Who can be the semi-finalists for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025?

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is set to kick off on Wednesday, February 19, with defending champions Pakistan facing New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. This marks the beginning of what promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament. Ahead of the opening match, cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin shared his predictions for the four semifinalists of the tournament, offering his insights into which teams are most likely to make it to the business end of the event. The Champions Trophy will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. Group A includes India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, while Group B consists of Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa. Each team will compete in a round-robin format within their group, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semifinals.

India, as one of the favorites for the tournament, will face tough competition in Group A, especially from New Zealand and Pakistan. Meanwhile, Group B also promises to be competitive, with powerhouses like Australia and England in the mix. The tournament's format ensures that every match is crucial, and only the best teams from each group will make it to the semifinals. As the tournament progresses, fans can expect thrilling encounters as the teams battle for a spot in the final and a chance to lift the prestigious Champions Trophy.

Ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, Ravichandran Ashwin shared his predictions for the teams most likely to make it to the semifinals. From Group A, Ashwin backed India and New Zealand to progress to the knockout stages, while leaving out Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Group B, he chose the Ashes rivals, Australia and England, as the two teams to advance to the semifinals.

Ashwin also took the time to evaluate the squad strength and balance of all eight participating teams, grading them on a scale of 100. Both New Zealand and India received the highest scores, with 85/100 each, reflecting their well-balanced and strong lineups. England followed closely with a score of 81, while Australia secured 78 points, highlighting their competitiveness in the tournament. Interestingly, Ashwin placed Afghanistan at No. 5 with a score of 70, showcasing their potential despite not being considered one of the top favorites. On the other hand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh received lower scores, with South Africa scoring 68, Pakistan 55, and Bangladesh only managing a score of 40. These rankings reflect Ashwin's assessment of each team's strengths, weaknesses, and overall chances in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

"I'll give them 85. I would given India a 90 had Bumrah been there because India is completely different with him in the mix. The only concern for India in my view is that all their games are in Dubai. Let's say we lose all three tosses and are put into bat first because it's chalk and cheese between day and night at this venue. So if opponents bat under lights, this 85 might start dropping," former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.