With the Champions Trophy set to start on Wednesday in Pakistan and the UAE, here are five less heralded players looking to make a name for themselves at the ODI tournament.
A late entry into the India squad for the tournament, wrist spinner Varun Chakravarthy adds value to the bowling lineup on expected slow pitches in Dubai.
The 33-year-old only made his ODI debut in this month’s England series after claiming 14 wickets in India’s 4-1 T20I triumph.
He has been a standout in the IPL and played a key role with 21 wickets in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ title triumph last year.
Chakravarthy is part of a formidable Indian spin attack, and coach Gautam Gambhir said he could offer the “X-factor”.
Varun Chakravarthy is all set to be part of India’s champions trophy squad as Gambhir & selectors want to utilise Varun’s rich form to the full potential.
Varun also took 18 wickets in 6 games of VHT which is a 50 over format. He is unplayable ATM!! pic.twitter.com/j1KyJR7VzP
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) February 4, 2025
Middle-order batsman Tayyab Tahir was a breakout star for Pakistan in the 2023 Emerging Teams Asia Cup when his sparkling century led the team to victory in the final against arch-rivals India.
READ: 2025 Champions Trophy squads analysis
The 31-year-old enjoyed a good run in the domestic circuit and a few T20I outings for Pakistan before making his ODI debut last year.
His scores in white-ball internationals have been moderate, with his highest 39* in a T20I.
But Tayyab has had praise from pundits, with fast bowling great Wasim Akram calling him a “very exciting talent” after his batting blitz in the Pakistan Super League.
Tayyab Tahir is putting on a show ?
A thumping six and an innovative ramp ?#3Nations1Trophy | #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/75xyXMt8bX
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 14, 2025
Somerset batsman Tom Banton joined England in India for the final ODI of this month’s series and showed glimpses of his talent in a 38-run knock for a losing cause.
The 26-year-old, who took guard at No 3 in Ahmedabad, came in as cover for injured Jacob Bethell and replaced him in England’s Champions Trophy squad.
WATCH: When Proteas won an ICC tournament
Playing his seventh ODI and his first since August 2020, Banton took on the India spinners and hit Washington Sundar for a spectacular switch-hit six over backward point.
Banton has been in top form in T20 franchise cricket and is the leading batter in the UAE’s premier competition, amassing 493 runs including two centuries from 11 innings.
Tom Banton becomes the first player to score two hundreds in the #ILT20! ?
(via @ILT20Official) pic.twitter.com/geYxY9buaq
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 27, 2025
Seam-bowling all-rounder Aaron Hardie gets his chance after the sudden retirement of Marcus Stoinis ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Hardie, a right-arm pacer and powerful batsman, rattled Sri Lanka with figures of 2-13 and then made 32 with the bat before Australia went down in Colombo last week.
The 26-year-old turned heads in 2018 when he dismissed Indian top guns Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in a tour game for Cricket Australia XI and hit 86 with the bat.
Hardie made his white-ball debut for Australia in 2023 but is still awaiting a performance that cements his place in the team.
NO PACE TRIO, NO PROBLEM !!!!!!!!
Aaron Hardie can’t stop taking Wicket !!!!!!!!
Srilanka lost their 3rd. Steve Smith is cooking something here !!!!!!pic.twitter.com/6cz38GMLaR
— ??? ????? ????????? ??? (@AdvocateMessi) February 12, 2025
Standing an imposing 1.93m, the fast bowler has impressed in his nine ODIs and is set to play in his first ICC tournament.
The 23-year-old O’Rourke made his ODI debut in 2023 but it was his opening Test at home last year that got him attention after he claimed a match haul of nine wickets against South Africa.
He recently played a starring role with figures of 4-43 for the Black Caps in their win over Pakistan in the Tri-Series final in Karachi – the venue for the Champions Trophy opener between the same two teams.
PREVIEW: Champions Trophy set to light up Pakistan
With tearaway quick Ben Sears ruled out and Lockie Ferguson recovering from a hamstring injury, New Zealand will depend on O’Rourke and senior quick Matt Henry to fire.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Eoin Morgan, who captained England to the 2019 World Cup title, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Ben Stokes hopes his retirement from ODIs will serve as a warning to cricket chiefs over an increasingly congested global schedule. (more…)
Pace-bowling great Wasim Akram says Viv Richards was one of “the greatest” batsmen he had the pleasure of trying to bounce out. (more…)
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo showered youngsters Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan with praise after their match-winning partnership against Afghanistan in Wednesday’s first ODI in Chittagong. (more…)
Proteas Women star Laura Wolvaardt took this sublime catch during the series-clinching ODI against the West Indies at the Wanderers this past Sunday. (more…)
The Proteas are too talented an ODI side to be this inconsistent. The pressure is on their coaches now. (more…)
Look back at the highlights from the first One Day international between Sri Lanka and the Proteas at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. (more…)
Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took four wickets on his 24th birthday to help Sri Lanka thrash India by seven wickets on Thursday and claim the three-match T20I series 2-1. (more…)
Australia’s varied bowling attack once again dominated a suspect West Indies batting lineup on the way to a series-clinching six-wicket victory in the decisive final fixture of the three-match ODI series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Monday. (more…)