Ponting and Shastri Pick India and Australia as Champions Trophy 2025 Finalists
Former cricket legends Ricky Ponting and Ravi Shastri have named India and Australia as the likely finalists for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The tournament will be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.
Ponting, speaking to the ICC Review, pointed to the strong performances of both India and Australia in recent international competitions. He highlighted the quality of players in both teams and their consistent appearances in major finals.
“It’s hard to go past India and Australia again,” said Ponting. “With the quality of players they have right now, it’s hard to see them not being in the final.”
Shastri, meanwhile, also backed England and South Africa to make it to the semi-finals but believed that the World Cup 2023 runners-up (India) have a strong chance to win the tournament.
Ponting also warned that Pakistan, the host nation, could be a strong contender. “Pakistan is playing really well, especially after their recent victories over Australia and South Africa. Though they are sometimes unpredictable, they seem to have found a good balance,” he added.
The 2025 Champions Trophy will feature 15 matches played in three cities in Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, as well as Dubai. The teams are divided into two groups. Group A includes Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while Group B consists of Afghanistan, South Africa, England, and Australia.
The tournament will begin with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi. The highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India is set for February 23 in Dubai.
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Disclaimer: Above information have been compiled from various newspapers and is being published for information purpose only.
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