ICC Champions Trophy 2017
THE PERENNIAL NO. 1
There's a very informative videographic on ESPNCricinfo's video features section, posted in March this year, celebrating Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's record run at the top of the ICC all-rounders' rankings. The 1min 2sec video, full of stats regarding the ace all-rounder, brings into focus the fact that the left-hander is the only person in cricketing history to have topped all the three formats of the game at the same time. And he has done it not once or twice, but three times. The video also informs that Shakib's total stay at the top of ODI rankings, 324 months, is far longer than any other all-rounder in cricket, and for a small matter of perspective, is longer than the No.1 stays of both Roger Federer and Serena Williams.
While this mind-boggling feat speaks volumes of the quality and capability of Shakib, the ever unmentioned fact that no other Bangladeshi cricketer has ever topped any of ICC's rankings, either as a bowler or batsman or an all-rounder, probably signifies the relative importance of the Magura-born cricketer in the side. The ICC rankings may not be quite the be-all and end-all of cricketing excellence, but Shakib's figures that helped him stay on top for so long -- 4815 runs in 173 ODI innings -- second highest for Bangladesh – 224 wickets – second highest here too by a matter of six wickets -- do signify the massive role that the 30-year-old has played since his international debut in 2006.
He may have had his ups and downs in form, and he may have had his fair share of transgressions and occasional fits of whim, but even to this day, as Bangladesh embark on ICC Champions Trophy in England with the old guard delivering and a new brigade standing up to the task, it is undeniable that Shakib remains the leading light for the Bangladesh cricket team.
Fizzing to glory
It is safe to say that no other Bangladesh player, past or present, carries the burden of reputation that Mustafizur Rahman bears whenever he embarks upon an international assignment. This left-arm pace oddity from Satkhira has been operating at top gear from the word go. In his debut ODI series in 2015 he cut the mighty Indians down to size and helped bring about a historic series victory. In his debut Indian Premier League he was named the emerging player of the tournament. In his debut ICC World Twenty20 in India last year, he recorded the best bowling figures of the edition, taking five for 22 in a league game against New Zealand.
So it is hardly surprising that when he plays his debut Champions Trophy, the cricketing world will have their eyes on the wrist and shoulder of the 21-year-old who has flummoxed the best batsmen in the world with his slower cutters and his indiscernible fluctuations in pace.
The Fizz story, however, has not been all rosy. Following his IPL 2016 exploits he sustained a shoulder injury, for which he had to go under the knife in August 2016, and it has subsequently taken the youngster a long time to work himself back to form. There has been speculation surrounding whether he is able to bowl the most deceptive of his cutters post-surgery, and concerns were also fuelled during some ordinary outings on the Sri Lanka tour in March-April and an expensive 2.3 overs in his sole match for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in this year's IPL.
Happily for Bangladesh, the Fizz has never been too far off the boil. He took seven wickets in the tri-series in Ireland and there were encouraging signs that he was close to his wiliest. At a very young age, he has become the centrepiece of the Bangladesh attack, and in seam-friendly conditions in England, he may well be the ace up the Tigers' sleeve.
SOUTH AFRICA
The world is concerned with only one thing when South Africa enter a major tournament: can they shed the chokers tag? The Proteas were triumphant in 1998, but they only had to play three games to get to the prize. In major Champions Trophys and World Cups, South Africa have won only one game in the knock-out phase, a mental roadblock on their path. However, stars like Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock look to overcome that and backed by bowlers like Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel, their chances seem bright.
SQUAD
AB de Villiers (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Farhaan Behardien, Morne Morkel
FIXTURES
June 3 v Sri Lanka,
June 7 v Pakistan, June 11 v India
BEST RESULT
Champions 1998 (ICC KnockOut)
KEY PLAYER
QUINTON DE KOCK
After a prolonged lean patch in 2015, de Kock turned the corner late that year and has continued scoring big since. The 24-year old wicketkeeper/batsman has scored 53 on average with six tons over the last 20 months and has made pundits liken him to Australian's Adam Gilchrist.
X-FACTOR
KAGISO RABADA
Called the next Dale Steyn ahead of the tournament, 21-year-old Rabada is one of the most exciting talents in the cricketing world. He already has a burgeoning reputation and will be looking to shine on the world stage. With pace, bounce and swing, he is an ultimate fast bowling package.
INDIA
After a public battle with the ICC, India were the last team to name their squad for the Champions Trophy, leaving Virat Kohli's men with around 10 days to acclimatise to the conditions in the British Isles. However, the key to their team is experience and the side has plenty of pedigree in the tournament itself -- having gone all the way twice. They have developed a strong bowling arsenal with the inclusion of some young blood, and former captain MS Dhoni will be keen to go out with a bang, and with a second Champions Trophy to his name.
SQUAD
Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar,
Jasprit Bumrah, Dinesh Karthik
FIXTURES
June 4 v Pakistan,
June 8 v Sri Lanka , June 11 v South Africa
BEST RESULT
Champions 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka),
2013
KEY PLAYER
VIRAT KOHLI
Although Kohli's performances have fallen off since his deity-like 2016, the skipper remains one of the best in the game. Wielding his willow with authority and with unmatched swagger on the pitch, he can lead his side through any obstacle, especially if it is in a chase.
X-FACTOR
JASPRIT BUMRAH
Behind Jasprit Bumrah's somewhat ungainly action lie many surprises. Batsmen find it tough to pick up the length, and allied with that his facility for bowling yorkers at good pace at the death makes him doubly dangerous. He will certainly be India's secret weapon when it comes to the last 10 overs.
SRI LANKA
The 2000 joint champions are the genuine dark horses in this edition. They have had a torrid time of late, winning just one of eight ODIs in 2017. Their Champions Trophy lead-up began in the worst possible fashion as they lost a warm-up to lowly Scotland by seven wickets. But they seemed to have corrected course since then, and the return from injury of captain Angelo Mathews and pace superstar Lasith Malinga will also be huge boosts. Also, with the swing of Nuwan Kulasekara and the seam of Suranga Lakmal backing Malinga up, there are all the ingredients for a potent pace attack in seam-friendly England.
SQUAD
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga (vc), Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Chamara Kapugedera, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and Seekkuge Prasanna
FIXTURES
June 3 v South Africa,
June 8 v India, June 12 v Pakistan
BEST RESULT
Joint-winners with India (2002)
KEY PLAYER
ANGELO MATHEWS
Coming back from a lengthy injury lay-off, Angelo Mathews struck a 106-ball 95 against Australia in a Champions Trophy warm-up. With his handy pace bowling and batting consistency in addition to his obvious leadership skills, Matthews remains the key player for his side.
X-FACTOR
LASITH MALINGA
The Islanders' spearhead has not played a single ODI since November 2015 due to various fitness issues and he enters this tournament as an unknown quantity. A hattrick against Bangladesh in April this year showed that he has still got it, but if he can deliver on the big stage, then all bets are off.
PAKISTAN
One of only three teams to feature in the tournament to have never won the prize, Pakistan will look to stage an unlikely heist this time around. Although their heydays are far gone, Sarfraz Ahmed has led the nation into the modern game with an attacking brand of cricket. They also possess one of the most dangerous, if erratic, fast bowling arsenals in the tournament. Their lack of ODI cricket in recent times will certainly hinder their chances, but if the batsmen play up to potential and the bowlers hit top gear, few teams will be able to deny them their maiden win.
SQUAD
Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali,
Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan,
Shadab Khan, Haris Sohail
FIXTURES
June 4 v India,
June 7 v South Africa, June 12 v Sri Lanka
BEST RESULT
Semi-final (2000, 2004, 2009)
KEY PLAYER
SARFRAZ AHMED
In a team that is often criticised for being stuck in a 1990s mindset, Sarfraz Ahmed is a breath of fresh air. An enterprising batsman and wicketkeeper, Sarfraz can be counted upon to give the innings the injection of pace it often needs, as is evidenced by a strike rate of almost 89.
X-FACTOR
MOHAMMAD AMIR
The scandalous pacer made a splash on his return to cricket in the Bangladesh Premier League, but his most outstanding performance came in the Asia Cup T20, where he nearly defended an 83-run total against India singlehandedly. He may lack discipline, but his venom deliveries can bring anyone down.
AUSTRALIA
The only team to have won the trophy twice, Australia will be coming into this edition with hopes of adding a third. That is partly due to the presence of stalwarts like Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Starc, but throughout the order there are players who can turn a game around on any given day. The conditions in England will also suit the Aussies, who are used to playing on fast pitches such as those expected to be on show. The team has it all with firepower and experience and they will surely be a contender, as they almost always are.
SQUAD
Steven Smith (C), David Warner, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell,
James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (WK),
Adam Zampa
FIXTURES
June 2 v New Zeland,
June 5 v Bangladesh, June 10 v England
BEST RESULT
Champions 2006,2009
KEY PLAYER
STEVEN SMITH
Smith is one of the standout batsmen in world cricket, having made his mark on every format regardless of conditions. Although his average in ODIs in England -- 27.90 -- is lacking to say the least and he has just one score above 50, the Australian skipper will be hoping to turn things around this time.
X-FACTOR
CHRIS LYNN
Although a relatively unknown quantity in international cricket, Australia batsman Chris Lynn has been a revelation in franchise T20 leagues. Adjudged the most valuable player of the last two seasons of Big Bash League, the right-hander is waiting to show his big-hitting exploits to the world.
BANGLADESH
Coming off a wonderful 2015, where they reached the World Cup quarterfinals and defeated sides like India, Pakistan and South Africa at home, the up-and-coming team in world cricket will be hoping to make their mark on the Champions Trophy. The Tigers have not done quite so well outside their hunting grounds, but a four-pronged pace attack will be relishing the chance to showcase their skills on England and Wales' pitches. They also pack some might firepower with Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman in the side, backed up by some crafty spinners, and they will look to hit the ground running against England in the opener.
SQUAD
Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Sanjamul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (C), Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam.
FIXTURES
June 1 v England,
June 5 v Australia, June 9 v New Zealand
BEST RESULT
Group stage [2002, 2004]
KEY PLAYER
SHAKIB AL HASAN
It is no secret that Shakib Al Hasan has starred in most of Bangladesh's big wins. So if the Tigers create some magic, the source will probably be Shakib. The world's top all-rounder has the ability to flay the world's best with the bat and out-think even well-set batsmen with the ball.
X-FACTOR
MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN
The asking run-rate is climbing, the chasing batsmen are becoming tense – this is the environment in which Mustafizur Rahman thrives. If Bangladesh can create such a scenario, then it is almost a certainty that Mustafizur's variations will make the difference.
NEW ZEALAND
While players from most nations were busy playing in the Indian Premier League, New Zealand geared up for the Champions Trophy with a tri-series in Ireland, which are likely to mirror the pitches in England and Wales. Despite sending an under-strength side to Ireland, they beat group opponents Bangladesh with ease, which will bode well for them after Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and pacers Tim Southee and Trent Boult join up with the team. The bowling department is well-equipped with spinners and pacers, while the batting line-up has solidity and explosiveness, so perhaps the Kiwis can go one step further then they did in the 2015 World Cup.
SQUAD
Kane Williamson (C), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Jeetan Patel, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
FIXTURES
June 2 v Australia,
June 6 v England, June 9 v Bangladesh
BEST RESULT
Champions 2000 (ICC KnockOut)
KEY PLAYER
KANE WILLIAMSON
One of the top four batsmen in the world, Williamson will be expected to score consistently while holding down the fort alongside hard-hitters. When in full flow, his defence is impenetrable and he can slog with the best of them, leaving the fortunes of his side in his hands.
X-FACTOR
MITCHELL SANTNER
Mitchell Santner will be hoping that opposition batsmen see him as a scoring opportunity. Just when they might be thinking about filling their boots after the pacers' spells, Santner's accurate left-arm spin -- which baged a five-for in Ireland recently -- may spoil those plans. He is also a handy lower-order batsman.
ENGLAND
Having never won the tournament, England come into this year's edition with a rejuvenated squad playing perhaps the most exciting attacking brand of ODI cricket in the world at the moment, and the home advantage, making it their tournament to lose. They crashed out of the 2015 World Cup after a loss to Bangladesh and they will be hoping to make a statement when they face the Tigers in their first game, the tournament opener, on June 1. The explosiveness in batting is evident in the team, but it is backed up by more technically sound players and a range of bowlers perfectly suited to the conditions.
SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (C), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
FIXTURES
June 1 v Bangladesh,
June 6 v New Zealand, June 10 v Australia
BEST RESULT
Runners-up (2004, 2013)
KEY PLAYER
JOE ROOT
Another of the world's very best, Joe Root will be looking to inspire England to their maiden title on the back of his performances. He has been consistent in England as well -- eight 50s and three 100s at an average of 42.32 in the country can attest to that.
X-FACTOR
BEN STOKES
After fetching the highest payment at the IPL auction, Stokes went on to dominate the competition. On his day, Stokes can win a game against any team singlehandedly, owing to his power with both bat and ball. He is the form player and all eyes will be on him, but by now he's used to that.
BANGLADESH STATS
Bangladesh will be playing in their first Champions Trophy since 2006, having failed to qualify since then.
Bangladesh have won just one of their seven games in the Champions Trophy, against Zimbabwe in 2006.
Shahriar Nafees is Bangladesh's leading run-getter in the tournament. He has 166 to his name.
Mohammad Rafique is Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 6.
OVERALL STATS
The leading wicket-taker in the ICC Champions Trophy is Kyle Mills of New Zealand. He has 28 wickets in 15 matches.
Sri Lanka's Farveez Maharoof recorded the best bowling figures in a match, taking six wickets for 14 runs against West Indies in 2006.
Hard-hitting West Indian Chris Gayle is the tournament's leading run-scorer, with 791 in 17 matches.
New Zealand posted the highest score in the tournament, making 347 against USA in 2004.
USA hold the unwanted honour of making the lowest score in the tournament, being bowled out for 65 against Australia in 2004.
Kumar Sangakkara is the most dangerous keeper in the tournament, with 33 dismissals.
TRIVIA
This is the only ICC tournament that South Africa have won, doing so in the inaugural edition in 1998.
The Champions Trophy is the only ICC event where Pakistan have managed to beat India, doing so twice.
Before the Champions Trophy in 2013, the ICC announced that it would be the tournament's last iteration. However, the decision was reversed in January 2014.