Champions Trophy: Best injured XI of the tournament

The 2025 Champions Trophy is just around the corner, and all eight teams are in the final stages of their preparations. Pakistan are the defending champions, having won the last edition in 2017 by defeating arch-rivals India in England.

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As the primary host, most of the matches will take place in Pakistan. However, all of India’s games will be played in Dubai, as they refused to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions between the two countries.

Ahead of the tournament, several teams have suffered setbacks, losing key players to injuries. As a result, they have made last-minute changes to their squads and will now look to bring the trophy home with their revamped line-ups.

If we consider a playing XI made up of injured players, Pakistan’s Saim Ayub and Australia’s Mitchell Marsh would open the innings. Ayub is currently undergoing rehabilitation for an ankle injury he sustained in South Africa in January. Marsh, on the other hand, is recovering from a back injury.

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England’s Jacob Bethell, who was recently part of their tour of India, suffered a left hamstring injury and is unavailable. At number four, Australia’s Marcus Stoinis would be a solid choice. He announced a sudden retirement from ODI cricket after being selected for the tournament.

With these four batters, the team also has a left-right combination, which could have been effective. In the middle order, two more Australians would have played key roles—Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Cummins, the current ODI World Cup-winning captain, was ruled out due to an ankle injury, while Starc opted out citing personal reasons.

South Africa’s Gerald Coetzee also misses out due to a groin injury that ruled him out of the recent tri-series and the Champions Trophy. Afghanistan’s Allah Ghazanfar is the only spinner on this list, missing out due to a spinal injury.

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For the pace attack, India’s Jasprit Bumrah (lower back injury), Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (hip issue), and New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson (hamstring injury) would have led the bowling unit. As the 12th man, South Africa’s Anrich Nortje would be included, as he is also ruled out due to a back injury.

Cummins would have been the captain of this team, with a strong squad featuring 10 bowling options—eight pacers and two spinners. All-rounders like Marsh, Bethell, Stoinis, Cummins, and Coetzee would have made this a formidable side.    

Best injured XI for the Champions Trophy

Saim Ayub, Mitchell Marsh, Jacob Bethell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Gerald Coetzee, Mitchell Starc, Allah Ghazanfar, Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Lockie Ferguson.

12th man: Anrich Nortje.

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