ICC Champions Trophy: Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton’s predictions, together with how England will do

Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton share their predictions for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is stay on Sky Sports activities from February 19 to March 9.

The Sky Sports activities pundits title their event favourites, how they anticipate England to do, and choose the gamers they’re notably wanting ahead to seeing in motion over the approaching weeks.

Each recreation is stay on Sky Sports activities with England – trying to rebound from a defeat-laden tour of India – going through a depleted Australia aspect of their opening match in Lahore on Saturday February 22.

• ICC Champions Trophy 2025 homepage 🏆👍
• Champions Trophy: All it’s essential to know 📋🏟️
• Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract 📺📱
• Improve to Sky Sports activities proper now! 🔼⚽🏏🏌️🥊
• Dubois vs Parker & Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: Guide to look at on TV 📺

Winners

NASSER HUSSAIN: I did one thing for the ICC about six weeks in the past and I had Australia as favourites however take 5 gamers out of that group – Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Marcus Stoinis – and that could be a critical loss.

They’ve gone again into the pack somewhat bit and I now have India because the group to beat, albeit they’re with out presumably the very best participant on the planet proper now in Jasprit Bumrah.

In the event you have a look at their batting reserves and spin division, the best way they performed in opposition to England not too long ago and the best way they play usually in bilateral cricket, they give the impression of being sturdy.

They play all their video games in Dubai, know the situations and will not should journey. On paper, they’re the very best aspect now.

MICHAEL ATHERTON: Like Nasser, I feel India being based mostly in Dubai will assist them massively.

Spin seems like it’s going to be a very sturdy level of their recreation within the absence of Bumrah – I’m additionally undecided Mohammed Shami is completely again to his finest but both – and you’d assume it could be simpler within the UAE than Pakistan.

However you additionally have a look at their power in depth. If they’ll omit a participant like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who would most likely get in every other squad on the planet, it reveals how a lot expertise they’ve.

Saying that, a few of their batters haven’t precisely been firing on all cylinders – Virat Kohli and, till his hundred in opposition to England, Rohit Sharma. However they’ve simply crushed England 3-0 and when you have a look at their file within the final couple of years they’ve been very sturdy.

For me, they begin as apparent favourites however perhaps New Zealand have a squeak of difficult them. They’ve performed a number of cricket in Pakistan and are operating into respectable kind, whereas they’ve a number of firepower and expertise and a really intelligent spinner in captain Mitchell Santner.

I fairly like South Africa as properly. Once they get their finest group out – which they have not at all times been capable of do – they’re fairly formidable.

How will England do?

NASSER: I feel England can be somewhat bit scarred from the India tour however not solely that. They have not been nice in white-ball cricket since profitable the 2022 T20 World Cup.

At that stage, they held each World Cup titles concurrently however now they’ve misplaced each of these and been crushed of their final 4 bilateral ODI sequence.

Nonetheless, I feel they are going to be buoyed by being in Pakistan because the wickets there are usually flat and that fits their model of play.

It is a spot the place you want batters who go arduous, a wrist spinner – and so they have top-of-the-line in Adil Rashid – and pace with the ball by the air. Their tempo assault could possibly be helpful, though it isn’t all about tempo, it is about ability as properly.

They only want to ensure they go greater with the bat. Sides that win video games rating large a whole bunch – Travis Head for Australia within the World Cup ultimate, Shubman Gill and Rohit for India in opposition to England not too long ago. Sixties are good however do not win you video games.

In the event you get out after the powerplay you expose your center order to spin so the likes of Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Tom Banton have to bat by.

The damage disaster for Australia helps England’s bid to get out of the group. That first recreation is a chance now and if they’ll win that one, then it boosts confidence and they’re going to see the tour of India as a little bit of a blip.

In the event that they lose it, they’ve Afghanistan – who’ve wonderful spinners and batters – and South Africa, each of whom they misplaced to within the 2023 World Cup, then it turns into tough.

If England play to their potential, which they have not completed for some time, then I feel they’ll get out of the group. However I’m not positive they’ll win it, though the brief nature of this event means everyone seems to be a contender.

ATHERS: I feel England will wrestle to get out of their group. The Australia recreation now seems much more winnable than it might need completed with all their accidents however the South Africa and Afghanistan matches are actually powerful.

A great outcome for England can be reaching the semi-finals given the best way they’ve been enjoying and the current outcomes however I’m not that assured.

Will probably be fairly a high-scoring competitors in Pakistan on good pitches – within the current triangular sequence between Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, most scores had been over 300.

You want gamers to make a whole bunch and England have not been doing that of late, whereas a number of gamers who’ve hit centuries for them are not concerned, together with Dawid Malan.

They did not decide spin properly in India, though that will have much less consequence in Pakistan, and their bowling has appeared a bit one-dimensional at occasions so they are going to do properly to get out of the group.

Main wicket-taker and run-scorer?

NASSER: I’m saying India will win it and due to this fact play essentially the most video games, so I’ll decide Arshdeep Singh as main wicket-taker. He has solely performed 9 ODIs thus far however is India’s highest T20 worldwide wicket-taker and might bowl at the beginning and finish of an innings.

For run-scorer, I’ll say Gill. Rohit loves the Champions Trophy and ICC occasions usually however Gill is within the type of his life on this format.

Rohit’s kind has dwindled in Check cricket of late in opposition to New Zealand and Australia, culminating in him leaving himself out of that format over the winter.

I virtually really feel it was like he climbed his mountain, to be trustworthy. Inside a 12 months, he misplaced a 50-over World Cup ultimate after which gained a 20-over World Cup ultimate from a shedding place.

The ups and downs of being an India participant and captain most likely took its toll and affected his recreation in red-ball cricket, however not white-ball cricket and he seems someplace again to his finest, including to India’s power.

ATHERS: I’ll go for South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen as main run-scorer as he’s in sizzling kind. Maybe it’s best to go for an opener or somebody within the prime three however he’s a top-notch short-form participant and may get loads of alternatives.

For wicket-taker I used to be going to say England leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who actually is a grasp of his craft now, however as I’ve my doubts about them making the semi-finals, I’ll go for India’s Kuldeep Yadav.

I really like watching him bowl. He’s a very attacking spinner with loads of selection and is enjoying in part of the world that may assist spin extra.

And one other participant you’re looking ahead to seeing?

NASSER: Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman. I feel he may mild up the event.

I have never seen him for some time as he has been out and in of their aspect however he scored that sensible hundred within the 2017 Champions Trophy ultimate in opposition to India at The Oval

He’s a dynamic shot-maker on the prime of the order, maybe somebody his aspect have actually missed of late, and since he has come again in, he has acquired some runs.

Pakistan are internet hosting a worldwide ICC occasion for the primary time since 1996 and that could be a large factor for them. If the group are to play properly, I feel Fakhar might should get them off to a flier. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan can then mess around him.

ATHERS: I might say Gill for India.

He’s a really fashionable participant on the prime of the order and, as Nass says, is in wonderful kind, scoring over 250 runs in that ODI sequence in opposition to England with two fifties after which 100 within the ultimate recreation.

For Pakistan, internet hosting their first world ICC occasion in virtually 30 years, a secure and profitable event will shine a light-weight on worldwide cricket within the nation after a protracted absence.

There’s enormous ardour for the sport there and it’s a large alternative for Pakistan.

ICC Champions Trophy schedule

All video games 9am UK and Eire

Group A

• February 19: Pakistan vs New Zealand (Karachi)
• February 20: Bangladesh vs India (Dubai)
• February 23: Pakistan vs India (Dubai)
• February 24: Bangladesh vs New Zealand (Rawalpindi)
• February 27: Pakistan vs Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
• March 2: New Zealand vs India (Dubai)

Group B

• February 21: Afghanistan vs South Africa (Karachi)
• February 22: Australia vs England (Lahore)
• February 25: Australia vs South Africa (Rawalpindi)
• February 26: Afghanistan vs England (Lahore)
• February 28: Afghanistan vs Australia (Lahore)
• Mar 1: South Africa vs England (Karachi)

Semi-finals

• March 4: Semi-final (Dubai)
• March 5: Semi-final 2 (Lahore)

Ultimate

• March 9: Ultimate (Lahore or Dubai)

Watch each match from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy stay on Sky Sports activities between February 19 and March 9 or stream with NOW.

Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker and the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol rematch can be stay on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace. Guide now!