The Champions Trophy is being revived after eight years with holders Pakistan hosting New Zealand in the opening game of the ninth edition on Wednesday.
The 2021 edition of the One-Day International (ODI) competition was initially scrapped by global body ICC in 2016, who wanted only one major tournament in each of the sport’s three international formats, prioritising the 50-over World Cup.
They reversed the decision in late 2021. With politically-estranged rivals India and Pakistan deciding not to visit each other for ICC tournaments, India will play their matches in a neutral venue in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The top seven teams from the 2023 World Cup qualified for the tournament, along with hosts Pakistan. The teams are split into two groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the semifinals.
The squads of all teams, groupings and the fixtures are as follows:
CHAMPIONS TROPHY GROUPS
Group A: Pakistan (hosts), India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan
CHAMPIONS TROPHY SQUADS
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Coach: Aaqib Javed (interim)
Best performance: Champions (2017)
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy
Coach: Gautam Gambhir
Best performance: Champions (2002, 2013)
Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana
Coach: Phil Simmons
Best performance: Semi-finals (2017)
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young
Coach: Gary Stead
Best performance: Champions (2000)
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran
Coach: Jonathan Trott
Best performance: Debutants (2025)
England: Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood
Coach: Brendon McCullum
Best performance: Runners-up (2004, 2013)
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
Coach: Andrew McDonald
Best performance: Champions (2006, 2009)
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch
Coach: Rob Walter
Best performance: Champions (1998)
CHAMPIONS TROPHY SCHEDULE
February 19 — Pakistan v New Zealand (Karachi, Pakistan)
February 20 — Bangladesh v India (Dubai, UAE)
February 21 — Afghanistan v South Africa (Karachi)
February 22 — Australia v England (Lahore, Pakistan)
February 23 — Pakistan v India (Dubai)
February 24 — Bangladesh v New Zealand (Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
February 25 — Australia v South Africa (Rawalpindi)
February 26 — Afghanistan v England (Lahore)
February 27 — Pakistan v Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
February 28 — Afghanistan v Australia (Lahore)
March 1 — South Africa v England (Karachi)
March 2 — New Zealand v India (Dubai)
March 4 — Semi-final 1 (Dubai)
March 5 — Semi-final 2 (Lahore)
March 9 — Final (Lahore / Dubai)
Champions Trophy 2025: squads, groups and fixtures of all eight teams
https://arab.news/9d838
Champions Trophy 2025: squads, groups and fixtures of all eight teams
- The 2021 edition of the competition was initially scrapped by ICC in 2016, which wanted only one major tournament in each of the three formats
- ICC reversed the decision in late 2021 and Pakistan will host the tournament in Feb., with India playing their matches at neutral venue of Dubai
Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style
MUNICH, Germany: Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time by thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history.
Teenager Desire Doue scored twice for PSG and set up the opening goal for Achraf Hakimi in Munich’s Allianz Arena before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it four and then 19-year-old substitute Senny Mayulu completed the scoring.
PSG took the lead after 12 minutes when Hakimi sidefooted home a pass from Doue.
The Parisians went 2-0 ahead eight minutes later when their defender Willian Pacho improbably kept the ball from going out at the PSG end and the resulting fast-flowing move led to Doue firing in a deflected shot that evaded Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
PSG made it 3-0 with a goal created by Vitinha’s surging run. He exchanged passes with Ousmane Dembele, before delivering a pass into the path of 19-year-old Doue who drilled the ball into the net.
The match was put beyond doubt by Georgian international Kvaratskhelia’s brilliant low finish before Mayulu rounded off a slick passing move.
Qatari-owned PSG are just the second French club since Marseille in 1993 to win European football’s top trophy.
PSG fans display banner calling for end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza during Champions League final
- PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza
- The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich
MUNICH: Paris Saint-Germain supporters displayed a banner saying “Stop genocide in Gaza” during the Champions League final on Saturday.
They raised it shortly after Achraf Hakimi gave their team a 1-0 lead against his former side Inter Milan in the 12th minute. Désiré Doué scored PSG’s second after the banner was raised for a 2-0 halftime lead.
PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza. They previously displayed a giant banner saying “Free Palestine” in November during the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.
The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich. Munich’s city hall displays an Israeli flag as well as a Ukrainian one, and German support for Israel is strong for historical reasons.
PSG could also face a fine. UEFA bans the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is judged not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature.
Financial penalties are typical for a first offense — 10,000 euros ($10,700) for a political banner or disturbances.
Israel’s nearly three-month blockade on Gaza has pushed the population of over two million to the brink of famine. It has allowed some aid to enter in recent days, but aid organizations say far from enough is getting in.
The UN World Food Program said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high.
21 athletes killed in Nigeria road crash
- The Federal Road Safety Corps said the afternoon crash “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed“
- The athletes were returning from the 22nd National Sports Festival
ABUJA: A bus crash on a Nigerian highway on Saturday killed 21 athletes returning from a national sports tournament, with authorities saying the accident might have been the result of driver fatigue or excessive speed.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the afternoon crash, which did not involve other vehicles, “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed” after a long overnight trip.
The athletes were returning to Kano, in Nigeria’s north, from the 22nd National Sports Festival, held around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the south in Ogun state.
President Bola Tinubu had recently said the games, which included sports ranging from wheelchair basketball to traditional west African wrestling, represented “the unity, strength and resilience that define us as a nation.”
Road accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules.
Last year Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents that resulted in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data.
Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup
- “Patricio will arrive to the UAE tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests,” Al-Ain said
- Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal
ABU DHABI: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will join Al-Ain on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup, the team from the United Arab Emirates said on Saturday.
“Al-Ain has signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio to participate with the team in the 2025 Club World Cup,” the club said on X about the 37-year-old Portugal international who is joining them from Atalanta.
“Patricio will arrive to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests and join the first-team training,” Al-Ain added.
Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal, helping them win Euro 2016, and has had spells with Sporting Lisbon, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AS Roma.
Al-Ain, who won the AFC Champions League title in 2024, reached the final of the 2018 Club World Cup final in front of their home fans.
This year’s revamped 32-team tournament will take place in the United States in June and July.
Al Ain have been drawn in Group G with Juventus, Manchester City and Morocco’s Wydade.
FIFA opened an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10 to allow players to be signed for the tournament.
Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers
- French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session
- Team preparations resume tomorrow night with full training session
KHOBAR: The Saudi national football team held a training session on Saturday in Alkhobar, as they continue preparing for the decisive ninth and 10th rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session at the health facilities of the Green Falcons’ base camp, a media statement said.
Injured left back Muteb Al-Harbi continued his rehabilitation program under the medical staff’s supervision, while teammate Mohammed Bakr resumed physical training with the team’s fitness coach.
After the recovery session ended, Renard gave the players some free time, with the squad scheduled to return later this evening at their base.
The Green Falcons’ preparations resume tomorrow night with a full training session at 7 p.m. in Ettifaq Club Stadium.
The first 15 minutes of the session will be open to the media to offer a glimpse into the team’s readiness as the qualifiers draw near.
Saudi Arabia stands at third place in Group C with 10 points from eight matches. Japan tops the group on 20 points, while second-place Australia has 13 points.
The Green Falcons play against Bahrain on June 5 and Australia on June 10.
