CHAMPIONS TROPHY WITHOUT THE CHAMPIONS: List of players missing the 2025 mega event
Champions Trophy 2025 is commencing on 19th February, 2025 and the preparations are on at full swing. This event holds a great significance for the host team- Pakistan, as they are desperately remapping themselves at the world stage in cricket. Due to security reasons, ICC didn’t host any event there for a long time, and the fans were deprived of the joy of hosting a World Cup or Champions Trophy. But now, the wait is over and the stage is set.
While everyone across the globe is eagerly waiting for the matches, almost every team has faced a setback, that too at the eleventh hour. A lot of key players of almost all the teams are injured, making their side less stable. Today, in this article by ZAP cricket, we share a list of all the crucial players who will miss out the event, taking away the tournament’s glory. Maybe this year it’s CHAMPIONS TROPHY WITHOUT THE CHAMPIONS!
India
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s ace card, plays with the psyche of the opponents with his bowling. Whether it’s the new ball or old one, starting overs or death overs, it’s always this player who has never led the country down. With his versatility and adaptiveness, he’s always a threat to the opponents. But unfortunately, he will not feature in the upcoming ICC edition as he hasn’t recovered from his back injury post Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024. His services will be missed as it’s hard to find a replacement for such a strong contender.
Australia
Australia’s captain in the 2023 World Cup triumph, Pat Cummins, will also miss out the mega event in Pakistan as he is facing an injury in his back. Apart from his primary skill- bowling, he is a huge asset to the team in other departments as well. Moreover, his leadership will be hugely craved as he is one of the most successful captains in modern day cricket.
Along with Pat, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis from the Australian team will miss out the mega event in Pakistan. While Starc wouldn’t be playing due to some personal reasons, Hazelwood and Marsh are suffering from injuries.
Reasons for Stoinis’ omission are abrupt as he retired from One Day cricket just before the event, adding woes to Australian’s troubles.
With all the key players under rehabilitation, it will be really tough for the captain Steve Smith to leave a mark in the tournament. Huge responsibility will be on Travis Head’s shoulder as he has to keep up with the expectations on behalf of his injured teammates.
Pakistan
The host team, Pakistan, has too faced a setback as their 22 year old top order batsman- Saim Ayub is facing an injury. He sustained an ankle injury in South Africa in January and is currently going through rehabilitation for recovery. Due to his absence, the team is going with Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam as the opening pair.
Young Saim provided a lot of stability in the batting department since Babar Azam’s lean patch was already a concern for their side.
Afghanistan
One of the youngest players in the set up, Allah Ghazanfar will also miss the ICC event as he had suffered a fracture in the vertebra. He was picked in IPL auction by Mumbai Indians and his inclusion in franchise cricket is also doubtful, since his injury will require a good time to heal completely.
South Africa
Two key pacers from South Africa- Anrich Nortje and Gernald Coetzee will miss out the Champions Trophy. They both are the backbone of the bowling department and their services will be missed as South Africa will step in with a relatively weaker bowling line up. Both these players have been key contributors in recent matches, with Nortje known for his pace and ability to take crucial wickets, while Coetzee has shown great promise as a young bowler.
England
England’s Jacob Bethell will also not feature in Champions Trophy 2025 as he is suffering a strain in his left hamstring. His absence is quite notable, as he has been a rising star in the cricketing world. However, injuries are part and parcel of the game, they are inevitable to a much extent.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out due to a foot injury. Black Caps looked quite solid when the team was announced. But after the early exit of Ferguson, the team’s balance and confidence has been hampered. Fans and analysts will be eager to see how this impacts the team’s dynamics and performance in the Champions Trophy.
