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Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has predicted that India and Australia will face each other in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to be played from February 19 to March 9.
Ricky Ponting predicts ICC Champions Trophy 2025 finalists. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has picked India and Australia as the two finalists of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy will be played from February 19 to March 9 between eight teams across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai. Pakistan won the last edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, which was played in 2017, by getting the better of India by 180 runs in the final at The Oval.
While speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Ponting said, “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.”
India and Australia are the two most successful teams in ICC Champions Trophy history. India won the title in 2013 and shared the trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002 after the final got washed out due to rain, whereas Australia won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2009.
Ponting, who is the most successful captain in ICC tournament history with two titles (2 ODI World Cups, 2 Champions Trophy) to his name, however, feels Pakistan can pose a strong challenge to the two teams.
“The other team that is playing some really good cricket at the moment is Pakistan. Their one-day cricket over the last little bit has been absolutely outstanding. We know they’re not always the most predictable team in those big tournaments, but they seem like they’ve sorted things out a little bit.”
In the build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan played three ODI series last year and managed to win all of them. The 1992 World Cup winners secured comeback 2-1 wins in Australia and Zimbabwe and then whitewashed the Proteas in a three-match ODI series played in South Africa.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will lead the Pakistani team in the Champions Trophy, in which the hosts and defending champion are set to open their campaign on February 19 against New Zealand at National Stadium in Karachi. The high-voltage match between India and Pakistan is scheduled to take place at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23.
