2025 is a year of new changes, and February has brought abuzz cricket fans eager to see the outcome of the ICC Champions Trophy, a prestigious competition featuring international cricket teams competing for a spot as champions. The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy marks the ninth edition of this tournament and is played in the One Day International (ODI) format.
Since 2006, the format of this game has remained the same. This year, the One Day International is a white ball tournament with limited-overs in this game. There are 50 overs (six legal deliveries and each over has 6 balls). There are two innings in each match. During the first inning, Team A bats while Team B bowls and fields. During the second inning, the order is switched as Team A bowls and fields while Team B bats.
This year, the tournament was hosted by Pakistan and will be from February 19 to March 9, featuring the top eight ranked men’s national teams. Cricket is a game of strategy and physical endurance, and each of these teams worked tirelessly to reach where they are today. The tournament consists of two groups, each holding four teams. Group A consists of Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh while Group B has South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, and England. These teams have all qualified from the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
In one of the notable turn of events, Afghanistan defeated New England with Ibrahim Zadran leading this. Zadran delivered a total of 177 runs off 146 balls. This year, he set the record of being the first batter from his country to score a Champions Trophy ton (referring to his stroke). His stroke marked Afghanistan’s growing acclaim in world cricket.
The India vs Pakistan match was quite memorable and ended with India being undefeated, leading by six wickets. India’s reputation in cricket has long been one-sided in ODI, with numerous world cup victories and consistent performances, this match solidifying their influence on the game. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma led the match with a powerful start and Gill’s delivery was well-executed. Although Sharma got out for 20 runs early on in the match, he had an unplayable delivery. India’s bowling is also reputed. When the score was 47, India managed to break the 100-run partnership between Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, representing Pakistan, which was potentially going to target a total of 280-300 runs. One concern, though, was that Mohammed Shami had an ankle injury, and he leaked 43 runs in 3.5 overs, making him India’s most expensive bowler that night. Despite this, there were still wins to be accounted for. Virat Kohli was named player of the match, successfully completing 100 runs despite being out of form for previous tournaments.
The India vs Pakistan ODI match was an unforgettable showdown, featuring competitive players from both countries. With an engaging performance by players and unexpected turns during the match, it was one to remember.
Within days, India slowly paved its way to glory, doing extremely well in the matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia in the semi-finals. In the ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai, India had a four-wicket victory over New Zealand. India’s win this year marked its 23rd win in 24 games in the past three years of men’s ICC events. India’s success is testament to the dedication and grit of the players, who have given their all when delivering outstanding performances.
