itstargetnews
this ICC Champions Trophy 2025 It is one of the most anticipated cricket events and is scheduled to start on February 19, 2025. Pakistan and Dubaithe tournament will bring fierce competition as the world’s top cricketing nations vie for the coveted title.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Overview
While most of the matches will be played in Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE)India will play all its matches in Dubai due to ongoing geopolitical considerations. India will launch counter-movement Bangladesh On February 20, an exciting group stage showdown is about to take place. The event returns after eight years and is expected to attract widespread attention from fans and experts. The pitches in Pakistan and the UAE can present a variety of challenges, from spin-friendly tracks in Dubai to pace-friendly conditions in Pakistan, making team balance a key factor in determining success.
Excitement abounds at this prestigious event in Pakistan and Dubai
The Champions Trophy has always been a unique event, known for its compact format and fierce competition. Unlike the longer World Cup, only the top eight cricketing nations will participate in this tournament, ensuring that the stakes are high in every match. For a team like South Africa, which is yet to win a major international ICC tournament, this provides a perfect opportunity to end the trophy drought. At the same time, traditional powers such as India, Australiaand England will seek to maintain its dominance on the global stage.
Against this backdrop, cricket experts and former players have been sharing their predictions for the match. latest episode sky sports cricket podcast, Featuring cricket stalwarts Nasser Hussein and Michael Athertonwhich saw the two having a heated discussion over the selection of the 2025 Champions Trophy winner.
Also read: New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra predicts 2025 Champions Trophy finalists
Michael Atherton’s predictions for the eventual winner
When asked for his prediction for the tournament winner, Michael Atherton, confidently support South Africa Breaking their long-standing spell in ICC events. He highlighted South Africa’s current form and the quality of the squad and expressed hope that they can overcome their history of underperforming at crucial moments.
“I will go to South Africa like I do for every global tournament until they actually win a game when I can finally say that the clock has stopped and the clock is finally right, so yes, South Africa they look to be a strong team. , I think it’s time for them to shine in ICC events.” Atherton said.
Reflecting on past disappointments, Nasser shared an amusing anecdote from Barbados, where South Africa, despite being dominant, failed to cross the finish line against India in the final. 2024 T20 World Cup.
“You know, I just remember in Barbados, we were sitting in the green room next to the commentary box and you had this smug look on your face when they needed 30 out of 30, no matter how many three-pointers were in your hand. Wicket, it’s that smile that slowly gets wiped off your face when India crosses the line.” Hussein said.
Nasser Hussain’s prediction for the new CT2025 champion
Hussein, on the other hand, bets on Australiaciting its recent dominance across formats as a key reason. Hussein further predicted that a similar situation would happen again. 2023 ICC ODI World Cup Final In the match between India and Australia, the two heavyweights are likely to compete for the championship trophy.
“They (Australia) have won almost everything else. Although they didn’t win the T20 World Cup, India did and I think Australia are number one for a reason. I will play the India vs Australia final again.” Hussein concluded.
