Dubai: The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan, has reached its final stage. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Team India has remained unbeaten and secured a place in the final. The highly anticipated championship clash will take place on March 9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where India will face New Zealand.
A historic milestone awaits Team India if they clinch the title this time. With a victory in the final, India will set a new record by becoming the first team to win the ICC Champions Trophy three times, surpassing Australia, which has won it twice.
India’s Road to Glory
The ICC Champions Trophy, now in its ninth edition, has previously been won twice by both India and Australia. However, Australia was eliminated in the semifinals by India, clearing the path for the Men in Blue to achieve an unprecedented third title.
India first won the Champions Trophy in 2002, jointly with Sri Lanka, as the final was declared inconclusive. The second triumph came in 2013 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The 2017 edition, held in England, saw Pakistan lift the trophy for the first time after defeating India in the final.
The tournament was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, after an eight-year hiatus, the Champions Trophy is making a much-awaited return.
List of Past Champions
| Year | Winner | Final Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | South Africa | Defeated West Indies by 4 wickets |
| 2000 | New Zealand | Defeated India by 4 wickets |
| 2002 | India & Sri Lanka | Joint winners (Final match inconclusive) |
| 2004 | West Indies | Defeated England by 2 wickets |
| 2006 | Australia | Defeated West Indies by 8 wickets |
| 2009 | Australia | Defeated New Zealand by 6 wickets |
| 2013 | India | Defeated England by 5 runs |
| 2017 | Pakistan | Defeated India by 180 runs |
India’s Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)
- Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper)
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Washington Sundar
As cricket fans eagerly await the grand finale, Team India aims to etch its name in history by lifting the prestigious trophy for the third time. With a formidable squad and an unbeaten streak, Rohit Sharma’s men will look to seize the moment and claim ultimate glory in Dubai.
