Players from three countries make it to CT squad

ISLAMABAD: The cricketers from only three countries combined to make the ICC Champions Trophy Team of the Tournament with no player from the rest of the five countries there to be seen.

Five cricketers from the Champions Trophy winners India have been selected in the team. The Black Caps saw four members of their squad make the team, including Player of the Tournament Rachin Ravindra, with Mitchell Santner being named captain.

Two players from Afghanistan also made the cut after the Asian nation won their first-ever ICC Men’s Champions Trophy match in their debut appearance. No cricketers from Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, England and Bangladesh were able to find space in the team.

At the top of the order, Ravindra was an expected selection after he scored two centuries and topped the run-scoring charts with 263. His knock of 112 against Bangladesh was instrumental in seeing New Zealand over the line and his 108 in the semi-final against South Africa showed he is dangerous wherever he bats.

He is joined by Ibrahim Zadran at the top of the order. The 23-year-old Afghan more than left his mark on the tournament, scoring a brilliant match-winning knock of 177 -- the highest-ever Champions Trophy score -- against England in the group stage.

India’s Virat Kohli slots in at number three after he finished fifth in the run-scoring charts with 218 at an average of 54.50. Kohli made a memorable unbeaten century in his side’s group-stage win over Pakistan and a crucial 84 in the semi-final success over world champions Australia.

Teammates Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul join him in the middle-order after impressive tournaments. Iyer was India’s top run-scorer, with two half-centuries helping him to 243 runs in total, while Rahul finished with an average of 140 thanks to unbeaten knocks of 42 and 34 in the semi-final and final respectively.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips is selected at number six after a brilliant performance with the bat and in the field. His diving one-handed catch to dismiss Shubman Gill in the final was one of three iconic takes across the tournament, while the 28-year-old scored one half century against Pakistan and took two wickets against South Africa in the semi-final to go alongside an unbeaten 49.

Azmatullah Omarzai is the second Afghan named in the team. The fast-bowling all-rounder had a fantastic tournament with both bat and ball and finishing with seven wickets at 20 and 126 runs at 42.00.

Santner is named as team captain after finishing the tournament with nine wickets -- the joint second-most -- but more importantly picked them up at crucial times. His knack of taking potential game-changing wickets was evident in the final. With the help of a sublime Phillips catch, he removed Shubman Gill and followed it up with the wicket of Iyer.

India’s Mohammed Shami caps a successful return from injury by being selected after finishing with nine wickets. Matt Henry unfortunately missed the final due to a shoulder injury he picked up in New Zealand’s semi-final win over South Africa but still finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 10 at 16.70.

The team is completed by Varun Chakravarthy, who took nine wickets in just three matches. The selection panel consisted of commentators and former international players Ian Bishop, Simon Doull and Aaron Finch, Hindustan Times journalist Rasesh Mandani and ICC General Manager Events and Corporate Communications, Gaurav Saxena.

ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament: 1. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand), 2. Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan), 3. Virat Kohli (India), 4. Shreyas Iyer (India), 5. KL Rahul (wk) (India), 6. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand), 7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), 8. Mitchell Santner (capt) (New Zealand), 9. Mohammad Shami (India), 10. Matt Henry (New Zealand), 11. Varun Chakravarthy (India), 12. Axar Patel (India).