for them at the last World Cup, but that has also improved since then.

Pakistan, of course, are the hosta, which should be an advantage for them, although it could be a double-edged sword. The pressure from local fans to do well could inhibit the performances of some of the players.

Read more: Top 10 Cricket Betting App in Pakistan

Star players

1. Babar Azam

It has been a turbulent 15 months for Babar Azam. Treated as a scapegoat after Pakistan’s World Cup failure, he was stripped of the white ball captaincy, had it restored to him and then taken away again after their disappointing T20I World Cup. He was also dropped from the national side because of his poor form with the bat. However, the time away from the spotlight has done him good, as he now tops the ODI batting rankings again, as shown in the recent ODI series against South Africa, where he notched up two successive half-centuries. He will also relish the opportunity of playing in front of home crowds.

2. Shaheen Shah Afridi

Although one of the victims of the internal politics that bedevil Pakistan cricket, given the white ball captaincy for one series, only for it to be taken away from him again, Shaheen Shah Afridi appears to have shrugged all that off and is back to concentrating on his game. On the recent tour of South Africa, he became the first Pakistani to take 100 wickets in all three game formats and the youngest to do so. With a bowling average of just 23.1 in ODI cricket, he can be expected to have a lot of joy with the new ball in hand.

Odds on winning: 13/2. Prediction: Beaten semi=finalists,

South Africa

South Africa were the inaugural winners of the Champions Trophy in 1998, and that remains their only success in a major ICC  international trophy. However, they have qualified for this year’s World Test Championship final and will play Australia at Lord’s in June.

South Africa’s preparations have been hindered because many of its players are currently competing in SA20. Once that is finished, they will play a tri-nation series in Pakistan with New Zealand also involved. Nor is their recent ODI form encouraging. They have lost nine out of their past twelve games, including all three matches at home to Pakistan recently.

However, they cannot be totally discounted – in the past decade, they have been the only side apart from Australia to have won an ODI series in India.

Their strength lies in their batting, although the retired Quinton de Kock is a big miss at the top of the order. However, they still have Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram. In David Miller, they have a player who can come in in the middle order and take the game away from the opposition. He also brings experience to the squad.

A weakness, though, is their spin attack. While Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will likely spearhead their spinning options, both have struggled in their previous appearances in the subcontinent.

Star players

1. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada, who became the fastest Player to take 200 wickets in terms of balls bowled, will lead their pace attack. With ten years of ODI experience behind him, they will need him to show the form that has brought him 162 wickets in 103 ODIs. As he showed also in the test series against Pakistan, he can be a more than useful tail-ender with the bat.

2. Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram is South Africa’s ODI captain and one of their top scorers in ODI cricket. He is a batter who shows composure and is strong on the offside. An additional bonus is that when South Africa last visited Pakistan, he was one of the few players in their side who proved capable of handling turning pitches and the low bounce that sometimes accompanies them.

Odds on winning: 6/1. Eliminated at the group stage, possibly on Net Run Rate.

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