Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has expressed that his team finds themselves in the tougher half of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which kicks off on February 19. Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while Group B consists of Australia, Afghanistan, England, and South Africa.
Pakistan, the defending champions, triumphed over India in the final of the 2017 edition under Sarfaraz’s leadership. Although playing on home turf could offer some advantages, the Men in Green faced challenges in the recently concluded home tri-series, suffering two losses to New Zealand.
When discussing his semifinal predictions for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Sarfaraz shared his thoughts with Cricket Pakistan.
“As we know, Pakistan’s group is incredibly tough, but in my view, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Australia are the four teams most likely to make it to the semi-finals,” said Sarfaraz.
“The team looks really solid, and playing on home soil gives them a significant advantage. They are familiar with the conditions, and that knowledge will be crucial. When you compare this squad to the 2017 Champions Trophy-winning team, this current lineup seems even stronger on paper,” he added.
“Today, Babar Azam is a world-class player. Fakhar Zaman, who was new to the scene back then, has matured into a much more seasoned player. In 2017, Babar was still establishing himself, but now, he’s Pakistan’s leading batsman internationally. Fakhar has also grown into a top-tier player.”
The 2017 Champions Trophy remains Pakistan’s most recent ICC triumph, with the team struggling in One Day Internationals since then. The 2025 Champions Trophy will mark the first ICC event hosted by Pakistan since they co-hosted the 1996 ODI World Cup.