Indian Team lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after defeating New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. The tournament was played in a hybrid format India’s matches, including the semifinal and final, were held in Dubai, while the rest of the games took place in Pakistan across Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, the ICC picked Mitchell Santner as the captain of their Team of the Tournament for his brilliant captaincy in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Pakistan, the defending champions and hosts, had a tough time in the tournament, failing to win a single game. They lost their first two matches to New Zealand and India, while their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. Pakistan has a tough time in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament

1. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
   Rachin Ravindra had an outstanding tournament, scoring 251 runs at an average of 62.75, including two centuries. His brilliant performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

2. Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
   Ibrahim Zadran was Afghanistan’s standout batter, scoring 216 runs at an average of 72, including a century. Unfortunately, Afghanistan’s journey ended early after their last group-stage match against Australia was washed out.

3. Virat Kohli (India)
   Virat Kohli once again showed his class, scoring an unbeaten century against Pakistan. He finished the tournament with 218 runs at an average of 54.5.

4. Shreyas Iyer (India)
   Shreyas Iyer was solid in India’s middle order, scoring 243 runs at an average of 48.6, with two crucial fifties and helping India to win the Crucial final against New Zealand.

5. KL Rahul (wk) (India)
   KL Rahul made valuable contributions both with the bat and behind the stumps. He scored 140 runs at an incredible average of 140, with his highest score being 42*. His unbeaten knock in the final against New Zealand played a big role in India’s victory.

6. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand)
   Glenn Phillips was one of the best fielders in the tournament, taking five catches. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 177 runs at an average of 59, and even took two wickets.

7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
   Azmatullah Omarzai was impressive with both bat and ball. He scored 126 runs at an average of 42 and picked up seven wickets, including a brilliant five-wicket haul.

8. Mitchell Santner (c) (New Zealand)
   Mitchell Santner was chosen as the captain after leading New Zealand to the final. He had a solid tournament with the ball, taking nine wickets at an average of 26.6 and an economy rate of 4.80.

9. Mohammed Shami (India)
   Mohammed Shami played a key role in India's bowling attack, picking up nine wickets in the tournament. He made a strong start with a five-wicket haul in India's opening match against Bangladesh.

10. Matt Henry (New Zealand)
    Matt Henry was one of the standout bowlers of the tournament, taking 10 wickets at an average of 16.7 with an economy of 5.32. Unfortunately, he was ruled out of the final beacuse of injury.

11. Varun Chakaravarthy (India)
    Varun Chakaravarthy was one of the brilliant spinners in the tournament. He picked up nine wickets at an average of 15.1 while keeping his economy rate at just 4.53.

    12: Axar Patel (India)
          Axar Patel was among the top all-rounders in the tournament. He took five wickets at an average of 39.2 with an economy of 4.35. He also made valuable                contributions with the bat, scoring 109 runs, including a crucial 29-run knock in the final in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

ICC squad of Champions Trophy

Rachin Ravindra, Ibrahim Zadran, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Santner (c), Mohammed Shami, Matt Henry, Varun Chakaravarthy, 12th player: Axar Patel

Champions Trophy 2025 have reached its half way stage where almost we have got our semifinalists team. From Pool B its going to be India and New Zealand and from Pool A its going to be South Africa, but there is one more slot which is empty and there are two contenders who gonna have a virtual quater final. 

Its Australia and Afghanistan who will be fighting for the final spot. Australia have upper hand against Afghanistan but you can't rule out Afghanistan team completely they have given tuff to many big teams and even sended off them too. 

Australia And Afghanistan 2023 Challenge

Both the quality teams are going to face each other today which is going to be a thriller of contest But before too these two teams have faced each other in 2023 World Cup which happened in India. On the eve of that match Afghanistan batted first and with the help of Ibrahim Zadran century Afghanistan could able to post 291 runs with the loss of 5 wickets. Australia got the target of 292 and many thought it would be a cakewalk for Australia. 

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But Afghanistan didn't let go them easily they provided the early breakthrough removing David Warner and Travis Head cheaply. It was game on for Afghanistan where dethroned the wickets of Labhushane and Josh Inglis. But there stood a man named Glenn Maxwell who came in front of them. He would have also been out if wouldn't have been dropped twice at that day he went on to score 201 though he got cramps but didn't left the he showed the sheer resiliance which determined the victory for Australia otherwise it would have been Afghanistan game. 

Revenge Is Sweeter

 Afghanistan wouldn't forgot the wounds that created by Australia 2 years back. It would be the perfect revenge to refrain their wounds. Even Australia hasn't been best of their forms recent times but half side Australia is still to dangerous. Australia have won their first match beating England in a high scoring encounter where Josh Inglis became their main man. 

 Read More : Sachin Tendulkar Praises Afghanistan Team After Their Victory Against England In Champions Trophy

Tomorrow its going to be the testing phase for Australia too as they have the fire power in batting but has issues in bowling their main bowlers Starc, Hazelwood and captain Pat Cummins are injured, so the only known bowler is Adam Zampa. Its going to be an exciting encounter between both the teams having a favorable advantage with them

Afghanistan Cricket to World:

Afghanistan's incredible surge on the global cricket scene remains an enthralling spectacle. Ever since its ICC tournament debut in 2010, the nation has grown from being an affiliate member to becoming a force to be reckoned with, securing full membership and making it to the knockout stages of big ICC events. They started their journey in ODI cricket with an exciting one-wicket victory against Scotland in the 2015 World Cup. Yet, their memorable performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup formally proclaimed their arrival on the global stage. Afghanistan beat three erstwhile world champions England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to achieve a sixth-place finish and gain entry into the ICC Champions Trophy. These wins had catapulted them to a sixth-place position in the rankings, earning them their maiden qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy.

2023 ODI World Cup: The Breakthrough Tournament
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan stunned England with a 69-run win in Delhi, overwhelmed Pakistan by an eight-wicket margin in Chennai, and comprehensively defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Pune. They almost made Australia their victim as well, but Glenn Maxwell's record-breaking double-century single-handedly saved the eventual champions.
Even after that heartbreak, Afghanistan's performances showed they were no longer an underdog team causing the occasional upset but a force to be reckoned with against the best.

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2024 T20 World Cup: Another Step Forward
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan impressed again, thrashing New Zealand by 84 runs and shocking Australia with a 21-run victory.
They thrashed New Zealand by 84 runs in the group stage in Guyana and then shocked Australia with a 21-run victory in Kingstown in the Super Eight stage. Their dream journey ended in the semi-finals when South Africa routed them comprehensively. But in a twist of drama, the Proteas collapsed at the last hurdle once again, throwing away a golden chance to claim their first World Cup by losing to India in the final. Even though their dream run was cut short in the semi-finals, their performances were enough to show that they were no longer an underdog team.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: A Historic Victory
Afghanistan took the momentum to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, beating England in a thrilling match. Ibrahim Zadran's stunning 177 and Azmatullah Omarzai's match-winning effort of 5/58 completed the task as Afghanistan put up a strong 325/7 and held England to 317.

Afghanistan: A Force to Be Reckoned With
At each ICC event, Afghanistan revises its cricket narrative, well solidifying the role of being a genuine world-wide threat. Afghanistan is no longer merely that squad famous for doing the upsets; it kills off a couple of world-renowned top-line players repeatedly.

Afghanistan Team did an impossible thing once again by beating England with 8 runs of margin. Earlier too they beat England in ICC World Cup 2023 which held in India, In that too they beat England by 69 runs. It has been a great growth of Afghanistan team not only challenging big teams but beating them convincingly. This is not just a one day process but took a years of preservance. 

They were great in associate nation matches and performed extremely well to attain this position at what they are today. There are players who are not associated with it today but been a part of this process would be extremely happy today what their team had acheived. It was a do or die situation for both the teams but at the end it was Afghanistan who hold their nerves to pull of a massive victory. 

Read More : Afghanistan Beats England Once Again In An Thrilling Encounter

Ibrahim Zadran And Azmatullah Omarzai Heroics

Both England and Afghanistan were in a do or die situation if they had to qualify anyone would have to win the game, the game had all the elements of twist and turns where a cricket fan throughly enjoy a lot. Afghanistan won the toss and choose to bat first though wickets were crumbling at one end but Ibrahim Zadran was on his zone he just blasted the runs flow with boundaries and sixes. He faced 146 balls scoring 177 runs which is equally half of the score attained by Afghanistan in his innings he has hitted 12 fours and 6 sixes. 

 With support of his innings Afghanistan gave England the target of 326 runs which was quite acheivable in the modern era and type of form English batters had attain it would be a slicer. But sometime unusal thing happens in cricket.

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 Azmatullah Omarzai came in between of England's victory. England too had a cozy start at the score of 30 runs they lost 2 wickets. But it was Joe Root who kept one end ticking but other end became a path hole where batsman get digging. They never had an answer to Omarzai deliviries even Root after completing his century became the victim of Omarzai itself. He took 5 wickets haul giving only 58 runs in his quota. 

Sachin Tendulkar Couldn't Hold On

After the victory of Afghanistan even God of Cricket Sachin Tendulkar couldn't control his emotions he even tweeted in his account and congratulated the whole team and said Now Afghanistan steady and constent rise is truly inspiring and they can't be considered as upsets anymore. 

Afghanistan’s steady and consistent rise in international cricket has been inspiring! You can’t term their wins as upsets anymore, they’ve made this a habit now.

A superb century by @IZadran18 and wonderful five-for by @AzmatOmarzay, sealed another memorable win for Afghanistan.… pic.twitter.com/J1MVULDtKC

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 26, 2025

 TThe way Afghanistan team and their cricket has been evolved is truly remarkable now it is a gate opener for them at their given day they can be heavy on any team. 

It has been an epic encounter between England and Afghanistan it was a do or die match for both the team where they entered this match with a loss, where Afghanistan were beaten by South Africa and England were beaten by Australia so it was a quater final between both of these teams, the one who wins the game stays and the other has to go home. 

England had the advantage where they had beaten Afghanistan 2 times in this format but Afghanistan is a team which can't be write off they can beat any team on a given day. Afghanistan have also beaten England once that too in 2023 World Cup which happened in India. So underestimating Afghanistan is at your own risk. 

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Zadran Brilliant Century Made A Base 

This was much anticipated match where both the teams were entering with a loss. Afghanistan won the toss and Captain Sahidi choose to bat first. At the start of innings they had a thought whether they committed a mistake. But Zadran kept the things go on. Because they lost the wicket of Gurbaaz who went cheaply and rest of few too went early but partnership between Zadran and Sahidi went on. 

Afghanistan were back on track soon where Zadran was looking in ellite touch dispacting bad balls to boundary and rotating the strike as well so the score board stood ticking. Soon Sahidi got out then Azmatullah joined the party with Zadran it was no stopping for him. Zadran scored a brilliant century which was his first but he didn't stop there after his century he rolled over English bowlers with more aggressively. He scored a brilliant 177 runs facing 146 balls. He was well supported by Nabi too. With a collective effort Afghanistan scored 325 runs with a loss of 7 wickets. 

Azmatullah Omarzai The Warrior For Afghanistan

IIn the previous match it was England bowling who costed them the match though scoring a mamoth total of 350 above runs they lost the match against Australia, Thanks to the innings of Josh Inglis who just not scored a quick century but ensured Australia seal the match. So here England too had a dangerous batting and it was chasable total in Lahore. But things were really looking differently for England here. 

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They lost 2 wickets at the score of 30 pressure started to mount on for England as Omarzai started the damage. Though Joe Root was bating beautifully at one one but the other wickets were piling up. Before reaching 150 England lost 4 wickets., then a steady partnership between Root and Butler came where they developed a 83 runs partnership where Root too completed his brilliant century. Soon Butler departed for 38 and Livingston came to rebuilt the damage a 53 runs partnership between them gave England a solidity. But Azmatullah took root off and it was nail in the coffin. 

Root departed for 120 runs then it was no stopping for Afghanistan they took the wickets quickly and even England too were nearing the chase so it was on a stage who do it first either Afghanistan will allout England or England batsman will make a, steal. At the end Jofra Archer tried too hard too but it was too late it seemed as England were bowled out at the end with 8 runs remaining to score last 20 minutes were absolute thriller either who will win and Afghanistan players hold their nerves and won the match and pushed their chances forward.Azmatullah Omarzai took 5 wickets and was leader of bowling pack. With this England had been out from Champions Trophy 2025,Where Ibrahim Zadran was awarded with Man Of The Match award. 

Afghanistan eliminated England from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and have stayed in the competition after a thrilling victory in the high-scoring Group B match on Wednesday (February 26) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. 

It was a must-win game for both teams to stay in the tournament, as a defeat means elimination for both teams. Afghanistan's captain chose to bat first after winning the toss. While Afghanistan scored 325/7 in 50 overs, England were all out for 317 runs.

Ibrahim Zadran recorded highest score in ICC Champions Trophy history

England took Afghans' first three wickets in the first powerplay, as Jofra Archer got all those three wickets, and Afghanistan ended the first powerplay at 39/3. However, the opener Ibrahim Zadran played one of the most memorable innings of the tournament, while the captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (40), Azmatullah Omarzai (41), and Mohammad Nabi (40) provided strong support to Zadran. 

Zadran completed his sixth ODI century in 106 balls and 150 runs in 134 balls. After scoring 177 off 146 balls with the help of 12 fours and six sixes, Zadran was out in the final over. With that knock, the Afghan opener broke the highest individual score record in ICC Champions Trophy history, which the English opener Ben Duckett (165) recorded this tournament in their previous game against Australia.  Before his dismissal, Zadran had a 103-run partnership with the skipper Shahidi, a 72-run partnership with Omarzai, and a 111-run partnership with Nabi for the fourth, fifth, and sixth wickets, respectively. 

Among the English bowlers, Jofra Archer scalped three wickets (3/64), while Liam Livingstone (2/28) got two crucial wickets in the last over of the innings, where he dismissed set batters Zadran and Nabi. 

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Joe Root's fighting century went in vain; Azmatullah Omarzai dominated with fifer

In reply, England were losing wickets at regular intervals. At powerplay, England scored 60/2. Ben Duckett scored 38 off 45 balls and had a crucial 68-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root before losing his wicket. Harry Brook (25) and captain Jos Buttler (38) had some useful contributions, while Root had a 35-run partnership with Brook and another 83-run partnership with Buttler for the fourth and fifth wickets, respectively, but both the batters lost wickets when the English team was in the line to dominate as Root had to watch the tough scenes from the other end. 

In the last moment, Root had a crucial 54-run partnership with Jamie Overton for the seventh wicket, which helped the England team to return to the game. Root completed his 17th ODI century in 98 balls and was dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai in the crucial 46th over. Before his dismissal, Root, who recorded his first ODI century since the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, scored 120 off 111 balls with 11 fours and one six. 

Jamie Overton had a valuable contribution with 32 off 28 balls but the English side just fell short of the target, as they were all out for 317 runs. 

Among the Afghan bowlers, Azmatullah Omarzai claimed a fifer as he had bowling figures of 9.5-0-58-5. Also, Mohammad Nabi had an important role like the other supporting bowlers as the off-spinner recorded the bowling figures of 8-0-57-2. 

In the crucial Group B match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Afghanistan vs England, Afghan opener Ibrahim Zadran rescued his nation and guided his team to a big total with his record-breaking knock. 

It is a must-win game for both teams and Afghanistan's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi chose to bat first at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Afghanistan scored 325/7 in 50 overs, which is their fifth-highest ODI total, but their highest total in an ICC ODI tournament. Also, it is the sixth-highest total in ICC Champions Trophy history. 

English fast bowler Jofra Archer provided a strong start for his team as Afghanistan were struggling at 39/3 at the end of the first powerplay. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6), Sediqullah Atal (4), and Rahmat Shah (4) failed to reach double-digit scores as Archer took all those first three wickets.

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Ibrahim Zadran powered with 177 runs, and three middle-order batters supported with 40s

From the pressure situation in the must-win game, the Afghans returned to the game with a 103-run partnership for the fourth wicket between the opener Ibrahim Zadran and the skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi. Before Adil Rashid bowled the captain, Shahidi scored 40 off 61 balls, while Zadran already completed his 50 runs in 65 balls. 

Later, Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai set another crucial 72-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Zadran completed his sixth ODI century in 106 balls, while Omarzai scored 41 off 31 balls with one four and three sixes. After Omarzai was dismissed on the final ball of the second powerplay, Zadran and Mohammad Nabi fired up with a 111-run partnership.

Zadran reached the 150-run mark in just 134 balls and scored 177 off 146 balls before he was dismissed in the final over of the innings. The opener slammed 12 fours and six sixes in this unforgettable innings. Nabi scored 40 off 24 balls with three fours and two sixes.

With his 177 runs, Ibrahim Zadran set some great records, and these are as follows:

• Zadran recorded the highest individual score in ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous highest score record was 165 by English opener Ben Duckett against Australia at Lahore in this tournament. 
• Zadran recorded the highest individual ODI score for Afghanistan. Zadran was also the previous highest ODI score record holder for Afghanistan with 162 runs vs Sri Lanka in the 2022 Pallakele ODI. 
• Zadran recorded the fourth-highest ODI score in Pakistan.
• Also, Zadran recorded the fourth-highest ODI score against England. 

Afghanistan Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: A Detailed Look

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has unveiled its 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9. The squad represents a perfect mix of experienced campaigners and young talents ready to shine on the global stage.

Let’s delve into the profiles of the selected players and analyze their roles in Afghanistan’s pursuit of Champions Trophy glory.

The Squad Breakdown

Batting Core

1. Ibrahim Zadran (Top-order batter)
   Known for his solid technique and temperament, Ibrahim Zadran is Afghanistan's go-to player for anchoring innings in challenging conditions.

2. Sediqullah Atal (Top-order batter)
   A promising young batter, Atal brings aggression and flair to Afghanistan's top-order lineup.

3. Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain) (Middle-order batter)
   As the team captain, Shahidi’s calm leadership and dependable batting in the middle overs will be crucial for Afghanistan’s campaign.

4. Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain) (Middle-order batter)
   Rahmat adds stability and experience to the middle order, ensuring that the team has a solid platform to build competitive totals.

Wicketkeepers

5. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicketkeeper-batter)
   A dynamic opening batter with an explosive approach, Gurbaz is equally skilled behind the stumps.

6. Ikram Alikhil (Wicketkeeper-batter)
   A technically sound wicketkeeper and a handy batter, Ikram offers a backup option for the team.

All-rounders

7. Gulbadin Naib
   With his ability to contribute with both bat and ball, Naib is a versatile asset to the team.

8. Mohammad Nabi
   The veteran all-rounder and former captain continues to be a match-winner for Afghanistan, offering sharp off-spin and lower-order batting strength.

9. Azmatullah Omarzai
   A rising star, Omarzai combines medium-pace bowling with hard-hitting lower-order batting.

10. Rashid Khan
    A superstar of global cricket, Rashid Khan is Afghanistan’s biggest weapon. His leg-spin, combined with his batting skills, makes him an invaluable asset.

Spin Arsenal

10. AM Ghazanfar
    A promising young spinner, Ghazanfar provides depth to Afghanistan's already impressive spin attack.

11. Noor Ahmad
    Another emerging talent, Noor Ahmad’s left-arm unorthodox spin offers a variation that can trouble the opposition.

Pace Department

13. Fazalhaq Farooqi (Fast bowler)
    The spearhead of Afghanistan’s pace attack, Farooqi’s ability to swing the ball both ways makes him a potent threat.

14. Naveed Zadran (Fast bowler)
    A fiery pacer, Naveed provides extra pace and bounce, complementing the team’s bowling unit.

15. Farid Ahmad Malik (Fast bowler)
    A reliable left-arm pacer, Farid adds variety to Afghanistan’s pace attack.

Reserves

• Darwish Rasooli (Middle-order batter): A promising batter waiting for his opportunity.
• Nangyal Kharoti (Spin bowler): A young spinner with potential to contribute if called upon.
• Bilal Sami (Fast bowler): A backup option to bolster the pace department when needed.

Afghanistan squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 

Happy with our 15-member #AfghanAtalan lineup for the ICC Champions Trophy!? 🤩🏆#ChampionsTrophy 🔗: https://t.co/uZfvLZ8U8D pic.twitter.com/7bmUJuzHFb

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 12, 2025

Afghanistan Fixtures at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:

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Ibrahim Zadran etched his name in World Cup history as the first Afghan batter to reach a century during a group-stage clash against Australia at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Zadran’s maiden World Cup hundred, achieved in 131 deliveries, included a powerful display against Josh Hazlewood in the 44th over.

Before this feat, Samiullah Shinwari’s 96 off 147 balls against Scotland in the 2015 World Cup was Afghanistan’s highest individual score in the tournament. Intriguingly, Zadran’s 87 against Pakistan during this World Cup ranks as the third-highest by an Afghan batter in the event.

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At 21 years and 330 days old, Zadran stands as the fourth youngest centurion in World Cup history, following Paul Sterling of Ireland, Ricky Ponting of Australia, and Avishka Fernando of Sri Lanka. In a blend of aggression and finesse, Zadran showcased his skills against Australia’s formidable bowlers. His resilience and ability to find boundaries and sixes under pressure contributed significantly to the team’s score.

Zadran’s century arrived at a pivotal moment, bolstering Afghanistan’s challenging situation with a substantial partnership. His composed innings offered hope to a team facing difficulties. Throughout World Cup 2023, Zadran has made history and achieved remarkable personal milestones.

Ibrahim Zadran’s Record-Breaking Journey

In a recent milestone, Ibrahim Zadran became the fastest Afghan cricketer to reach 1,000 career runs in One-Day Internationals, surpassing compatriot Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s record. Zadran achieved this feat in just 24 innings, marking a significant moment in his ODI career that commenced in 2019 against West Indies in Lucknow.