Cricket-Revived Champions Trophy up for grabs with no clear favourite

FILE PHOTO: People flash lights from their mobile phones during the inauguration of the National Bank Stadium after the completion of renovation works ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament in Karachi, Pakistan February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo

(Reuters) - The sprinkling of stardust over the Champions Trophy may appear somewhat thin on its return to the calendar after eight years but fans can expect a wide open one-day international tournament in the absence of an overwhelming favourite.

The tournament featuring the top eight teams in the ODI format was discontinued by the International Cricket Committee (ICC) after the eighth edition in 2017, when Sarfaraz Ahmed's Pakistan beat India in the final.