The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is all set to kick off on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with an exciting clash between hosts and reigning champions, Pakistan, and the formidable New Zealand team at National Bank Stadium, Karachi. The prestigious tournament is being jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UAE, marking the revival of the Champions Trophy after eight years.
The last edition’s runners-up, two-time champions, and world number one ODI team, India, will begin their campaign on Thursday against Bangladesh. India won the Champions Trophy twice — first, sharing it with Sri Lanka in 2002, and then defeating England in 2013. This year, eight teams are competing, divided into two groups, in what is often referred to as the “mini-World Cup.”
Australia, the five-time ICC World Cup champions, will be missing key players like captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who have withdrawn from the tournament. Despite these absences, Australia remains a formidable force in the ODI format, and no team is being considered clear favorites this year.
In the opening match, Pakistan appears to have an upper hand with world-renowned players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi. New Zealand, on the other hand, will be without some of their experienced fast bowlers, such as Trent Boult and Tim Southee, but will rely on veteran batsman Kane Williamson for stability in the batting department.
Cricket fans can expect an intense battle between bat and ball over the 19-day tournament, running from February 19 to March 9. Group A includes India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while Group B features Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan. The final will be played on March 9, either in Lahore or Dubai.
Team line-ups:
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf.
New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (C), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson.
