The 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy gets underway on February 19, with the tournament returning for the first time in eight years.
Eight teams have been divided into two groups, with Group A consisting of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and New Zealand, while Group B features Afghanistan, England, Australia and South Africa.
Pakistan – the reigning champions – won the hosting rights for the entire tournament, however, due to strained bilateral relations with India, the latter are set to play their fixtures in Dubai. The tournament runs from 19 February to 9 March.
What is the Champions Trophy?
The ICC Champions Trophy is a quadrennial tournament played in the ODI format. It was originally known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy, which began in 1998 and ran until 2017.
The tournament has returned for its ninth edition after eight years away. The previous winners of the tournament are:
- 1998: South Africa
- 2000: New Zealand
- 2002: India and Sri Lanka declared co-champions after two finals washed out
- 2004: West Indies
- 2006: Australia
- 2009: Australia
- 2013: India
- 2017: Pakistan
History for England?
The Three Lions will be looking to bounce back after a hugely disappointing tour of India. Jos Buttler’s men suffered a 4-1 defeat in the T20I series, before losing 3-0 in the ODI series.
Overcoming India on their own turf is certainly no easy feat, however, England will be incredibly frustrated about their overall performances on the first tour of Brendon McCullum’s reign as white-ball coach.
Thankfully, for England, they have a great chance to get back to winning ways quickly. Having never won the Champions Trophy, the Three Lions will be desperate to get their hands on an ICC trophy for the first time since the T20 World Cup triumph in 2022.
England Squad
Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood.
Key Fixtures
- 22 February: Australia v England (Lahore)
- 26 February: Afghanistan v England (Lahore)
- 1 March: South Africa v England (Karachi)
- 4 March: Semi-Final 1 (Dubai)
- 5 March: Semi-Final 2 (Lahore)
- 9 March: Final (Lahore/Dubai)
Ones to Watch
Despite the underwhelming results in India, England’s Champions Trophy squad is still full of talent. With a nice balance of experienced players and exciting young stars, there will be a strong belief that the Three Lions can achieve something special.
Buttler, the talisman and skipper, can take the game away from his opponent in a flash. At the same time, Ben Duckett – who overcame an injury scare in India – has performed well at the top of the order since returning to the white-ball side in recent months.
The performances of the ever-reliable Joe Root will be vital if England are to triumph in Pakistan/Dubai. England’s greatest-ever batsman returned to the ODI set-up during the tour of India, and he quickly demonstrated his world-class consistency in the 50-over format for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Brydon Carse will be hoping to continue his good form in an England shirt – with the fast bowler having enjoyed himself in all three formats of the game. Moreover, with Adil Rashid continuing to perform at the top of his game, England have the ability to take quick wickets.
Barmy Army Prediction
While India are undoubtedly the favourite to lift the trophy, it promises to be an entertaining tournament in challenging conditions. England are certainly going through a difficult period at the moment, the quality within the squad gives them a great chance of triumphing.
It will come as no surprise that we are backing the lads to go all the way, but to do so, they will have to overcome some truly brilliant white-ball sides.
How to Watch
Watch every match from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy live on Sky Sports between February 19 and March 9.
Looking ahead to summer cricket in the UK
While the Barmy Army isn’t running official tours to the Champions Trophy, fans needn’t worry – you can still catch England’s white-ball heroes in action back home this summer. Whether it’s thrilling IT20 & ODI clashes against West Indies and South Africa, The Barmy Army will be in full voice at venues across the UK. With limited availability, now is the perfect time to secure your tickets.
