For the first time since 2017, the
Champions Trophy will make its comeback to the International Cricket Council (ICC) calendar when the 50-over
tournament kicks off on February 19. Picking their favourites to contest the final, Ricky Ponting and Ravi Shastri concur on the choice of two teams likely to go all the way.
Speaking on 'The ICC Review', Ponting said "it's hard to go past India and Australia again," while the ICC website added that the former Australia captain concurred with the choice of two finalists picked by ex-India coach and captain Shastri.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. "Just think about the quality of players in both the countries right now, and you look back in recent history when these big finals and big ICC events have come around and inevitably Australia and India are there somewhere," Ponting said.
The ICC website added that Shastri named England and South Africa as the other two teams likely to reach the semi-finals.
India and Australia, who contested the 2023 ODI World Cup final, have won the Champions Trophy twice each, while also featuring in the 2023 World Test Championship final.
Australia ended up winning both the titles.
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