Predicting the 4 semifinalists of Champions Trophy 2025

The start of the highly anticipated 2025 Champions Trophy is less than a week away (February 19), and the eight participating teams have finalized their squads for the marquee event. The three-week tournament is back after eight years, with Pakistan looking to defend their title from 2017, playing at home.

A tennis-like virtual knockout format from the group stages makes the Champions Trophy a competition where teams have to hit the ground running from the get-go. The teams are split into two groups, with Group A featuring India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh and Group B comprising Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa.

The two teams from each group will meet in the semi-final, with the grand finale set to be played on March 9. While India will play their games in Dubai, the rest of the sides will play across Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

India and Australia are the only multi-time winners of the Champions Trophy with two titles each, while Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the West Indies have won once each.

Among the participating sides of the 2025 edition, only England, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are yet to taste success at the Champions Trophy.

As we build up to the second most important 50-over ICC event of the sport, let us predict the four semifinalists of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

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Group A

Can the Indian juggernaut be stopped in the Champions Trophy? [Credit: Getty]

Group A is dominated by the Asian sides - India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, with New Zealand being the outlier. While the tournament format is such that any of the four teams could have one or two days where everything falls in place, it is hard to see Bangladesh enjoying much success.

Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Tigers will almost undeniably miss the services of arguably their greatest-ever player, Shakib Al Hasan. A young side with a few veterans like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmadullah potentially past their prime, Bangladesh losing three out of their last four bilateral ODI series comes as no surprise.

Their elimination makes Group A a three-team race between India, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Like Bangladesh but in the opposite direction, it is hard to fathom a scenario where the red-hot Indian side does not advance to the semifinal.

Coming off an impressive 3-0 series win at home against England, Team India have almost every base covered across the squad. While the absence of ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah is a massive blow, it should not prevent Rohit Sharma's men from advancing to the next stage.

With strong batting till No.8 and as many as six genuine bowling options in their likely starting 11, the Men in Blue should almost assuredly be one of the two semifinalists from the group.

This leaves one of Pakistan and New Zealand to fight it out for the other semifinal spot from Group A. The two teams play the tournament opener in Karachi on February 19, and who's to say the clash isn't a virtual quarterfinal?

The Kiwis recently dismantled Pakistan in the opening game of the ongoing Tri-series in Lahore. While the final between the two teams today could be an excellent indicator of who likely gets the better of the other in the Champions Trophy, one would have to place their money on New Zealand - the perineal ICC tournament semifinalists, by a whisker at this moment.

Semifinalists - India and New Zealand

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Group B

Will Australia overcome injuries and make it consecutive ICC ODI tiles? [Credit: Getty]

While Group A lent itself to one easy qualification and another equally easy elimination, the tale is quite the opposite in Group B. The group featuring Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan has been termed by many as the 'Group of Death'.

Under normal circumstances, this section would have started with defending ODI World Champions Australia being a certainty in the semifinal. However, an array of absentees in the form of regular skipper Pat Cummins, his pace-bowling mates Josh Hazelwood and Mitchell Starc, and all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis has made life difficult for the Aussies.

The Men in Yellow boast an inexperienced pace-bowling attack, and much will depend on veteran spinner Adam Zampa's performances for the side to make any noise. Nevertheless, Australia have shown several times in the past that they are one side that should never be counted out in an ICC event.

Remember the unbeaten runs through the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups when Shane Warne and Brett Lee were missing and similar stories were being written? Thus, sheerly based on Australia's performances in big events in the past and the number of match-winners in the batting lineup, the Steve Smith-led outfit should be one of the semi-finalists.

The uncertainties around the other three teams provide more reason behind Australia being picked to finish in the top two of Group B. The first of those uncertain teams - Jos Buttler's England, have been on an incomprehensible downward spiral in the 50-over format.

They recently suffered a horrific 0-3 series whitewash at the hands of Team India and have lost their last four bilateral ODI series. This is on the back of a dismal 2023 World Cup, where they finished seventh in the ten-team race.

With the lack of spin-bowling options in the squad and several players woefully out of form, it is hard to see England advancing to the final four of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Coming to South Africa and Afghanistan, the two teams have been contrasting in their recent ODI results. While the Proteas have lost three out of their last four bilateral series since the 2023 World Cup, the Afghans have four consecutive ODI series.

The two teams met in a three-match series in the second half of last year, and Afghanistan came out on top 2-1 on pitches in Sharjah that could mirror those in Pakistan. Yet, South Africa did not field some of their key players in that series, and a full-strength Proteas side should just eke out a semifinal spot ahead of Afghanistan purely on experience and firepower.

The suspect Afghanistan batting and the lack of depth in their pace-bowling department could be the Achilles heel that prevents the side from replicating their heroics from the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Semifinalists: Australia and South Africa

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Likely Semi-final matchups

As per the above predictions, the four semifinalists are identical to the teams that qualified for the final four in the 50-over World Cup in 2023. On current form and team strength, India should finish atop Group A, with New Zealand behind them in second.

In Group B, Australia's intangibles should have them finish at No.1, despite their squad being depleted, with the Proteas a close second.

Hence, an India-South Africa and Australia-New Zealand semifinals could be on the board, with the two winners facing off for the 2025 Champions Trophy title in the summit clash.

Semifinal 1: India vs South Africa

Semifinal 2: Australia vs New Zealand