Champions Trophy: File photo of Shaheen Afridi© X/Twitter
They say batters win matches but bowlers win series and tournaments! It is the biggest cricketing event of the year and the best eight teams in ODI cricket in the world will compete with one another at the 2025 Champions Trophy which gets underway at Karachi from the 19th of February. While all the attention will be on the batters, it will be the teams with the more effective bowling units that may come out triumphant in the tournament. We look at five bowlers who are likely to make a big impact at the 2025 Champions Trophy.
1. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in ODI cricket since 2023 and has bagged 62 wickets in just 29 matches at an average of 22.7 and strike rate of 24.3. Shaheen has a brilliant record against right-handers and left-handers, averaging just over 23 (vs both). He is a master-restrictor in the powerplay with an economy of just 5 and a wicket-taker in the death overs. Shaheen has picked 49 wickets in the last 10 overs at an average of 15.4 and strike rate of 12.5! The in-swinger is his stock delivery and has fetched him 42 wickets at a splendid average of 20.6 and economy of 4.8! Shaheen will be a big threat in home conditions where he has bagged 31 wickets in just 16 matches. He also has a fine record in the UAE with 13 wickets from six encounters.
Kuldeep Yadav will be the X-factor for India with the ball. He is their leading wicket-taker in ODI cricket (and the fourth-highest overall) since 2023 with 55 dismissals in 34 innings at an average of 21.76, strike rate of 28.9 and economy of 4.51! Kuldeep has an excellent record in the middle overs but even more commendable is his bowling in the death overs – the Chinaman has returned with 29 wickets in the final 10 overs at an average of 18.1 and economy of just 6.2!
Kuldeep has a very impressive record against left-handers with an average of 22.9, strike rate of 27.8 and economy of 4.9. While a majority of his wickets have come with the conventional Chinaman, he has also bamboozled the opposition batters with the googly which has fetched him 74 wickets at an average of 13! 3. Matt Henry Matt Henry has been New Zealand’s best fast bowler with 39 wickets in 22 matches at an average of 24.9 since 2023. His ability to pick wickets stands out in his 85-match career where he has already accounted for 155 dismissals at an excellent strike rate of 29.3 – the sixth-best in ODI history (min. 150 wickets) after Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc, Ajantha Mendis, Rashid Khan and Trent Boult! Henry can generate serious pace and consistently touch 145 kms per hour. Coupled with this is his accuracy and that makes him a lethal bowler especially with the new ball. Henry has a fantastic record in the first 10 overs with 69 wickets at an average of 22.5 and economy of just 4.3. Henry has had a fine start to 2025 already bagging 14 wickets in five innings at an average of 14.6 and strike rate of 19.2, including two four-wicket hauls.
4. Adam Zampa
In the absence of the pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, it will be the leg spinner – Adam Zampa – who will be critical to Australia’s chances at the 2025 Champions Trophy. Zampa is Australia’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs since 2023 with 53 dismissals in 31 matches at a strike rate of 29.1. He has taken a four-wicket haul on as many as five occasions during this period. Zampa was in exceptional form with the ball in the 2023 World Cup in India and was the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 23 dismissals in just 11 matches at an average of 22.39 and economy of 5.36. He played a pivotal role in Australia’s historic triumph!
The leg spinner has an excellent record against right-handers – 133 of his 180 career wickets have come against their ilk at an average of 27 and strike rate of 29.9! Zampa’s most productive delivery is the googly which has fetched him 51 wickets at a brilliant average of 17.4 and strike rate of 2.1. He also bowls a very effective flipper.
5. Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid will hold the key to England’s bowling fortunes in the tournament and will bring with him a vast experience of 146 ODI matches in which he has picked 212 wickets at a strike rate of 34.6. The leg spinner is the third-highest wicket-taker in England’s ODI history after James Anderson and Darren Gough. Rashid was the only shining light in England’s recent 3-0 drubbing by India and picked seven wickets at 27 apiece. Rashid varied his pace and bamboozled the Indian batters with his deception and turn. Rashid’s stock delivery is the googly which has fetched him 64 wickets at an average of 16.2, economy of 4.9 and strike rate of 19.7.
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