Legendary cricketers Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting have predicted that India and Australia will reach the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2025. Both believe that these two teams are quite talented and have performed admirably in recent ICC events.
India and Australia are cricket powerhouses, with both countries boasting great skill. The ODI format also suits their game approach. India has won the latest ICC title, the T20 World Cup 2024.
The ODI World Cup 2023 is the second-last ICC event, and Australia won after defeating India in the final. Both of these teams are in different groups in the 2019 Champions Trophy, and there is a possibility that they can face off against each other in the knockouts.
Incidentally, India and Australia have both won the ICC Champions Trophy twice, with Australia winning eh tournament in consecutive years in 2006 and 2009. India has won in 2002 (joint with Sri Lanka) and in 2013.
Ravi Shastri names finalists for Champions Trophy 2025
Ravi Shastri predicted that India and Australia would advance to the Champions Trophy final. According to him, both of these clubs are in excellent shape, making them the favorites to win the championship as well.
“India and Australia are both in prime form, and it would take a lot for any other team to challenge them,” Shastri said on ICC.
Ravi Shastri also identified England and South Africa as probable semifinalists. It should be remembered that only two of Australia, England, and South Africa can advance to the semifinals because they all compete in the same group.
Ricky Ponting picks his CT 2025 finalists
During the same broadcast, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting mirrored Ravi Shastri’s thoughts and discussed the caliber of cricketers in both countries. He believes India and Australia have a strong track record in ICC events and are well-positioned to advance.
“It’s hard to go past India and Australia again. Just think about the quality of players in both countries right now, and you look back in recent history when these big finals and big ICC events have come around, and inevitably, Australia and India are there somewhere,” Ricky Ponting reckoned.
In addition to India and Australia, Ricky Ponting predicted that hosts Pakistan would go all the way. Ponting believes Pakistan has good form after recent ODI series victories in Australia and South Africa.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The Champions Trophy 2025 will begin on February 19 with hosts Pakistan taking against New Zealand in Karachi. India will play Bangladesh the next day in Dubai. The highly anticipated battle between India and Pakistan will take place on February 23 in Dubai.
All of the teams will play their matches in Pakistan, except India, who will play in Dubai due to the hybrid concept. The tournament’s final will be played on March 9 in either Dubai or Lahore, depending on India’s availability.
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