Mohammad Nabi is the only player left who was part of the first-ever Afghanistan One-Day International side, but he still has big international dreams left to achieve.

Led by new white-ball skipper Mitchell Santner, New Zealand are undoubtedly one of the tournament’s genuine title contenders.

The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy is set to begin on Wednesday with the Group A match between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi.

Bangladesh are going into the ICC Champions Trophy without ace spinner Shakib Al Hasan and even though the pace battery has been firing, the Tigers would need their spin department to step up in the event.

Before leaving for the UAE for their opening fixture of the ICC Champions Trophy against India, Bangladesh underwent a five-day training camp in Mirpur, where a few extra bowlers were brought in to assist the squad.

In the opener on February 19, hosts Pakistan will square up against New Zealand in Karachi.

“Though the Bangladeshi team was not allowed to take part, the population reacted with enormous enthusiasm to the biggest sporting event -- some said the most positive event of any kind--in the country’s short, fraught, history.”

Sarfaraz, who was the captain of the Pakistan side that lifted the Champions Trophy in 2017, wants the Men in Green to play intense but smart cricket against arch-rivals India on February 23, when the two sides face-off in Dubai.

India have named star pacer Jasprit Bumrah in their 15-man preliminary squad for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy but the pacer’s place in the squad is still not confirmed.

Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons revealed Nahid Rana’s pace was coming back to speed after seeing 22-year-old pace sensation back at it in training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Monday. 

Former India captain and current commentator Ravi Shastri said hosts Pakistan would become 'doubly dangerous' if they can qualify for the knockout phase of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, set to begin on February 19.

India coach Gautam Gambhir has played down the extra relevance of his side's contest against arch-rival Pakistan at the upcoming ICC Men's Champions Trophy by declaring each match at the tournament is of equal importance.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have decided to not print the name ‘Pakistan’ in the Indian team jerseys for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, according to media reports from India and Pakistan.

The BCCI has announced a provisional 15-man squad for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, beginning on February 19, with injury-return pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami and left-arm leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav making the cut.

South Africa picked an experienced 15-man squad for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan with 10 players having competed at the last World Cup in India in late 2023.

Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad, amid ongoing calls for teams to boycott matches against them due to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights since returning to power in 2021.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 marks the tournament's return after an eight-year hiatus and is set to take place in Pakistan, starting February 19th.

The BCB has the opportunity to make changes to the Champions Trophy squad till next month. It rarely makes it easy to rule out abnormality. So, is there another twist around the corner or have we seen the last of Shakib in national colours?

Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan in their maiden ICC Men's Champions Trophy campaign as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the 15-player squad on Sunday.

Returning to the cricketing arena for the first time in eight years, the Champions Trophy will commence on 19 February 2025 and will run for 19 days featuring 15 thrilling contests.