Permutations Ahead of Final Round of Champions Trophy 2025 Group Stage
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Group A: India and New Zealand Headed for Knockouts
Group A was the subject of plenty of heated discussions ahead of the Champions Trophy, with India being allowed to play their home games in Dubai which some felt may give them an added advantage. Nevertheless, with the competition now reaching the final stretch of the group stage, the qualification situation has already been decided in this group with New Zealand and India securing their spots in the semi-finals.
The Kiwis punched their ticket to the knockouts with a solid five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday, led by a Player of the Match performance by Michael Bracewell, who bowled his 10 overs consecutively, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 26, including 43 dot balls, which allowed the Black Caps to restrict the Tigers to 236/9. The chase was spearheaded by centurion Rachin Ravindra’s 112 of 105 balls and Tom Latham’s supporting role of 55 in 76 deliveries.
Meanwhile, India locked in their semi-final berth with a victory in a blockbuster showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan last Sunday. The Men in Blue bowled out the Shaheens for 241 (49.4) and chased down the target with more than seven overs to spare thanks to a stunning ton by Virat Kohli. While the semi-finalists from Group A are confirmed, India and New Zealand will face off on March 2 to determine the group winner.
Group B: Afghanistan Looking to Upset Southern Hemisphere Giants
Group B of the Champions Trophy delivered arguably the biggest shock of the tournament to date, with Afghanistan pulling off an against-the-odds victory over England on Wednesday, which served as a warning to group leaders South Africa and Australia. The victory earned the Blue Tigers two vital points, bringing them just one point behind the top two ahead of what will be a high-stakes affair against the reigning ODI world champions Australia on Friday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Check out our Afghanistan vs. Australia prediction here.
Owing to the washout between familiar foes Australia and South Africa on February 25, it is now a straight shootout between the Baggy Greens and the Blue Tigers for a semi-final spot. A victory or washout will mean that Australia will advance to the knockout round, but if the Afghans can conjure up another big performance and pick up the win, they will leapfrog the men from Down Under in the table with four points and join South Africa in the final four.
Finally, South Africa kicked off their Champions Trophy campaign with a victory over Afghanistan before their washout against the Aussies, meaning they will face already eliminated England in their final group-stage match this coming Saturday (March 1). While a victory for the Proteas will confirm their progress, they will be guaranteed a knockout spot before their final match if Australia beats Afghanistan in Lahore 24 hours earlier.
Don’t forget to take a look at our South Africa vs. England prediction ahead of the toss!
