The seven unknowns who Australia must be wary of at ICC Champions Trophy

The Champions Trophy is back after an eight-year hiatus. Here’s everything you need to know, including seven stars Australia must topple to snare one of the rare trophies not currently in their possession.

An understrength Australian squad is set to face many of the world’s best during the ICC Men’s Champions trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, this month and next. But there are also a number of players Aussie fans may not be familiar with who could be an unexpected threat.

There are the usual threats like one-day magicians Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and fellow batting superstars Joe Root, Harry Brook and South Africa’s big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen, who was a star of the 2023 World Cup.

And with the ball Big Bash cult hero Rashid Khan will be sure to spin a web with the ball.

But, here are seven relative unknowns who could cause the Australian camp some headaches.

Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz (R) is a dangerous prospect. Picture: AFP

Afghanistan – Rahmanullah Gurbaz

A dynamic wicketkeeper batter, 23-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be pivotal at the top of the order for Afghanistan.

He has already strutted his stuff and shown what he is capable of in one of the warm-up matches for the Champions Trophy against New Zealand peeling off 110 from 107, but can definitely go much quicker than that possessing a strike rate of 130 plus in international T20 cricket. Gurbaz also has 23 catches and two stumpings to his name behind the stumps in ODI cricket.

Australia play Afghanistan in their third group match of the tournament and will need to be mindful of Gurbaz especially given his conversion rate of six ODI fifties to eight centuries.

England – Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith, 24, is arguably England’s young gun version of Adam Gilchrist. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter has already made his mark in Test cricket, averaging a tick more than 42 and demonstrating the attacking threat he is at number six and seven in the batting order.

As further proof of how dangerous Smith can be with the bat is his record at domestic T20 level.

England's Jamie Smith is an explosive batsman. Picture: Getty

He has 60 sixes to his name and strikes at almost 140, and in England’s Hundred ball competition that strike rate increases to 159.44. That is a run every 1.5 balls.

While Phil Salt – who Australian fans may know from the Big Bash – was the first choice wicketkeeper in the recent ODI series against India, although his modest record in those matches may mean an opportunity arises for Smith and if it does, Australia will need to be wary when they meet in Group B.

South Africa – Tristan Stubbs

The question has already been posed as to whether 24-year-old Tristan Stubbs could be South Africa’s next AB de Villiers, dominating in all three formats.

And while Stubbs is yet to achieve that, he appears to be on his way. Like De Villiers, he has the full 360 degree stroke play in his repertoire, and like the South African legend, he can also keep wicket.

From just eight one-day international matches, the emerging young gun already averages 41.5 batting in the middle order. He is also one of the rare batters to have posted a triple century at first class level in South Africa, scored at a decent clip.

Despite modest recent form in domestic T20 cricket, if Stubbs bats up to his reputation, Australia better look out when the two countries meet in Rawalpindi.

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India – Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is now an experienced short-form player for India, with more than 100 white-ball games for his country, but is not a name that automatically jumps off the page like for Australian fans, like Kohli, Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah do.

That may be due to the fact the 30-year-old has played only 14 Test matches, none of which have been played in Australia. However, he averages almost 50 in One-Day International cricket and has started 2025 in top form averaging a tick over 60 from three matches against England at home.

Iyer strikes more than a run a ball in both ODI and T20 international cricket meaning he should be a player Australia discusses at length, if they meet India in the semi-finals.

Bangladesh – Najmul Hossain Shanto

Shanto replaced the world class all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh captain in all three formats, early 2024, but unlike his predecessor the now current ODI and Test captain perhaps does not command the same attention.

And would certainly be less known to an Australian audience.

However, 26-year-old Shanto commands respect. The top-order batter averaged 71.5 last year in ODI cricket including a highest score of 122 not out against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand – Will O’Rourke

Australian cricket fans may slightly recognise the name Will O’Rourke. The potent fast bowler featured during Australia’s Test series in New Zealand early last year and since then has stamped his name on the international scene.

His ‘hostile’ bowling at home against England- despite not returning the wickets some did – really stood out and added 10 wickets to his Test tally taking him to 36 at the impressive average of 24.8. At ODI level, the 23-year-old stands out just as much with 17 wickets at 27.11.

He will add some much needed pace to a New Zealand squad now missing Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson. Australia will not meet their trans-Tasman neighbours until at least the semi-finals, but O’Rourke will be name to look out for, if they do.

Pakistan – Saud Shakeel

Pakistan have super star Babar Azam as the anchor of their batting line-up for their Champions Trophy campaign, but Saud Shakeel could be an unexpected stand out if he can translate his Test form to One-Day cricket on pitches he is very familiar with.

Shakeel averages over 50 in Test and First Class cricket, and more than 40 in Pakistani domestic one-day cricket. But just 24.71 in ODIs at this point.

Given two of Pakistan’s three group matches are on home soil, and the possibility of semi-final and the final in Lahore, if they make it that far, it all leans in favour of the 29-year-old possibly being a key figure in the middle order for the hosts.

Groups for ICC Champions Trophy

Group A

Bangladesh

India

New Zealand

Pakistan

Group B

Afghanistan

Australia

England

South Africa

 

Originally published as The seven unknowns who Australia must be wary of at ICC Champions Trophy