The ICC Champions Trophy, a premier cricket tournament, showcases intense battles among top teams. Held every four years, it epitomizes cricket’s pinnacle, drawing global attention. Teams vie fiercely, displaying skill, strategy, and determination. With nail-biting matches, it captivates fans worldwide, fostering a spirit of competition and camaraderie. Established in 1998, it has evolved into a celebrated event revered by players and enthusiasts alike. Amidst electrifying atmospheres, legends emerge, and underdogs triumph, etching unforgettable moments in cricket history. As teams clash for glory, the ICC Champions Trophy continues to reign as a spectacle of excellence and sportsmanship.

Will India Participate in Champions Trophy 2025?

India and Pakistan have a long history in cricket and outside of it. But ever since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, both nations have parted ways with respect to sports or any other activities. Team India has not travelled to Pakistan for a bilateral series or even an ICC event. However, there hasn’t been any ICC event taking place in Pakistan in a long time. According to a source from the BCCI said, “India might skip the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and there’s talk of changing the venue or using a hybrid model.” (IANS)

If we look at past ICC or ACC events, India has always shied away from touring Pakistan. Last Year, during the Asia Cup, India influenced the organisers, and the event, which was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan, was shifted towards a Hybrid model. Evidently, India played all its matches in Sri Lanka, and even the Final was shifted to Sri Lanka as India was part of it.

This move heavily affected the PCB, as they eventually had to share a part of their revenue with Sri Lanka Cricket. The Pakistani fans were left dejected, as the Indian Cricket Team is the biggest box-office attraction with respect to viewership and Gate attendance.

India and Pakistan Champions Trophy Match

Last, India and Pakistan played together in England’s Champions Trophy event in 2017. However, Pakistan outperformed India in the Finals, beating them by 180 runs. Fakhar Zaman was the difference maker. The Pakistani lad played a blistering knock of 114 runs in 106 balls with twelve (4s) and three (6s). Alongside him was his teammate Mohammed Amir, who took three wickets for a mere 16 runs.

This win against India in the finals of an IIC event is a badge of honour for Pakistani players and their fans. However, two years later, India thrashed Pakistan in the group stages of the Cricket World Cup in England in 2019. Talking about travelling, Pakistan has toured India at many of the ICC events in the past, whether it is the 2011 World Cup, the 2016 T20 World Cup, or the recently concluded 2023 50-over World Cup. Pakistan has been a constant visitor, unlike India.

Why Teams Don’t Travel to Pakistan?

Pakistan has had a very unstable environment and state of affairs in their country. One of the major incidents which led other teams not to travel to Pakistan was the terrorist attack on the 2009 Sri Lankan team that travelled to Pakistan. This horrendous event shut all the doors for the Pakistan Sports fraternity. Apart from this, a Bomb blast in the Marriott hotel also made headlines. These two were just a few of many instances of unstable political structure in the country that led other teams to abandon Pakistan.

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Coming back to India’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 event, as per sources, BCCI stands firm on its decision not to travel to Pakistan. However, if India doesn’t participate, it will hamper not only the PCB pockets but also the pockets of ICC. Moreover, a Hybrid model is a valid option if the governing body wishes to make money out of the event.

Day One Recap of Rohit Sharma Mastery

Day 1 at Newlands had set the tone for a series decider, featuring a cricketing spectacle with 23 wickets tumbling. Resuming at 153-4 after tea, India’s innings mirrored the chaos, losing wickets in rapid succession, reaching the same score within 11 deliveries. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the protagonist, claiming his ninth Test five-wicket haul.

The rollercoaster continued as Dean Elgar’s South Africa, facing a daunting task, crumbled for a mere 55 runs in 23.2 overs. India’s Mohammed Siraj orchestrated a bowling masterclass, registering a career-best Test haul of 6-15 on Day 1. The day unfolded with a rare dismissal, as Elgar, playing his final Test, joined the exclusive club of players dismissed twice on the same day, a feat last achieved by Australia’s Jack Barrett.

Day 2, the curtain call for a 5 Day Test Match

The clash at Cape Town witnessed an array of cricketing theatrics, starting with opener Aiden Markram’s blazing century – his seventh, achieved with a remarkable 99-ball knock. However, the script took an unexpected turn when KL Rahul’s dropped catch in the first session on Day 2 gave Markram a lifeline.

With South Africa setting a modest 79-run target, Rohit and his team embraced the challenge with unwavering determination. The chase culminated in a seven-wicket triumph, marking a historic chapter for Indian cricket. Transitioning from the brink of collapse to a resounding victory, India showcased resilience and skill under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.

As the cricketing world marvels at this epochal achievement, the series now stands poised at 1-1. Cape Town will be remembered not only for the brevity of the Test but also for the historic significance of India’s triumph. Rohit Sharma’s captaincy has left an indelible mark, and as the teams look ahead, the spotlight remains on the exhilarating battles that Test cricket unfailingly delivers. The journey from the precipice to triumph is a testament to the unpredictable nature and enduring allure of the game.

READ MORE: India Vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 1, Cape Town Recap Bowlers Showcase a One sided Affair

India’s next tour is a 3-match T20I series against Afghanistan in India. The First game will commence on the 11th of January in Mohali. However, the next test series of India is against arch-rivals England starting on the 24th of January in Hyderabad.

YouTubeCC: @starsports

India, after a sluggish performance in the first test, came into 2nd Test with a revengeful purpose. However, even after putting in a scintillating bowling performance, Men in Blue were left surprised by the South African bowling attack. The First Day of 2nd Test in Newlands, Cape Town is no less than a roller coaster ride for fans on both sides.

1st Innings India Vs South Africa

The architect of South Africa’s debacle, pacer Mohammed Siraj, wreaked havoc with a sensational six-wicket haul. His prowess dismantled the home side’s batting lineup at the stroke of lunch, setting the stage for a gripping contest. South Africa’s innings showcased a paltry 55 runs, with Kyle Verreynne managing a meagre 15. Siraj’s brilliance was a masterclass in precision and aggression.

India’s first innings began on a shaky note, succumbing to 153 all out in just 34.5 overs. The batting collapse, initiated by the formidable pace attack of South Africa, saw Virat Kohli emerging as the lone warrior with a resilient 46. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill chipped in with 39 and 36 respectively. The post-tea session started at 111 for 4, but India’s last six wickets tumbled in a mere 11 balls, leaving them with a slender 98-run lead.

South Africa holds their Ground at the end of Days Play

As the sun dipped below the horizon, South Africa faced the daunting task of closing the gap. Aiden Markram and David Bedingham fought valiantly, with Markram leading the charge at 36 not out. However, Mukesh Kumar’s two crucial wickets for India kept the contest finely balanced. At stumps, South Africa stood at 62 for 3, trailing India by 36 runs.

The match’s ebb and flow exemplified the unpredictable nature of Test cricket. Transitioning from India’s batting debacle to Siraj’s lethal exhibition and then to the battling efforts of South Africa, the day encapsulated the essence of the sport. With a 1-0 lead from the first Test, India seeks redemption, while South Africa aims to turn the tide and level the series.

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As the cricketing world anticipates the unfolding drama on Day 2, one thing is certain – Cape Town has set the stage for a riveting battle where each delivery carries the weight of redemption or resurgence. The stage is set, the stakes are high, and cricket enthusiasts are in for a treat as the second Test promises to be a gripping spectacle under the South African sun.

Both the players will miss the upcoming series due to injuries they picked during the last T20 against West Indies in Kolkata.

Chahar has sustained a right quadriceps injury while bowling his second over in India’s last T20I fixture, and left the field after bowling 1.5 overs. Suryakumar, Player of the Series for the T20Is, was standing in the slips when he suffered a hairline fracture in his hand in the second innings after scoring a 31-ball 65 in the first innings.

Both the players will head to NCA camp in Bengaluru for their recovery

Although players picked up injury but the board has not yet announced any replacements. The Board did announced an 18 member squad which included returning Jadeja.

Chahar’s services won’t be missed much has the blue brigade has a lot of speeding Arsenal in their backyard. Likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Harshal Patel around won’t let India hurt.

Sanju Samson is most likely to be a solid middle order striker in the absence of Surya Kumar Yadav. Apart from injured players, Virat Kohli and Rishabh have been rested for the series.

The 1st T20 will be played on 24th Feb in Ekana Sports City, Lucknow. The cricket game will begin at 7:00 PM IST.

Updated squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Avesh Khan.

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Which cricketer are you looking forward to shine?

Though the English team had a sluggish start of 29 for three and a five-wicket haul from Renuka Thakur, England posted a daunting total of 151 runs. Thanks to Emily jones for 42 runs innings and 50 runs from Burnt were enough to halt the winning streak of ladies in blue.

Later in the Second Innings, Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh were the only duos with some gas in the tank. Apart from Mandhana’s 52 and a fiery 47 not out from Ghosh, there was nothing that could impact the game.

What to expect from India against Ireland?

India’s win over Ireland would guarantee a place in the Semifinals, but they will finish 2nd in the tables below England.

It’s no competition between the two sides, but cricket is a game by chance. However, a loss would hinder India’s chances of going further in the tournament.

While Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues will attract all the spotlight, Waldron and Hunter might just steal it. In the bowling lineup, Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar will look to leave their mark on the wickets.

On the other hand, Laura Delany, Ireland’s captain, has promised: “there is more to come from her side”.

India Vs Ireland Broadcast details

The game between India and Ireland will start at 6:30 PM IST on 20th February. The broadcast of the match will be on Dinsey+ Hotstar and Star Sports Network.

READ MORE: India Legends beat South Africa Legends in Road Safety World Series season 2 opener.

The match between India women’s and Ireland’s women will take place in St George’s Park, Gqeberha.

Probable Playing X1’s

India Women: Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav

Ireland Women: Amy Hunter, GH Lewis, L Little, O Prendergast, EAJ Richardson, AN Kelly, Laura Delany (C), L Paul, MV Waldron, Cara Murray, Jane Maguire

Well, the answer to the question is yes. Though India has lost their first game in the Super 4, there are chances for India to make it into the finals and face Pakistan which would turn out to be a best of 3 games.

With a win over India, Pakistan has strengthened their chances of qualifying into the final. All they have to do is win one of their remaining two games. But on the other side, India must win both their games. They must beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka to reach the Asia Cup finals for the 3^rd time in a row.

How can India reach Asia Cup Final?

India is set to play Sri Lanka on 6th September at Dubai International Stadium. India must win to keep their hopes alive and give themselves breathing space in the league table. Not only this, India must beat Afghanistan on the 8^th of September at the same stadium, Dubai International. If India manages to win both their remaining games then they’re through to the finals of the Asia Cup.

What if India wins only against Sri Lanka?

One of the other possibilities is that India beats Sri Lanka and losses to Afghanistan, possible. Then Pakistan must beat Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, and India should win with a good net run rate. Whereas Sri Lanka must face a heavy defeat. If such scenarios occur, then both India and Pakistan would qualify for the finals.

While most of the people around the globe are backing India and Pakistan to face off what most call a “Final of Trilogy”. One cannot count out the dark horses of this tournament i.e. Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. On one side is the group stage dominant Afghanistan who put an end to the Bangladesh campaign and shook up Sri Lanka’s chances to reach super4. Whereas, Sri Lanka after a disastrous opening game against Afghanistan rise from the ashes and is sitting on top of the league table.

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India walking on a dead street

India must act on their toes if they want to save the crown getting away from their head of Asian Champions. There are major concerns that Dravid and Rohit have to look into one being the bowling department. With the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, India was seen on the ground as headless chicken in the middle order. Though Virat Kohli has taken all the spotlight on his head, one cannot deny the void Jadeja’s departure has created. India lacks depth in its pace attack and we cannot demand every day for Bhuvneshwar to perform. What lies between India and the 8th Asia Cup Title is 2 underdog teams with the potential to end India’s hope to reach the final and arch-rival Pakistan who are knocking at the doors of the Asia Cup final.

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West Indies won the toss and opt to field first given the due factor. India batting first had a shaky start as they kept losing wickets at a regular Interval. Virat Kohli found his long-lost form and stabilized the innings along with Rishabh Panth and Venkatesh Iyer. Kohli played a fiery knock of 52 along with Rishabh pant and Venkatesh Iyer scoring 52 and 33 respectively.

A strong performance from the middle-order helped India post a fighting 186 for the loss of 5 wickets. West Indies Innings kicked off in the same fashion (losing quick wickets). They seem to be losing their grip when Powell and Pooran stitched the wounded batting lineup. Both the players played a reviving Innings to punch in some air in the game. Nicholas Pooran added 62 of 41 balls to spicy up the drama.

Death Overs Drama

Rovman Powell made sure to take the match to the final over. Until the 18th over the game swung like a pendulum till Pooran lost his wicket to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Everything boils down to the last 4 balls when they needed 23 of the remaining 4 balls. Rovman Powell slams back-to-back sixes off Harshal Patel in 2 consecutive deliveries. Patel mixed his pace which eventually left Powell scoring a mere single.

Needing 10 off the last ball, Pollard defends like a test shot to score a single as he gave a Shere example of a truce on a battlefield. India beat West Indies by 8 runs to win the 3 match series by 2-0. Rishabh Pant won the Man of the Match accolade for his scintillating performance of 52 runs off 28 balls. The 3rd and Final T20 will be played on 20th Feb in Eden Gardens.

Rohit and Co. know that they have to evaluate the players based on how they react to different situations. In the second game, the home side decided to experiment by opening the batting with Rishabh Pant in an attempt to take advantage of the first PowerPlay. Even though the move seems to be a one-off, it gives an indicator that the think-tank is looking to experiment in order to zoom in on the right combination.

The hosts certainly have enough positives to take from the series. Mohammed Siraj bowled with nous and discipline in the first match while Prasidh Krishna has displayed a few more gears to his bowling, bagging a four-for. KL Rahul, who returned for the second game, batted in the middle order and looked in fine touch while facing the West Indies pace trio. His ability to change gears against hit-the-deck bowlers as well as spinners makes him an ideal candidate to bat in the middle order. Suryakumar Yadav too has made use of his opportunities so far. If anything, Virat Kohli would like to convert some of his starts into a hundred. Rohit also would hope to make a substantial contribution.

At the other end, the West Indies camp would be ruing a missed opportunity to level the series. Kemar Roach, Odean Smith and Alzarri Joseph had bowled zestful spells to lay the platform for the batters to provide finishing touches. Unfortunately, once again a familiar knot tied them down and that was the top order failing to click. Even though Shamarh Brooks and Akeal Hosein made useful contributions, the duo had too much to do. The West Indies need a batting renaissance and it has to happen soon.

The one silver lining for the visitors was Smith shining brightly. With a relatively short run-up, he can generate a good burst of pace. It can take time for a batter’s muscle memory to adjust to a bowler who bowls at speeds in excess of 140 kph with a short run-up. Smith also showcased glimpses of his hitting prowess lower down the order. In fact, in the recently-concluded ODI series versus Ireland, one of his massive hits had dented the car of West Indies fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell.

A victory in the final game of the series would revitalize the West Indies camp ahead of the T20Is. There are also 10 World Cup Super League points up for grabs.

When: Friday, February 11, 2022, 1.30 PM local time

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

What to expect:

The weather forecast predicts clear skies and no chance of rain. For the second game, the red soil pitch – with some grass cover – was used. So the seamers were able to extract more life out of the surface. Once again the nature of the soil could determine the conditions for the final game. The dew played a role in the first ODI but didn’t come into the picture during the second game.

Team News:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, who has recovered from Covid-19, is set to return to the playing XI. Shreyas Iyer, who has also taken part in training sessions, is in the mix. India may also look to rotate the spinners with Kuldeep Yadav getting an opportunity in the final match.

Possible XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur/Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.

West Indies: Regular skipper Kieron Pollard didn’t play the second match with a niggle. The tourists may opt to rest Pollard for the last game and give Odean Smith another chance to showcase his talents.

Possible XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (c), Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Fabien Allen, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, and Kemar Roach

What they said:

“I have been asked to try different things, so that was something different (on Pant opening). We wanted to try it one game and is not a permanent thing. Shikhar should be back for the next game,” Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation.

ICYMI team India beat West Indies by 6wickets in the first ODI to go one up in the 3 matches ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Chahal was the star performer for India as he took 4 wickets for 49 runs with an economy of just under 5 runs per over.

After being ghosted since T20 World Cup was held in Dubai last October, Chahal made a bold statement with his stellar performance in the first game. His list of victims includes the likes of Brooks, Pooran, pollard, and Alzarri Joseph.

The tricky Ahmedabad pitch came in handy for the Indian spinner as he took his 100^th international wicket by sending off Pollard back to the pavilion with a googly.

India is set to play the 2^nd ODI on 9^th Feb 2022 and Chahal will definitely look to make a mark for himself once again. On the other hand, Pollard and his men in Maroon will be looking to level the series and try to stay alive in what is a do-or-die game.