Group B - Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa

[James]

21 February 2025
Afghanistan v South Africa

22 February 2025
Australia v England

25 February 2025
Australia v South Africa

26 February 2025
Afghanistan v England

28 February 2025
Afghanistan v Australia

1 March 2025
England v South Africa

 

[Burgey]

Hard to see anything other than a comprehensive Australian domination of this pool tbh. Expect the 'ghan to qualify second on the back of their anti-misogyny and inclusion policies, just ahead of SA, with England playing the role of the caboose.

 

[Qlder]

This 4 teams with 2 moving on to semi's is brutal. You could win 2 of your 3 games and still be eliminated

So Aus going 3-0 it is

 

[Prince EWS]

This 4 teams with 2 moving on to semi's is brutal. You could win 2 of your 3 games and still be eliminated

So Aus going 3-0 it is

It's meant to he quick and dirty in this way, as opposed to a proper World Cup.

It started as the "ICC Knockout" - one loss and afuera.

I'm not sure it really warrants a spot in the calendar anymore (although I do quite personally like it) - but if it's gonna be here I think the format is a good balance.

 

[iccct2025]

my prediction is India win the icc champions trophy 2025

 

[Molehill]

Hard to see anything other than a comprehensive Australian domination of this pool tbh. Expect the 'ghan to qualify second on the back of their anti-misogyny and inclusion policies, just ahead of SA, with England playing the role of the caboose.

A fair amount of discussion going on in England about whether we should even play Afghanistan.

England-Afghanistan boycott calls: MP says players have 'power' to refuse to play Champions Trophy match - BBC Sport

But it's clearly not for the England Cricket Team to make this stand, but whether the ICC may think about it in the future......

 

[Qlder]

my prediction is India win the icc champions trophy 2025

Well good thing India is not in this group then

 

[Burgey]

A fair amount of discussion going on in England about whether we should even play Afghanistan.

England-Afghanistan boycott calls: MP says players have 'power' to refuse to play Champions Trophy match - BBC Sport

But it's clearly not for the England Cricket Team to make this stand, but whether the ICC may think about it in the future......

I’d be happy if Aus unilaterally decided not to play them tbh. Would be horrible for the Afghan team and fans, but not as horrible as the women of the country have it

 

[andruid]

If everyone boycotts the Afghanistan game, does the ICC have an alternative to not awarding Afghanistan the points, prolonging their stay in the tournament an worsening the problem?

 

[Prince EWS]

If everyone boycotts the Afghanistan game, does the ICC have an alternative to not awarding Afghanistan the points, prolonging their stay in the tournament an worsening the problem?

No, if you forfeit then you lose.

The only alternative would have been to ban them from the tournament to begin with, but that's too late for that.

 

[Qlder]

England named their squad over 2 weeks ago. Has anyone else in this group named their squad yet?

England
Buttler (c), Archer, Atkinson, Bethell, Brook, Carse, Duckett, Overton, Smith, Livingstone, Rashid, Root, Mahmood, Salt, Wood

 

[Spark]

Odds on which player Overton will get into a fight with this time if he starts going for a few?

 

[honestbharani]

Which Overton gets into fights?

 

[Zinzan]

I’d be happy if Aus unilaterally decided not to play them tbh. Would be horrible for the Afghan team and fans, but not as horrible as the women of the country have it

Agree on the principle, but in practice if Eng, Aus & SA all agreed to, they'd be handing Afghanistan one of the semi spots assuming forfeiting would give AFG 2 points for each forfeit & hence hurting their own semis chances. Very different to NZ forfeiting against Kenya in the 2003 WC because I think they were the only team to do so.

Edit: I see others have made the same point.

 

[Spark]

Which Overton gets into fights?

Jamie. It's happened in at least one and maybe two BBL games this summer where he's decided to openly just pick a fight with one of the batsmen out of sheer frustration when he's having a **** game - first Finn Allen on NYE when he was putting in a Marcus Harris tier performance, then tried having a massive go at Tim David in a game last week... right after he'd been hit for 25 off an over. Funny but also quite odd.

 

[honestbharani]

Jamie. It's happened in at least one and maybe two BBL games this summer where he's decided to openly just pick a fight with one of the batsmen out of sheer frustration when he's having a **** game - first Finn Allen on NYE when he was putting in a Marcus Harris tier performance, then tried having a massive go at Tim David in a game last week... right after he'd been hit for 25 off an over. Funny but also quite odd.

Haha.. he is picked by CSK. Will be interesting to see how it goes as MSD usually has very little tolerance for such nonsense.

 

[Zinzan]

Haha.. he is picked by CSK. Will be interesting to see how it goes as MSD usually has very little tolerance for such nonsense.

Most definitely MSD wouldn't like it, although I think Fleming might quietly not mind so much (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/cr...ck-on-the-verbals/AHKU2CUNIWDHSL57UTP3FNCRSQ/ )

 

[social]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1877238507694870674

 

[Spark]

Tell him to put his feet up and enjoy the rest of his summer off, he's earned it. It's not like he's that amazing a white ball bowler anyway.

 

[Zinzan]

Agree, Cummins wouldn't be such a loss in ODIs.