Tag: Champions Trophy 2025

KARACHI: England cricket team registered an unwanted ODI record after their crushing defeat against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

England came in the eight-team tournament after losing the series 3-0 to India, but they failed to turn their fortunes around and ended the competition without securing any wins.

Consequently, the former World Cup champions have now recorded their longest losing streak in One Day Internationals (ODIs), totaling seven consecutive losses.

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This run began with an eight-wicket defeat against the West Indies last November. Previously, England’s longest losing streak in men’s ODIs was 11 matches, which occurred between 2000 and 2001.

England began their tournament campaign against their arch-rivals Australia on 22 February, posting a record total of 351 runs for the loss of 8 wickets while batting first.

However, a sublime century from wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis, along with half-centuries from Alex Carey and Matthew Short, enabled Australia to successfully chase down the total, losing just five wickets and finishing with 15 balls to spare.

Due to a rainout in the crucial Group B match between former champions Australia and South Africa, England needed to win both of their remaining matches to qualify for the semi-finals.

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Unfortunately, Afghanistan thwarted their chances with a narrow eight-run victory, driven by Ibrahim Zadran’s impressive knock of 177 runs and Azmatullah Omarzai’s five-wicket haul.

England’s struggles continued in their final group match, where they scored a meager 179 runs. In reply, South Africa easily chased down the total, losing three wickets and finishing with 125 balls to spare.

READ: Rumman Raees cites 2017 Champions Trophy triumph to counter Aqib Javed’s claim

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday, outlined the process for issuing refunds for tickets purchased for two ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches that were canceled without any play at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

A total of three matches in the current tournament were unable to conclude because of rain in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Ticket refunds have been issued for two of these matches: Australia vs. South Africa on 25 February and Bangladesh vs. Pakistan on 27 February.

Following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) policy, tickets for the match between Afghanistan and Australia will not be refunded. Refunds will only be provided if there is no toss.

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Furthermore, Champions Trophy tickets for the hospitality boxes and the PCB gallery are also non-refundable.

Eligible ticket holders can claim their refunds at 10 designated outlets of a private courier company between 10 March and 14 March.

For the unversed, the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is on the verge of concluding, with India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia securing all four semi-final spots.

However, the specific match-ups for the knockout phase remain undetermined, as they rely on the result of the final group-stage game between India and New Zealand, which is set to occur at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

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After the group stage wraps up, the top team from Group A will compete against the second-ranked team from Group B, while the top team of Group B will take on the second-ranked team from Group A.

READ: Virat Kohli eyes major milestones against New Zealand in Champions Trophy

Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Rumman Raees has addressed the remarks made by interim head coach Aqib Javed regarding the national team’s lack of experience after their early elimination from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

Raees, a key member of the 2017 winning team, criticized Javed’s remarks that the current squad lacks experience, particularly after the team’s disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

Ahead of the Men in Green’s last group match against the Bangladesh, Aqib Javed commented on the team’s lack of experience following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the marquee event.

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Aqib Javed attributed the omission of young players Sufiyan Muqeem and Muhammad Irfan Khan due to inexperience in international cricket.

Raees pointed out that the squad that won the Champions Trophy for Pakistan also featured a degree of inexperience, highlighting that he and Fakhar Zaman made their international debuts in that same tournament.

“It’s not valid to use inexperience as an excuse,” Raees remarked.

“I made my ODI debut in the semi-final, and Fakhar Zaman was part of that same team. When you compare the 2017 Champions Trophy team to today’s squad, you’ll see that the current players have had fewer matches under their belts.” he said.

He highlighted that only a few players were experienced in the 2017 winning squad.

“The only players with significant experience back then were Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Amir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Junaid Khan,” he said.

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Rumman Raees stressed the importance of building a team around core players and pointed out that expecting every squad member to have extensive experience is unrealistic.

“A successful team is always centered around key players; you can’t expect all 11 players to have played 100 ODIs,” Raees concluded.

READ: Virat Kohli eyes major milestones against New Zealand in Champions Trophy

India batting maestro Virat Kohli is on the verge of achieving multiple milestones in ODI cricket during the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against New Zealand, set to be played on Sunday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Kohli, who scored a brilliant century against Pakistan, will be eyeing West Indian explosive batter Chris Gayle’s record of most runs in the multi-nation tournament.

India top order batter needs to score at least 142 runs against the New Zealand to become the leading run scorer in the tournament history.

Most runs in Champions Trophy:

• Chris Gayle (West Indies)  17 matches — 791 runs
• Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) 22 matches — 742 runs
• Shikhar Dhawan (India)  10 matches — 701
• Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 22 matches — 683
• Sourav Ganguly (India) 13 matches — 665
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 17 matches — 653
• Virat Kohli (India) 15 matches — 651

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Furthermore, the right-handed batter has the opportunity to achieve another milestone by surpassing his compatriot Shikhar Dhawan’s record, thus becoming Team India’s highest scorer in the multi-nation tournament. He needs to score 51 runs to break this record.

Most runs for Indian in Champions Trophy:

• Shikhar Dhawan 10 matches — 701 runs
• Sourav Ganguly 13 matches — 665
• Virat Kohli 15 matches — 651 runs

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Kohli became the fastest batter to score 14,000 ODI runs on Sunday (23 February) during India’s match against arch-rivals Pakistan. He could also become the second leading run scorer in ODI cricket if he scores at least 150 runs against New Zealand.

Virat Kohli will shatter Kumar Sangakkara’s record and become the second leading run scorer in ODIs.

Most runs in ODI Cricket

1. Sachin Tendulkar India 463 matches — 18,426
2. Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka 404 matches — 14,234
3. Virat Kohli India 299 matches — 14,085

READ: South Africa outclass England to march into Champions Trophy semis

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson explained the struggles of top-order batter Babar Azam and the Pakistan team during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Babar has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the batting lineup for several years, but the right-hander has struggled for form after recording low scores in the eight-team tournament. His last ODI century came during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal.

Furthermore, 2017 Champions Trophy winning team Pakistan had a forgettable title defence, suffering back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India before their last group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out.

Hesson, who coached the New Zealand team from 2012 to 2018, addressed the underlying issues of Pakistan cricket and Babar Azam’s performance.

“Babar Azam is no doubt a world-class player, but during the Champions Trophy he was playing with a fear of failure,” he remarked while speaking on his YouTube channel.

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“He is very proficient against left-arm spin bowling; however, we witnessed him playing those spinners cautiously during the tournament, often just nudging the ball for single runs.”

Hesson further correlated Babar’s performances with the leadership changes within Pakistan cricket.

“Although intent was a problem with the Pakistan team in the Champions Trophy, but it was not the biggest issue. The underlying issues are much deeper than just intent.”

“There is a fear of failure among players that impacts their future performances as well,” he observed.

For the unversed, Pakistan cricket has experienced significant instability, having had four chairpersons, 26 selectors, eight coaches, and four captains in the last three years.

Hesson emphasized the need for a more stable leadership structure at the top level in Pakistan cricket.

“The chairman comes for a short-term fix. and obviously he is doing his job. I’m not suggesting a change is necessary, but consistency in leadership is crucial so that it doesn’t adversely impact the team.”

“A chairperson should implement a system that lasts for a certain period, and if they step down, there should be continuity to maintain the integrity of Pakistan cricket.” Hesson said.

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The current Islamabad United head coach highlighted that how continuous changes can affect players’ performances and teams’ contributions.

“This uncertainty forces players to prioritize their own performance over the team’s success. Players are left wondering whether their current leaders will remain in their positions long enough, which leads them to focus on self-preservation,” he stated.

Mike Hesson cited the New Zealand and Australian teams as positive examples, mentioning that their players are not judged on short-term performances.

“15 years ago, the New Zealand team had a similar kind of structure to Pakistan’s, where players fought for their spots instead of prioritizing the team. However, they have now adopted a different mechanism,” he stated.

“Cricket Australia does not make frequent overhauls; they provide players a longer run to prove themselves and asses them based on their performance over time rather than in isolation,” he concluded.

READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle

KARACHI: South Africa secured a semi-final spot with a convincing seven-wicket victory over England in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

The Proteas successfully chased a modest target of 180 runs, losing three wickets in 29.3 overs. This victory also allowed South Africa to top Group B, which included Afghanistan, Australia, and England.

South Africa’s new opening pair, Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton, fell inside the power play with a score of 47 courtesy of Jofra Archer bowling.

Stubbs, who was playing his first match in the eight-team tournament, was castled on a duck while Rickelton fell on the score of 27 after hitting five fours.

After early inroads from England, Heinrich Klaasen joined Rassie van der Dussen and forged a 127-run stand. Klaasen departed when his team needed just six runs. His  64 off 56 deliveries featured 11 fours.

On the other hand, Van der Dussen remained firm and carried his team to a comfortable win with an unbeaten 72 off 87 deliveries. His well-crafted innings included half a dozen fours and three sixes.

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For England, Archer was the only silver lining, who bagged two wickets, while Adil Rashid picked up one wicket.

Marco Jansen, was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling and fielding.

The Proteas only needed to ensure they didn’t lose the current match by 207 runs to move forward in the eight-team tournament.

A strong bowling display kept Afghanistan from overtaking them in net run rate. As a result, South Africa and Australia secured the two qualifying spots for the Final Four from Group B.

Earlier, a combined bowling effort helped South Africa bundle England to a meagre 179 in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

England captain Jos Buttler, in his last match as captain, opted to bat first, however, the decision backfired as Phil Salt (8) fell prey to Marco Jansen in the first over.

Jansen displayed his brilliance with the new ball, removing Jamie Smith (0) and Ben Duckett (24) soon afterward to leave England reeling at 37-3.

Joe Root and Harry Brook (19) then joined hands to construct a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket before Keshav Maharaj broke the partnership.

Root, who top-scored with 37 from 44 balls, fell in the next over, leaving his team in a struggling position with the scoreboard reading 103-5.

South Africa bowlers did not allow England to make a comeback as they took two more wickets in quick succession before Buttler and Jofra Archer forged a crucial 42-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Archer scored a gutsy 25 off 31 with the help of four boundaries, while Buttler managed a scratchy 21 off 43 without any boundary.

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However, both batters fell in successive overs before Wiaan Mulder dismissed Adil Rashid (2) to wrap England’s innings at 179.

Mulder and Jansen took three wickets each for South Africa, while Maharaj bagged two. Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada managed one wicket each.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle

KARACHI: England have won the toss and opted to bat first against South Africa in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Nasser Hussain names Jos Buttler’s replacement as England’s captaincy

Australia could be forced into a top-order reshuffle for their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final after Matthew Short sustained a quad injury during the clash against Afghanistan.

The injury, picked up late in Afghanistan’s innings, is expected to rule him out of the knockout fixture.

Despite opening the batting alongside Travis Head, Short visibly struggled between the wickets, restricting himself mostly to boundary hitting.

He managed 20 off 15 balls in a solid 44-run stand in 4.3 overs before being caught at mid-on.

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Speaking after the match, captain Steven Smith admitted that Short’s recovery in time for the semi-final seems unlikely.

“I think he’ll be struggling,” Smith said. “We saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well. It’s probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover.”

With Short’s likely absence, Jake Fraser-McGurk—who replaced the injured Mitchell Marsh in the squad—becomes the most straightforward replacement at the top of the order.

However, Australia could also consider a batting reshuffle, bringing in all-rounder Aaron Hardie as an alternative.

“We’ve got a few guys there to come in, and we’ll be able to fill a job,” Smith added.

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Another option for Australia could be left-handed batter and left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly, a travelling reserve who might be officially added to the squad if Matthew Short is ruled out of the tournament.

Beyond his batting, Short’s absence would be a blow to Australia’s spin-bowling depth. He had delivered a tidy spell against Afghanistan, conceding just 21 runs in seven overs.

However, the Aussies still have part-time spin options in Head and Marnus Labuschagne, the latter having taken two wickets against England but not used in the last game.

With a semi-final spot secured in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Australia will now have to weigh their options and make a call on the best possible XI for the knockout clash.

READ: Nasser Hussain names Jos Buttler’s replacement as England’s captaincy

Former captain Moin Khan has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take bold steps and rebuild the team after the disastrous ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

“I’ve been listening to a lot of former players’ comments lately, but since we’re already losing, why not just build a new team? What’s the worst that can happen? We will lose again, but at least we would have done something different,” Moin remarked.

The 2017 Champions Trophy winners had a forgettable title defence, suffering back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India before their last group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out.

Their early exit from the Champions Trophy has once again sparked discussions about Pakistan cricket’s direction, with many questioning the persistence of certain players in the squad despite inconsistent performances.

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Moin made it clear that while nobody is doubting the talent of the current players, every cricketer must justify his place in the team with consistent performances.

He also stressed the importance of patience from fans and former players if the selectors decide to rebuild the squad, even in just one format.

“Especially with social media nowadays, when selectors drop a senior or not-so-senior player, there’s immediate backlash. But when the same team keeps losing, those players are brought back, and the cycle continues. So, where exactly are we headed?” Moin questioned.

The former wicketkeeper-batter also dismissed claims about a lack of quality cricketing talent in Pakistan, instead pointing fingers at inconsistent selection policies.

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“The real issue is whether we even try to properly and justly give exposure to new players, groom them, and encourage them. Our problem is that we have different policies for different players,” he said.

According to sources, senior players of the Pakistan cricket team, including Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, are likely to be given a break for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

The series between Pakistan and New Zealand will run from 16 March 16 to 5 April, featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.

READ: Here’s how Afghanistan can still qualify for Champions Trophy semi-final

India’s top-order batter, Shubman Gill, is likely to lead the side in their last ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 group-stage fixture against New Zealand in Dubai.

According to Indian media outlets, India’s regular captain Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the upcoming match.

Sharma pulled his hamstring while fielding early in the Pakistan inning and left the field for a brief period.

While he returned to the field after receiving assistance from the team physio, Rohit Sharma looked uncomfortable.

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Reports said that the India captain was the only batter who did not participate in the team’s practice session ahead of their Champions Trophy 2025 game against New Zealand.

While team management and medical staff were closely monitoring Rohit Sharma’s condition, his opening partner Shubman Gill might lead the side in case he fails to get fit for the Champions Trophy 2025 game.

India are set to face New Zealand on 2 March in Dubai as the two teams look to secure the top spot in Group A.

The side got off to a flying start in the eight-team tournament after beating Bangladesh in their opening game.

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India qualified for the semi-final after beating Pakistan in the blockbuster IND vs PAK clash on 23 February.

India squad for Champions Trophy 2025:

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy.

READ: Champions Trophy: Here’s how Afghanistan can still qualify for semi-final