ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India-Pakistan in or out? Tournament semi-finalists revealed by Shoaib Akhtar
Published - 08 Feb 2025, 10:49 AM | Updated - 08 Feb 2025, 10:50 AM
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Former Pakistan National Cricket Team player Shoaib Akhtar has named his semi-finalists for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. What caught the attention of many was he didn't name England or Australia and went with Afghanistan instead along with India and Pakistan.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is around the corner as the tournament is less than two weeks away from now. The eight-nation tournament will be played from 19th February, with the Pakistan National Cricket Team taking on the New Zealand National Cricket Team in the tournament opener at the Karachi Stadium.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played across four venues in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Dubai
All eight teams have been named strong squads for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and with the kind of form everyone has, it promises an exciting tournament, which will be played for the first time since 2017, where Pakistan National Cricket emerged as the winner.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played across four venues in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai, where the India National Cricket Team will be playing their matches. With the tournament around the corner, the predictions for the event have started.
If Afghanistan's team shows maturity during the event, they could make it to the semi-finals - Shoaib Akhtar
The latest one came from Shoaib Akhtar, saying that if the Afghanistan National Cricket Team play with maturity, they will reach the semi-final. He added that along with them, India and Pakistan will also make it into the knockouts. Notably, he didn't name fourth team. Speaking to the media as quoted by Cricket Pakistan, he said:
"If Afghanistan's team shows maturity during the event, they could make it to the semi-finals. I believe Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan will reach the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy."
I believe that both Pakistan and India should also meet in the final of the tournament - Shoia Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar also made his prediction for India vs Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He backed the Mohammad Rizwan-led side to win the game and also backed both teams to reach the final of the tournament. He added:
"I'm hopeful that Pakistan will defeat India on February 23. In fact, I believe that both Pakistan and India should also meet in the final of the tournament."
India and Pakistan will be locking horns in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on 23rd February. It will be the first time that both teams will be playing each other since the ICC T20 World 2024, where the Rohit Sharma-led side emerged as winners. The two teams since the last few years have engaged in enthralling battles and are expected to play high quality cricket this time as well.
India National Cricket Team won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and after that, Pakistan National Cricket Team won the tournament in 2017. It remains to be seen if one among them will win the event or not.
