KEY POINTS
- India to enter the Champions Trophy 2025 as the team to beat
- South Africa has a record for faltering in crunch moments
- Pakistan has a lethal fast-bowling trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf
ISLAMABAD: Winning a tournament is not just about being the best team on paper—it is about delivering under pressure and seizing the key moments. In cricket, where unpredictability reigns supreme, the team that thrives in crunch situations often emerges victorious.
However, the most well-balanced sides, equipped with seasoned players, have a knack for dictating terms, shifting momentum, and hardly allowing the opposition to take the game away. As the countdown to the 2025 Champions Trophy begins, let’s analyse which teams have the strongest claim to the title.
Top 6 ODI Teams – Form guide since World Cup 2023
India: The undisputed favourite
There is no debate—India will enter the Champions Trophy 2025 as the team to beat. Yes, premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is sidelined with a lower back injury, and Virat Kohli has averaged just 24 over the past two years, but that does little to diminish their dominance.
India will play all their matches in Dubai, including the final if they qualify. The spin-friendly pitches there perfectly suit their squad, which boasts five quality spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Their batting line-up is firing at the right time. The openers are in form, the middle order is delivering under pressure, and the lower order can stabilize the innings if early wickets fall. More importantly, their bowlers know exactly how to exploit Dubai’s conditions.
History is also on their side. The last time India played an entire tournament in Dubai—the 2018 Asia Cup—they cruised to victory. Even in the 2023 World Cup, they remained unbeaten until the final, where only Travis Head’s brilliance denied them the trophy.
With their well-rounded squad and favourable conditions, India are entering as the clear favourites.
South Africa: Contenders or chokers?
It is rare to see an ICC tournament without a formidable South African squad in the title race. However, their reputation for faltering in crunch moments precedes them, with eight semi-final losses in ICC events serving as painful reminders. Their most recent heartbreak came in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, where they squandered a seemingly straightforward chase—needing just 31 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand.
Despite this, South Africa remains a force to be reckoned with. Their modern, technically sound batting approach allows them to pile up big scores on all kinds of surfaces. Pakistan’s flat pitches should further play to their strengths, and their depth in fast bowling—bolstered by a strong domestic system—ensures they remain competitive even in the face of injuries.
Will this finally be the year South Africa sheds the “chokers” tag?
New Zealand: The dark horses once again
New Zealand rarely enters ICC tournaments as outright favourites—except perhaps in the 2015 World Cup when they co-hosted the event. Yet, their track record in recent years speaks for itself. They clinched the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2021, came agonisingly close to winning the 2019 World Cup, losing to England in a dramatic Super Over, and made it to the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup in India.
Their recent performances further highlight their consistency. In the Tri-Nation series held in Pakistan, they showcased their all-round ability by defeating strong sides like Pakistan and South Africa. However, their biggest challenge in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be adapting their fast bowling attack to Pakistan’s flat pitches.
With veterans Tim Southee and Trent Boult retired and Lockie Ferguson still recovering from injury, the burden falls on Matt Henry to lead a relatively inexperienced pace unit. Whether their young fast bowlers can step up could determine how far the Kiwis go this time.
Pakistan: The hosts
Hosts always carry an advantage, and Pakistan is no exception. Their recent form has been solid, winning three of their last four series, including impressive away victories against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. One of their standout performances came against South Africa, where they successfully chased their highest-ever ODI target after conceding 350+, showcasing their resilience under pressure.
However, concerns remain. Frequent shuffling in the batting order has disrupted stability, and the selection of just one specialist spinner in the 15-member squad raises serious questions, especially on subcontinental pitches.
What keeps Pakistan in the title race is their formidable middle order, led by captain Mohammad Rizwan, and their lethal fast-bowling trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. If Pakistan can post competitive totals when batting first or find conditions favouring their pacers, they will hold the upper hand against most teams.
Australia: A champion side facing uncertainty
Australia entered the Champions Trophy 2025 with a squad almost identical to the one that triumphed in the 2023 World Cup, where they convincingly defeated India in the final. However, their campaign has been disrupted by a series of setbacks—Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood have all been side-lined due to injuries, Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement just before the tournament, and Mitchell Starc opted out.
Adding to their concerns, their recent ODI performances against Sri Lanka have raised doubts about their ability to maintain dominance in the 50-over format. When Pakistan toured Australia in November, their batting vulnerabilities were exposed, prompting a reshuffle in the order. Travis Head has now been moved to the top—an interesting but questionable decision, given his match-winning performances at No. 5 in the past.
With several key players missing, Australia is relying heavily on young, inexperienced talents who are struggling to find their footing. This tournament will also test Steven Smith’s leadership, as he steps in as captain in Pat Cummins’ absence. For Australia, this campaign is not just about defending their legacy but proving they can adapt and overcome adversity.
England: A side searching for redemption
England’s recent struggles in white-ball cricket have been glaring. They were thrashed by India, losing the T20I series 4-1 and the ODI series 3-0. The fearless, aggressive brand of cricket that defined them under Eoin Morgan has rapidly faded under Jos Buttler’s leadership. While Buttler guided England to T20 World Cup glory in 2022, his team failed to defend their ODI title in the 2023 World Cup and faltered again in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
With Brendon McCullum now at the helm as their white-ball coach, all eyes are on whether he can steer England back to their winning ways. Historically, their struggles in the Subcontinent and the Caribbean stem from an inability to adapt their natural game—dominating on seam-friendly pitches and exploiting their fast-bowling strengths. However, England has tasted success in these conditions before.
If they can secure at least two wins in the group stage, it could provide the momentum needed to reignite their campaign. The question remains—can England rediscover their aggressive approach and make a serious push for the title?
