Cricket’s Fiercest Rivalries Set to Ignite at ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:06:06 +0000

Pakistan vs New Zealand to Kick Off the Tournament

The highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy will commence with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday. Returning after an eight-year hiatus, this prestigious tournament will feature the world’s top eight cricket teams battling for glory.

Three Weeks of Intense Cricket Action

Over the next three weeks, cricket fans will witness thrilling encounters as teams compete in one of the toughest tournaments, often compared to the World Cup. Hosted by Pakistan under a hybrid model, matches will be played in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, and Dubai.

Pakistan Hosts an ICC Event After Three Decades

For the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup, Pakistan is hosting a major ICC event. The journey to organizing this tournament was challenging for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), given the ongoing debate over the relevance of ODI cricket and the dominance of T20 leagues. The event has also been surrounded by geopolitical tensions and concerns over stadium preparations. However, as Pakistan and New Zealand’s captains step out for the toss, all off-field matters will fade into the background.

India are locked in and ready for the #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/db4Mfd6CUm

— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2025

India vs Pakistan: The Ultimate Blockbuster

The last time Pakistan won the Champions Trophy was in 2017, and they will aim to reclaim the title. While the opening match promises excitement, the real showdown will be on February 23, when India and Pakistan face off in a high-voltage clash. This encounter will spark emotions across borders, ignite memories, and set social media on fire.

India’s High Stakes: A Tournament of Legacy

For India, this tournament carries immense significance. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two stalwarts of modern cricket, are nearing the end of their ODI careers. A strong performance could define their legacy, while a poor outing might impact their Test careers.

Additionally, coach Gautam Gambhir faces scrutiny. Despite a good run against England at home, past defeats against New Zealand and Australia remain fresh. Winning the ICC Trophy could cement his position, while failure could lead to questions about his coaching tenure.

India last won an ODI title in the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. They will enter as strong title contenders, but a single bad session, like in the 2023 World Cup final, could derail their campaign.

Top Contenders for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Australia

The five-time World Cup winners and 2006 & 2009 Champions Trophy winners will be without key players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. However, with Steve Smith leading the side, their championship pedigree remains intact.

England

While England’s squad has aging stars and inconsistent form, experienced players like Jos Buttler, Joe Root, and Liam Livingstone could shine. Meanwhile, young talents like Harry Brook and Ben Duckett could shape the team’s future.

New Zealand

The 2000 Champions enter a new era after the retirements of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. However, with Kane Williamson at the helm, they remain strong contenders. Kyle Jamieson replaces the injured Lockie Ferguson and could be a game-changer.

South Africa

Winners of the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy, South Africa will aim to break their ICC title drought. Having reached the T20 World Cup final, they now seek to add an ODI trophy to their cabinet.

Pakistan

With a world-class fast-bowling attack and strong batters like Fakhar Zaman and Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan can be a formidable force. If they manage to stay composed against India, they could emerge as serious contenders.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s victories are no longer considered upsets. With match-winners like Rashid Khan (ICC’s Best ODI Cricketer of the Year), Azmatullah Umarzai, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, they are capable of big surprises.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has been a consistent presence in this tournament. Having caused upsets before, including in the 2007 ODI World Cup, they will aim to do it again.

Tournament Groups

Group A: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand
Group B: England, Afghanistan, Australia, South Africa

Past Champions

1998 – South Africa
2000 – New Zealand
2002 – India, Sri Lanka (Joint Winners)
2004 – West Indies
2006 – Australia
2009 – Australia
2013 – India
2017 – Pakistan

With a mix of historic rivalries, legendary players, and rising stars, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to deliver a spectacular cricketing experience.

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Rising Star Rapper Shatrunj Drops Debut Gangster Rap Anthem ‘Feel Like AAA Gangstaa’ to Rave Reviews

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 04:52:07 +0000

New experiments are being done day in and day out in the music world. Seeing the increasing craze as well as trend of gangstaa rap by the young generation, a young rapper Tarun Mehra aka Shatrunj’s first gangstaa rap song “Feel Like AAA Gangstaa” has been released by Infinix Music which is getting a very good response from the audience. This song was launched in a unique way at Ispato My Learn Coffee in Mumbai. The producers of the song are Vishwas Tyagi and Udit Oberoi and the director is Aditya Jain. On the occasion of the launch, rapper Shatranj also performed on this song, and all the guests present there appreciated his infectious energy a lot.

Director Aditya Jain said that Gangstaa Rap or Gangster Rap has been quite popular in foreign countries, which is a style of singing and dancing. The special culture of those who roam the urban streets is presented in such songs. Gangster rap has gained a lot of mainstream popularity. When I heard some rap songs written by rapper Shatranj, I felt that his songs could be presented to the audience in the form of gangster rap.

The director further said that Shatranj is a hardcore rapper who speaks his heart in a different style. He has been writing rap songs since he was ten years old and his style is different. He presents his feelings about the society in the form of rap. “The visuals of gangstaa rap are black and white. We shot it in color but gangstaa music is such a form that the videos are always in black and white. We have not shown any weapon or girl in this song, just an attitude and a style of the rapper which takes the audience to an entirely different world”.

Shatranj’s real name is Tarun Mehra and he hails from Punjab. He considers rapper Bohemia as his idol. He says, “In this song I am talking about the self-attitude of not living in fear of anyone in society. This is a motivational song.”

The director says that Shatranj not only has a different voice but also wants to say something through his lyrics. It has been shot in Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Rohtak, Delhi, Mayapuri, Noida, Agra, Jaipur, Gurgaon, Rajasthan and Mumbai. The whole of India is shown in this.”

The lyricist, composer and singer of this rap song, made under the banner of Shivaay Production House, is Shatranj while the music is given by Kissu Rajput. Editor is Jeet Singh Mehta, DOP is Pinku Chauhan, Creative Director is Sachin Halkunde, EP is Vicky Gupta, Line Producer is Rohit Tihara. Special thanks have been given to Jayant Sanwal and Rohit Sharma in this project and EON project has also received support from Fair Fox Group Noida.

Singers Harika and Vicky Marle were also present on the occasion and they will be seen in the company’s upcoming projects.

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Rohit Sharma – Herald Post