The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Pakistan in Dubai. India will not travel to the neighboring country due to security reasons and will play their matches in Dubai. Former players Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting said that India and Australia are likely to meet in the final of the ICC tournament.

India and Australia met in the finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the ICC Test Championship, with the latter winning both games.

Shastri mentioned that England, South Africa, India, and Australia could qualify for the semi-finals. Ponting agreed with Shastri, saying that India and Australia are the best teams in the world.

“It is hard to look beyond India and Australia. Both teams have quality players and one of them played the final of the big ICC events in the recent past.”

Australia lifted the Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009, while India emerged victorious in 2013.

Ponting warned other teams from Pakistan. “They have been playing good cricket in the fifty-over format. Pakistan are un-predictable in big tournaments but it seems they have sorted thing out,” he added.

The Men in Green will be led by Mohammad Rizwan, and the hosts will start their campaign against New Zealand on February 19.