Champions Trophy, Group B: The serial winners, serial chokers and a deadly underdog | Cricket News – The Times of India

Australia, South Africa, England form the Group of Death as Afghanistan eye more upsets. TOI analyses Group B
AUSTRALIA
Strengths: No other team has a better record in global events — six 50-over World Cups, one T20 World Cup and two Champions Trophies make them the most fearsome white ball unit. An explosive batting lineup comprising the likes of skipper Steve Smith, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell can be a handful.
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Weaknesses: Absence of key pacers such as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood due to injuries weakens their bowling attack, as does the lack of spin options to support Adam Zampa.
Opportunities: The tournament presents an opportunity for young talents like Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, and Aaron Hardie to step up and make their mark on the international stage. On featherbeds, Australia can bat the rivals out of the game.
Threats: Australia are entering the tournament following a 0-2 defeat against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka where they found spin tough to handle, raising concerns about their current form. They also lost the ODI series 1-2 to Pakistan at home.

Team England (Getty Images)

ENGLAND
Strengths: An aggressive batting line-up. England have batters like Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root who bring a mix of power, consistency, and versatility. The inclusion of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood adds significant firepower to their bowling arsenal.
Weaknesses: English batters have often struggled against quality spin, which could be a concern if the wickets are dry and afford turn. The recent 0-3 series defeat to India was a prime example. The former World Champions also have just one quality spinner in their line-up, and that’s leg-spinner Adil Rashid. Death bowling has been a concern too.

Opportunities: Batting-friendly pitches could favour England’s aggressive batting style. New generation of young talents like Brook, Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse can shine at a marquee tournament.
Threats: Teams like India, South Africa and Australia pose significant challenges with their well-rounded squads. Afghanistan, who have an array of spinners, will be a huge threat to England.

SOUTH AFRICA
Strengths: After India, South Africa have the most versatile batting line-up. Skipper Temba Bavuma provides stability at the top. Aiden Markram can play the holding role and can smash it. Heinrich Klaasen is renowned for his aggressive strokeplay, and they’ve a world-class finisher like David Miller. They also possess a formidable pace attack, led by Kagiso Rabada who is well supported by Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen.
Weaknesses: South Africa’s spin department continues to be a concern, with Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi yet to show consistent match-winning performances in ODIs. They also have a history of faltering in crunch games in global tournaments.
Opportunities: It’s a fine chance for them to add an ICC trophy to erase the “chokers” tag around their necks. Unlike teams like India, England and Australia, South Africa enter the tournament without overwhelming expectations which could help them play freely.
Threats: The team might feel the absence of speedster Anrich Nortje who got injured. They also failed to defend a 350-plus target against Pakistan last week.

AFGHANISTAN
Strengths: Afghanistan has a strong spin bowling attack, featuring stars like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, as well as young talents like Noor Ahmad and Nangeyalia Kharote. They beat top sides in the 2023 ODI WC and made the semis of the 2024 T20 WC. It highlights their growing confidence and ability to compete at high levels. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi constitute a top-4 that’s aggressive as well as consistent.
Weaknesses: The middle and lower middle-order has been inconsistent, putting pressure on the top-order to deliver consistently. They are coming into the tournament without proper ODI match practice as their last 50-over appearance was against Zimbabwe in Dec 2024.
Opportunities: Playing all group matches in Pakistan provides Afghanistan with a chance to leverage their spin-heavy attack effectively. Afghanistan have already beaten teams like England and Pakistan in recent ICC events. More upsets could take them deep into the tournament.
Threats: The reliance on openers Gurbaz and Zadran to consistently score runs could be problematic if they fail to perform. Facing strong teams like Australia and South Africa will pose a significant challenge, especially if the middle-order does not step up. Additionally, if conditions favour pace over spin, Afghanistan might struggle as their pace bowling stocks are limited.