Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has named his semifinalists for the ICC Champions Trophy, which will be co-hosted by Pakistan and the UAE. Matches in Dubai will feature India, while Pakistan will host games in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Given the local conditions, Akhtar believes the Asian teams will have a distinct advantage over the others.
Akhtar predicts India and Pakistan will both make it to the semifinals of the tournament. He also backs Afghanistan to secure a spot in the top four. Afghanistan has proven to be a tough opponent in recent times, with strong performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they defeated teams like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Akhtar feels that if Afghanistan’s batters show maturity, they could cause some surprises in the Champions Trophy. Akhtar stated that if Afghanistan’s batters display maturity, they could produce surprising outcomes.
Additionally, Akhtar has backed Pakistan to defeat India in their highly anticipated match on February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The veteran pacer also believes that both India and Pakistan should ideally meet in the final of the prestigious tournament.”I’m sure Pakistan will overcome India on February 23,” he said. “Ideally, both teams should face each other again in the final,” he mentioned.
Akhtar believes that if Pakistan can defeat both India and New Zealand, they will have already secured a significant portion of their journey in the Champions Trophy. “If Pakistan manages to beat both India and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, they’ll have already secured half of the tournament,” he addded.
India and Pakistan are considered two of the top favorites for the title. The two teams faced off in the final of the 2017 edition, where Pakistan triumphed over India to claim the championship. Pakistan also defeated India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but India has had the edge in their last three meetings – in the 2022 T20 World Cup, 2023 ODI World Cup, and 2024 T20 World Cup.