Star pacer Mohammed Shami became the fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets during the ICC Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh here on Thursday (February 20, 20250. Returning to international cricket after a long injury layoff, Shami grabbed three wickets to reach the milestone in his 104th match and better former India pacer Ajit Agarkar’s record of reaching the mark in 133 matches. Jaker Ali, who made 68, was his 200th wicket. Overall, the 34-year-old fast bowler is the second quickest to 200 ODI wickets, behind Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, who needed 102 games. One of India’s finest seamers, Shami averages less than 25 in the ODI format and has already taken five fifers and 10 four-wicket hauls. Shami is the eighth Indian to complete 200 wickets in ODI cricket.

Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the ‘chokers’ tag when the two sides kick off their Champions Trophy campaign on Friday (February 21, 2025). The inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998, which was called the Knockout Trophy at that time, remains the only ICC men’s senior title South Africa has secured despite having produced some of the world’s greatest cricketers, especially in the limited-overs format. The Proteas boast of a well-balanced squad with a formidable batting lineup. While skipper Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram will anchor the top order, the big-hitting trio of Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs are well-equipped to provide the final flourish. South Africa’s biggest challenge heading into the tournament is their depleted bowling attack as key pacers Anrich Nortje, Nandre Burger, and Gerald Coetzee ruled out due to injuries. Known for his pace, aggression, and the knack of striking at crucial moments, Kagiso Rabada will be the Proteas’ key weapon in both the powerplay and death overs. Marco Jansen, too, will be expected to step up significantly. His ability to build pressure and deliver impactful spells will be crucial. Meanwhile, Lungi Ngidi will be looking to rediscover his rhythm and confidence after a below-par showing in the recent tri-series. In the spin department, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will have vital roles. Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, South Africa have won only four of the 14 ODIs they have played. They enter the tournament on the back of a six-match losing streak. But one cannot overlook the fact that they were not able to field a full strength team in any of these games due to multiple reasons. Clubbed alongside an off-colour England, injury-plagued Australia and Afghanistan, South Africa have a good chance of advancing to the knockout stage. But the Afghans could prove to be the proverbial banana peel. The war-torn nation has emerged as strong contenders to make the semifinals. Their impressive performances in recent ICC events include dominant wins over England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup and reaching the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year. They have proved more than once that they are no longer underdogs but a force to be reckoned with. The Adghans have won four of their five bilateral series since the ODI World Cup, including one against South Africa in the UAE. Their biggest strength expectedly remains their spin attack comprising the redoubtable Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and left-armers Noor Ahmad and Nangeyalia Kharote. They will play all three group matches in Pakistan where spin will be a decisive factor. Pacer Azmatullah Omarzai has been a key figure in Afghanistan’s ODI success, with his ability to swing the new ball providing them the powerplay edge. Fazalhaq Farooqi will be another crucial weapon with ability to provide early breakthroughs and effective variations at the death. In the batting department, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran will once again be expected to provide a solid start. Their weakness, however, lies in their middle order, which has often struggled to maintain momentum. This inconsistency has been a concern, and addressing it will be crucial for their success in the tournament. Squads South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch. Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Match starts 2:30pm IST.

When the last Champions Trophy game was played at The Oval in 2017, it was the dream match-up the organisers could wish for: archrivals India and Pakistan squared off for the crown, with the latter emerging triumphant. Despite the success of that event, it was axed from the calendar and was replaced by the T20 World Cup in 2021. Eight years later, the tournament is now back, with Pakistan set to host its first ICC competition since the 1996 World Cup. On Wednesday, when the home team takes on New Zealand in Karachi, it will mark a huge moment for the reigning champion and the culmination of more than half a decade of work to normalise international cricketing activity in the country. India, though, will not be visiting its neighbour and will play all its matches here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. While the focus has been on the preparations and readiness of Pakistan’s stadiums so far, now that the day of reckoning is here, the focus shifts to the on-field action. The idea of having only the top eight teams was to guarantee high-quality cricket with a built-in jeopardy where every game could matter. Over the next three weeks the fans will hope the spirit of the tournament reflects on the pitch. Though it is tough to ascertain a clear favourite, considering sides don’t play as many ODI games as before, there is a case to be made that India holds a slight edge even if it has played only nine ODI games since the 2023 World Cup final – the fewest among the participating nations. Rohit Sharma’s men blanked England 3-0 recently and have a settled combination even in the absence of pace spearhead Jaspirt Bumrah. Drawn alongside Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in Group-A, the Men in Blue should fancy itself to reach the last four. With the home support behind it, Pakistan will want to defend its crown, but the twin defeat to New Zealand in the recent tri-series, including the final, will be weighing heavily, and Mohammad Rizwan’s men can’t afford another reverse against the Kiwis in the opener. Having played frequently in Pakistan in recent years, the Black Caps will bank on that experience to go deep into the event. In contrast, Group- B is where things could get interesting and has a potential for surprise. Australia, the ODI champion, doesn’t appear strong on paper. Its bowling attack wears a thin look after losing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to injuries, while Mitchell Starc has skipped for personal reasons. The 0-2 loss to Sri Lanka was not ideal preparation either. Meanwhile, South Africa comes in battered and bruised, having lost its last six ODIs, and England’s one-dimensional approach has limitations, as it found against India. Only Afghanistan, making its CT debut, could feel confident of having a strong chance of progressing from this group. Its potent spin attack, comprising Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Mohammed Nabi, could be a handful for teams that don’t play spin well. However, beyond the cricketing action, the successful conduct of the tournament could herald a new era for Pakistan.

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur will play seven matches for County team Essex in Division One from the beginning of the 2025 season, the club announced on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Thakur, who has so far played 11 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is over the last eight years, will be playing in the English country circuit for the first time. Thakur has been in rich form both with the bat and the ball, having scored 51 and 119 for his second First-Class century last month against Jammu and Kashmir, followed by a brisk 84 against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy group stage. Thakur also claimed a hat-trick in the match against Meghalaya, in a bid to prove his form and fitness for a national team comeback, with his last appearance being at the 2023 ODI World Cup. “I am feeling excited to join Essex this summer. Personally it brings new challenges and opportunities to showcase my talent and skills. County cricket is something I always wanted to experience and I am glad that I’ll be representing the Eagles,” Thakur was quoted as saying by Essex on their website. Essex’s director of cricket and former England and Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood said, “We were very clear amongst ourselves that a high quality quick bowler, with lower-order batting ability, was a key target for the Club this winter. “In Shardul, we have signed just that, and we can’t wait to welcome him to Essex and see how he gets on in the County Championship,” he added. Thakur, who was not picked by any of the Indian Premier League teams in the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season, would thus get ample game-time and exposure to conditions in England to prove his form and fitness ahead of India’s tour of England in June for five Tests.

Former New Zealand fast-bowling great Tim Southee is confident that the Black Caps’ inexperienced bowling attack will do a wonderful job at the upcoming Champions Trophy after watching them perform impressively in the recently-concluded tri-series in Pakistan. The 36-year-old Southee, who has 776 international wickets for New Zealand across three formats, was an integral part of his country’s team until his retirement in 2024. With Trent Boult also not there and Lockie Ferguson looking highly unlikely, it will be Will O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith and Matt Henry, who will share the pace-bowling load at the marquee ICC event. “It’s something different not having Trent (Boult) and myself at an ICC event but, at the same time, it’s exciting. These events are great to be a part of and it’s in front of these guys now, I’m very excited to see how they go. “The way the team has played, different guys have stepped up. It’s a good mix between some experienced guys and some exciting young guys with a lot of potential,” Southee was quoted as saying in a ICC press release. “The experience of this Tri-Nation Series is only going to stand them in good stead for the tournament. So, taking some momentum into the tournament and being accustomed to those conditions, it’s only going to be a good thing,” Southee said. Southee, who has 221 ODI wickets, feels O’Rourke has the potential to become the backbone of the New Zealand attack in the coming days. “Will O’Rourke, in the Test game we’ve seen what he can do. He’s still so young but he’s got all the attributes that are going to set him up to have a lot of success in international cricket. I’m looking forward to watching him in his first ICC event. “Will is a man of few words but certainly listens and wants to get better. We know he’s got the pace and bounce, he’s got great skills. He just keeps growing, we’ve seen that in the Test game and he’s continued to get better. “His game is far from finished but I’m sure he’ll be a massive asset to New Zealand cricket across all three formats for a long time to come.” He also reserved some praise for Nathan Smith. “Nathan Smith has a real confidence about him, and believes in himself which I think you need at this level.” He is also happy that veteran Kane Williamson is in fine nick, which will boost New Zealand’s chances. “Kane is in good form, it’s nice to see him with a couple of scores, he’s obviously class. He’s not played a lot of one-day cricket for the last few years but to see him come back and have two significant contributions is what we’re used to seeing. “But it’s also pleasing for me now as a fan of the Black Caps. When he (Williamson) is in the middle, it comes with experience and the way he plays, he just looks in control the whole time.” Backbone of New Zealand batting Williamson, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips form the backbone of New Zealand batting and Southee believes that the five are better judges of how to pace their innings in 50-over format. “That is what sets those four or five batters apart from the rest. They are able to sum up conditions, sum up moments in games and more times than not, they come out on the right side of things. He (Williamson) brings a calmness to the group.” He praised left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner’s leadership skills. “Mitch has done a great job as captain. It’s still reasonably new to him but I experienced a bit of his captaincy towards the end of my career. He’s very calm, you see that in the way he plays his cricket. “He thinks about the game well and I think he looks to lead with his performances across all three areas. He’s one of best fielders, an unbelievably skilful bowler and a more-than-useful batter. So, I’m sure he’ll be looking to lead in all those three areas.” So, can New Zealand go all the way and follow in the footsteps of the 2000 vintage? Southee certainly thinks so. “If you look at the track record of New Zealand in ICC events, they are always there or thereabouts. In a tournament like the Champions Trophy, if you get on a bit of a roll, anything can happen. I’d love to see the Black Caps there and hopefully lifting the trophy at the end.”

The first set of Indian players and support staff arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday (February 15, 2025) to depart for Dubai, where they will compete in the upcoming Champions Trophy. India will kick off their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Several key players were spotted at the airport, including star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant, K.L. Rahul, and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Axar Patel, and pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh were also part of the travelling contingent. Skipper Rohit Sharma also joined the team, Hardik Pandya was the last to join the squad before departure.  Head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen alongside his support staff, including fielding coach T. Dilip, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, as the team geared up for their journey.  With their preparations in full swing, India will look to make a strong start in the tournament as they aim for glory in the prestigious ICC event. On Tuesday (February 11, 2025) night, India announced two massive changes in its 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, which is set to begin next week on Wednesday (February 19, 2025). The first one was widely speculated by many, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah being ruled out of the tournament with a lower back injury and Harshit Rana coming in as his replacement. The second was a surprise to many: young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was getting dropped for Chakravarthy. The decision left fans and former cricketers with split views, with some questioning the need while others asking to bolster the pace department. His inclusion came after his ODI debut against England in the second ODI, a match where he maintained his clinical nature and returned with figures of 1/54 in 10 overs.