Who are the favourites to win Champions Trophy 2025? With the top eight teams in the world vying for the coveted title, predicting a clear-cut winner is a hard task. ODI World Cup champions Australia are without four front-line players due to injuries and retirement, while T20 World Cup champions India are without their best bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Pakistan’s form is also not good after a loss in the tri-series final at home. Keeping all that in mind, predicting semi-finalists for the Champions Trophy 2025 is a hard task.
However, former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal, who also served as Pakistan Cricket Board selector, has picked India, New Zealand, England and South Africa as the potential semi-finalists. Akmal said that there are many loopholes in the Pakistan side.
“Pakistan ki team aisi hai chal jaaye toh chand tak, warna shaam tak. Our team has many loopholes. The bowling is struggling. Spinners are not there. The openers are struggling. I don’t know what the selectors and the captain thought. Even our chairman gave his approval. Let’s see how things unfold. The rest of the teams look much more balanced,” Kamran Akmal told HT.
“We could have announced a better team. I think India, New Zealand, England and South Africa will make the semi-finals. Australia is depleted because of injuries to five key players. I don’t know the thought process behind picking such a Pakistan team. The chairman hasn’t played that much cricket; he doesn’t understand matters, perhaps, so he gave his approval for such a team. India look clear favourites; they deserve to play the final. But I can’t say the same about Pakistan. If they make the semi-final, I would consider it a big achievement.”‘
Akmal also commented on the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry.
“India and Pakistan is a delicate matter. Whatever happens, it has to be at the top level. India toured Pakistan in 2004 and 2006, and their team also came here for the 2008 Asia Cup. But people like you and me will continue to be sad about the teams not playing in each other’s countries. We have also toured India many times, but I think it will remain a dream to see India and Pakistan playing in both countries. Just the cricket-loving public will suffer,” said Akmal.
Pakistan squad for Champions Trophy: 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.
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