The Champions Trophy is almost upon us, the first one since 2017. This year we are seeing the tournament being held in Pakistan and Dubai for all India games. With Australia and South Africa coming off some good form in the test format they could be strong coming into this, as India also may be, as last summer they won the T20 World Cup. It hasn’t been great since then but you feel it’s hard to count India out in any tournament. New Zealand and England will prove tricky opponents as will Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who the former had a very good T20 World Cup campaign getting to the semi finals after beating Australia on that occasion.
Group A – Pakistan, New Zealand, India, Bangladesh
Pakistan
Quite possibly one of the teams that no one knows what could happen with. The hosts can be an incredible team to watch and then sometimes just fall apart. You never really know which Pakistan you will get. But for them to get a home tournament after so many years of being unable to play at home, this is a massive occasion, the players will be up for it. They beat Australia in Australia in an ODI series only back in November, which is incredibly hard to do. Won their test series at home against England. Even swept South Africa in that ODI series. It isn’t even a question of can they it you feel, they can, but it is more about which Pakistan side shows up. Mohammed Rizwan captains the side and has been doing a fine job, and he’ll need his bowlers to do the job. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi are two such players who can be such difference makers. The loss of Saim Ayub is a big one that they’ll need to fill properly, but if they can do that and bat well too, they’ll have a shot of getting out of the group and maybe even winning the whole thing.
New Zealand
Another team that you just have no idea what will happen. On one hand New Zealand could go to India and clean sweep them in a test series, and then come back home and lose 2-1 to England quite convincingly (apart from the third test). Lost to Sri Lanka away, then beat them at home. Their T20 World Cup campaign was also not good at all, after losing their first game convincingly, ended up crashing out. No doubt they have the ability, it does become more about can they put it all together to finally win another trophy after so many years of coming up short. The wealth of experience is unquestionable, with Mitchell Santner leading, and names like Kane Williamson and Matt Henry. For a few it will be their first ICC tournament, but for New Zealand to be successful they need to start strong and just continue that momentum. The first game against Pakistan is huge for both sides.
India
From last July when they won the T20 World Cup, things have fallen off massively since then. Losing a home test series for the first time in 12 years, then to lose the Boder-Gavaskar trophy back to Australia. It has been a time to forget, and this tournament might prove to be one more go at a trophy before a rebuild is necessary. Not that they will be out of contention but for sure need some fresh faces in there. However, India have been very successful in their T20 matches as of late, and recently just beat England in their first ODI match of the series. But they did lose to Sri Lanka in an ODI series last August. The big thing India have going for them is they play all their matches in Dubai, which essentially means a part home ground advantage, so will be difficult for traveling teams. But even disregarding that, the squad they have available, should be able to get out of the group comfortably. Bumrah and Shami involved in the attack, then Jaiswal, Gill and Pant as three guys that can go out and bat away, it becomes very hard to not put India as favourites for the trophy. This may also very well be Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s last tournaments.
Bangladesh
There is no pressure on Bangladesh to do anything in this tournament, and that is what might make them dangerous to face, and could sneak a win and all of a sudden be in contention for qualifying. Only thing is their record hasn’t been great in terms of ODI’s, as they have only won 1 out of 6 they’ve played since July, but their T20 form has been solid, meaning they could definitely still pose a threat in this group with the limited overs format. Somewhat similarly to Afghanistan, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will try to make his side believe his side can get involved and possibly do something and shock people. Early last year they caused New Zealand some issues, so in this case, who knows what could happen.
Group B – Australia, England, Afghanistan, South Africa
South Africa
South Africa are an interesting prospect, they are into the WTC Final, interestingly enough against Australia. But their One Day form has been up and down. They won against Afghanistan 2-1 in September, then beat Ireland 2-1 after that. The next series they played was against Pakistan on home soil and lost 3-0. Now that is not that much one day cricket to go off but their T20 record as of recently hasn’t been setting the world on fire either, but in saying that, they did make the T20 World Cup final last year. Now they do have a tri-series with Pakistan and New Zealand prior to the tournament and should be a very interesting watch. Most of their usual players will take the field but the fast bowler Anrich Nortje will not due to yet another injury. But Temba Bavuma has performed very well as of recently, and as captain will need to perform for the South Africans to get out of the group.
Australia
Of course, the current holders of the ICC Cricket World Cup and a side that will be having a few changes in this interation of the Champions Trophy. With Cummins and Hazlewood out as fast bowling options, may represent a slight issue for the Aussies as they are premier bowlers for Australia. But with Nathan Ellis to come into the side and others to be named they are a formidable side regardless. The strength in all areas is incredible and they have had a recent run of good form too in the test series against both India and most recently Sri Lanka. The last two ODI series they played against England last September they won 3-2 but lost at home to Pakistan in an incredible series 2-1. There has been less short form cricket for Australia over the recent months so that may play a factor but within an incredibly competitive group, Australia and England face off once again in a tournament group, which is sure to have some fireworks as it often does.
England
The one side in the tournament you feel are tougher to get a read on. On one hand they possess so much talent all across the park but sometimes the lack of execution lets them down. The third test in New Zealand was an example, they were off a little and it showed with some desperate batting at times. The form has been not so great with a recent 4-1 loss in the T20 series with India, and currently trail 1-0 in their ODI series. Prior to that beat New Zealand in the test series but also lost to Pakistan in a test series and the West Indies in an ODI series. But England pose a very real threat regardless and will be keen to show that they’re still up for it. It means the experienced heads like Joe Root and Jos Buttler will need to step up and really give the English a platform to go off. While Jofra Archer in the bowling department will need to show his quality alongside the likes of Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood.
Afghanistan
Based on the group they’re in, not a lot of people are going to pick the Afghans to do much. There is very much room for them to spring some surprises though, as they showed in the super eight of the T20 World Cup last year. Bringing in Younis Khan as a mentor behind the scenes is bound to help as the Afghans would have gained all the knowledge about the pitches and what to expect in Pakistan, which is huge. While they may not have the plethora of world class players to choose from they have very effective players in their own right. Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, Rahmat Shah all players of quality, and the captain Hashmatullah Shahidi who will have the team believing they can do something, so watch out for Afghanistan, could pull off a shock in this group.