In their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Australia in Lahore on Saturday, England’s Ben Duckett put together a counter-attacking masterclass. Duckett smashed his third ODI century off 95 balls as England’s back fightback after early setbacks. He continued his aggressive approach by dodging the Australian bowling attack and keeping England’s fingers crossed for a mammoth total.
The solid support was made by Joe Root, who was well-supported before he went down to Adam Zampa. But England’s innings was a shaky one from the off as Australian bowler Ben Dwarshuis claimed twice in the powerplay. England came under pressure early on; he dismissed Phil Salt for 10 and Jamie Smith cheaply. Alex Carey’s stunning catch at mid-on, removing Salt for six with the first ball of the match after Australia won the toss and elected to bowl, was one of their standout moments.
England, under the leadership of white ball coach Brendon McCullum, has seen a tumultuous phase leading into this tournament after a 3-0 series defeat to India before the Champions Trophy. Even with a greatly potent lineup featuring power hitters Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and pace threats Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, they have been inconsistent. Weaknesses that quality teams can expose back to include their struggles against spin, lack of middle-order stability, and lack of reliable second-spin options besides Adil Rashid.
These are challenges; however, England’s strength comes from their fearless hitting on flat tracks. Their aggressive batters will get a collection of Lahore’s batting-friendly conditions to dominate. Duckett continues his onslaught, and England hopes to set a huge target and make a stand in their opening game against the reigning champions.
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