BENGALURU, JAN 14 (DNA):New Zealand cricketer Rachin Ravindra has shared his predictions for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, foreseeing an exhilarating finale between New Zealand and Australia.
The highly anticipated tournament, set to take place in Pakistan, will culminate with the final match on March 9.
In an exclusive interaction with the ICC, the middle-order batter was asked to name the two teams he expects to see in the final.
While he refrained from choosing between the world No 1 ODI team, India, and the hosts, Pakistan, Ravindra made a bold prediction, backing the Kiwis and Kangaroos to face off in the final.
Ravindra expressed confidence in the competitive strength of both teams, suggesting they have what it takes to reach the tournament’s ultimate stage and vie for the prestigious title.
“It’s always very hard to predict (finalists) that because you always want to say New Zealand because you’re involved. So hopefully we’re there. I mean, we’ll take it game by game, and the other groups, it’s pretty hard to count out people like Australia,” said Rachin.
“I think they’re a really good team, and they’ve shown how strong they are in all formats. Current holders of the ODI World Cup too. So hopefully it’ll be a Trans-Tasman derby. But, we’ll take it game by game and see what happens,” he added.
The 25-year-old left-handed batter was in spectacular form during the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, amassing over 500 runs and helping New Zealand secure a semifinal spot.
Ravindra, who has 945 runs and 18 wickets from 28 ODIs, is excited about the opportunity to represent New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025.
“I think it’s amazing. Obviously, having a brief hiatus from the Champions Trophy and it coming back this year is very exciting. I think the format is amazing, being able to essentially play knockout games every single time. There’s context on every single game, which I think is super exciting and something I’m looking forward to,” he said.
“You always play cricket to try and push yourselves and try and win the game, so for every game to have that onus on it is great,” he added.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held from February 19 to March 9 across three venues in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—along with Dubai.
The tournament features 15 matches with eight teams divided into two groups:
Group A: Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
Group B: Afghanistan, South Africa, England, Australia
The tournament will kick off with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the opening match on February 19 in Karachi.
New Zealand Champions Trophy Schedule
Pakistan vs New Zealand, Karachi, Pakistan — 19 February
Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi, Pakistan — 24 February
New Zealand vs India, Dubai — 2 March
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