Captain Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas at the ICC Champions Trophy, strating on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
The ICC Champions Trophy makes its return on Wednesday after almost a decade, and excitement is palpable as eight teams prepare to battle it out for one of cricket's most coveted trophies. In the coming two-and-a-half weeks, the world will witness fierce competition, but certain teams stand out as potential powerhouses.
Here, Ongama Gcwabe identifies five teams to watch during the tournament.
The biggest mistake opposition teams could make heading into this tournament is to judge the Proteas based on their recent form in One Day Internationals. They might have lost six on the bounce, but it is important to remember that this is mostly the same squad that bulldozed through almost every opposition in the 2023 World Cup in India. The batting unit, led by the in-form Temba Bavuma, looks crisp, while the bowling unit is just as capable of taking on any batting line-up in the tournament, with Kagiso Rabada leading the pack. When this team is on song, they will be hard to beat. Given that the side has been doing well in ICC events, reaching the final of the T20 World Cup last year, this might be the year they return home with the trophy.
Gone are the days when Afghanistan were push-overs. Following their victories over Australia and Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup last year, coupled with victories against England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka at the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan have earned respect in ICC events. They have serious talent in the side, including some of the world's best spinners: Rashid Khan, Allah Ghazanfar, and Noor Ahmed, all of whom will enjoy the spin-friendly conditions often found in Pakistan.
The world's most decorated team is always a threat in ICC events. This year, despite missing captain Pat Cummins due to injury and David Warner, who retired last year, the Australians still pose a massive threat. With Steve Smith handed the captaincy role for the tournament, he leads a side full of young cricketers with a point to prove. Australia will be hard to beat. Despite suffering a series whitewash in Sri Lanka earlier this month, Smith will have World Cup winners Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Shaun Marsh, and Glenn Maxwell to lean on throughout the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan head into the tournament as defending champions, having won the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017. The fact that they are hosting the tournament improves their chances of successfully defending the trophy, as they have home ground advantage. They are fresh from a whitewash of South Africa in South Africa in December, a feat that indicates just how in form the side is. With the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan in the team, Pakistan are certainly the team to watch.
Fresh from a 3-0 series whitewash of England at home, India carry momentum into the Champions Trophy with Shubman Gill, captain Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer all in good form. Given that this might be the last ICC event for the likes of Sharma and Virat Kohli, this team may be extra motivated to give the two great cricketers the send-off they deserve. In a group with Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Pakistan, India is expected to progress past the group stage of the tournament and into the semi-finals at the very least.
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