We move to Group A of our Champions Trophy preview, featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and India.
Pakistan
We begin with the hosts, who won the 2017 edition in England and Wales. Pakistan defeated archrivals India in the Final by a mammoth 180 runs.
This was the nation’s third ICC title after the 1992 50-Over World Cup and the 2009 T20 World Cup, which took place in England.
The 2023 World Cup campaign was a frustrating one. They started off with two convincing wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
However, they could only manage two wins from their next seven games, which meant they missed out on the semi-finals by two points.
They will hope to put in a better showing in their backyard.
Squad
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
One To Watch: Babar Azam
The number one batsman in ODI cricket is the player to watch in this tournament. With 5,967 runs to his name, he holds the key to the hosts posting competitive scores on the board.
India
The Men In Blue are the powerhouse nation of cricket. They host the richest franchise competition in the world (IPL). and have a massive pool of highly talented players.
Even more impressive is their consistency in this format since their 2013 triumph in England.
Two World Cup Semi-finals, a Champions Trophy Final and a World Cup Final in 2023, prove that they are still a formidable ODI side.
Last June, Rohit Sharma’s side became the third nation after West Indies and England to win two T20 World Cups. They defeated South Africa in a thrilling final by seven runs.
This was also Sharma and Virat Kohli’s last T20 International for the country, and Kohli won the Man of the Match award for his unbeaten 76 off 58 balls.
Jasprit Bumrah was the Man Of the Tournament for his 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.17.
Squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
One To Watch: Kuldeep Yadav
India possesses Kuldeep’s Left-Arm Wrist Spin, which could prove useful on the dry wickets in Dubai.
In his 107 ODIs, the 30-year-old has 173 wickets at a strike rate 31.4 and an economy of 5.
He could also impact how the team performs with the ball in this tournament.
All in all, any of India’s bowlers could have a big impact on the team’s performance, as their attack is suited to all conditions.
But with Bumrah unavailable due to a back injury, it would be fascinating to see how the rest of India’s attack cope without their bowling superstar.
New Zealand
Despite being in multiple semi-finals and Finals, the Kiwis have only won one piece of silverware, the World Test Championship in 20221.
In 2023, Kane Williamson’s Blackcaps were comprehensively beaten by hosts India via a margin of 70 runs.
Rachin Ravindra was the stand-out performer, with 578 runs at an average of 64.22 and a strike rate of 106.44.
Schedule:
Thursday 20th February: Bangladesh vs India: 09:00 am: Dubai
Monday 24th February: Bangladesh vs New Zealand: 09:00 am: Rawalpindi
Thursday 27th February: Pakistan vs Bangladesh: 09:00 am: Rawalpindi
Squad
Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
One To Watch: Daryl Mitchell
The tall, hard-hitting all-rounder is our player to watch for New Zealand. Mitchell’s ability to score runs all around the ground makes him a nightmare for opposition teams if he gets in.
Mitchell was New Zealand’s second-highest scorer in the 2023 World Cup, scoring 552 runs at an average of 64.22 and a strike rate of 111.06.
What could make Mitchell a real threat on this New Zealand side is his ability to play spin. Given that he is tall, it enables him to get to the pitch of the ball before it does something off the surface.
Can he make an impact for New Zealand in this tournament?
Bangladesh
Squad
Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
One To Watch: Nazmul Hossain Shanto
The Bangladeshi Captain is our player to watch in this tournament. Shanto was given the Captaincy after legendary all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement from International cricket after the tournament concluded.
Shanto led the Tigers to the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they reached the Super 8s stage and finished bottom of Group 1.
This time, he hopes his ODI Captaincy skills can get the most out of this talented squad.
Th left-hander has 1,766 runs at an average of 28.48 and a strike rate 52.35.
Can he guide his team to glory in Pakistan?
So that’s it for Group A of the ICC Champions Trophy. Join us for Group B on World In Sport.
