It is the biggest cricket event of the calendar year, because the world's best eight teams are preparing to lock Hoorns together in the ICC Champions trophy that starts in Karachi from 19 February. The question of a million dollars is – who are the favorites to win the tournament? How much helps Pakistan at home? Why are New -Zeeland the dark horse again and what is sick Australia, England and South Africa?
India – the highest batting unit
At some distance, India is the best batting unit that starts the tournament. They have the best stroke average and the Strike rate in Odi Cricket since 2023, which means that they not only score large, but also do this at an alarming pace! In recent years, India has crossed 350 at no less than 10 times – the most for every team in this time frame. They destroyed the opposition with a margin of 100 or more runs in nine encounters while they hammer them with seven or more wickets in nine more! They dominated the World Cup 2023 at home before they met in the Australia final.
India is the number one ranked ODI team in the world and at the top of their game in the format. They are in shape and have hit England at home 3-0 in their last bilateral series for the Champions Trophy.
Rohit Sharma can be about to retire in test cricket, but remains a dynamic force at the top of the order of India in ODIs – as he recently showed with a Masterclass hundred in a 300 -plus chase against England in Cuttack. Kohli still has one about the highest stroke average in the ODI history, while no batter in the world has scored more points since 2023 than Shubman Gill. Shreyas Iyer has returned with a bang and was in beautiful form in the series against England – he is a brilliant spin player and will be the key in the middle overs in Dubai. Kl Rahul and Hardik Pandya will give the impulse at death.
Although the unavailability of Jasprit Bumrah is a huge blow to Team India and he will be missed in crunch situations, especially in the knockouts, the men in blue still have sufficient quality in the bowling department to cause problems with every opposition line -Up. Mohammed Shami may not have had the best of comebacks against England, but his success rate of 25.7 is the best in the ODI cricket history for at least 150 wickets! Kuldeep Yadav is the highest wicket task in ODIs since 2023 with 55 wickets in 34 innings with an average of 21.76 and economy of 4.51, while Varun Chakravarthy is at the peak of his competence in white ball cricket.
India will have their opponents on flat decks steams and high quality spinners to cause problems when running traces.
Home Advantage for Pakistan?
Pakistan has two things for them for the tournament. The defending champion plays at home in well -known circumstances for noisy and passionate crowds. Secondly, the batting -up of the team looks more stable than ever before in the last 10 years with less dependence on their two loyal stablewarts -Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Fakhar Zaman (4 hundreds in the last 22 innings) and Salman Agha (the highest score of Pakistan in Tri series in February) are in Fine Form in Odi Cricket and this is good for the hosts.
As with all Pakistan teams from the past, however, their chances of making the last four will depend on their fast bowlers -from the tempo trio of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah. Afridi has been the leading Wicket-Toner in ODIs since 2023 with 63 dismissal in just 30 games, while Rauf has been brilliant in the oversized overs with a strike speed of 13 and economy of 6.5 in this period of time.
Pakistan has a decent record at home and has won 13 of their 19 ODIs since 2021. However, this house passage can also turn out to be a big burden if they have an indifferent start of their campaign that starts with a tough meeting against New Zealand at Karachi.
New – Zeeland – Dark Horse
The triumph of New Zealand in the Tri series in Pakistan would have given a considerable boost to their chances of the Champions Trophy. The form of Kane Williamson – he scored 225 points in the series with one hundred and fifty – would be the biggest positive for new Zeeland from the series. Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell – both excellent spin players – would be the other two batters to pay attention to Pakistan. Mitchell is the most important scorer for New Zealand in ODIs since 2023 with five tons in 30 innings with an average of almost 50 and strike speed of almost 100!
Matt Henry will lead the tempo attack and is the highest wicket-maker in New Zealand in recent years with 39 resignation in 24 games on just under 25 each. Skipper, Mitchell Santner will be the key in the middle overs and has also packed 30 wickets in an economy of 4.76 since 2023.
The ability of New -Zeeland to increase their play in large ICC events and bumps above their weight will make them the dark horse for the tournament. They have made the semi-final of the three previous 50-over world cups and two of the last three T20 World Cups.
Australia will damage the absence of Pace Trio
Australia has big reasons for worrying the tournament. They were not only humiliated in the bilateral series in Sri Lanka with their batting unit, folding as nine pins, but they will also be for the Champions Trophy without the services of their pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
The Australian Batting-Line-Up collapsed completely into their last four ODIs against Pakistan and Sri Lanka and did not even succeed in touching 170. Their over -dependence on Travis Head for a quick start at the top of the order cannot be overestimated. The left -handed person has been their highest impact fittings since 2023 with 840 runs in 19 races at an average of 52.5 and battle rate of 128.
In the absence of the Quicks, the responsibility of leading the bowling unit to Adam Zampa will be. The leg spinner is in great form in ODI Cricket and has been the leading Wicket-Taker of Australia since 2023 with 54 wickets in 32 games on an average of 28.3. He was the highest wicket-maker in Australia of the World Cup 2023.
England Look at the sea in the 50-over format
England has arrived a complete circle in ODI Cricket and are now exactly where they were after their early exit from the World Cup 2015. They had a horrible 2023 World Cup ending on the table and have been in a bad form in 50 -over in recent years Cricket. England has just won 14 and lost 20 of their last 35 games and was beaten 3-0 in their last bilateral series by India.
The batting is an important cause of care for England. Besides Ben Duckett, none of their other batters have on average above 40 since 2023. She places the combined stroke average of their top 6 in the lower cluster in this time frame.
Top order misery for South Africa
South Africa had a tough run after the World Cup 2023 in India. They have lost 10 of their 14 games, including a defeat of a home series through the hands of Afghanistan! They did poorly in the recent Tri series in Pakistan who lost from the hosts and New Zealand.
South Africa has major problems with their top and middle order with a combined average of only 28.21 in their last 14 games. Bowling has also not been better with an average of 34.95 and placed it in the lower cluster in this time frame.
Prediction
India is expected to win all their encounters, top group A and Storm in the semi -final. This means that the tournament opener between Pakistan and New Zealand could be a shootout for the second semifinal of the group. Australia knows how to increase their play in the large ICC events and must prevail in group B, which means that the collision between England and South Africa is a potential quarterfinals. Unless Afghanistan is of course planning to write their own script!
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