ICC Champions Trophy: England’s Jamie Smith to bat at No 3 and keep wicket against Australia in tournament opener
Fit-again Jamie Smith will keep wicket and bat at No 3 in England’s ICC Champions Trophy opener against Australia, live on Sky Sports.
Smith missed the final two T20 internationals and 3-0 one-day international whitewash against India recently with a calf injury but has been named in the XI for Saturday’s clash in Lahore.
The 24-year-old has not batted higher than No 5 in his seven previous one-day internationals, while his best score in the format is the 49 he struck against Australia at Headingley in September.
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England XI to face Australia in Champions Trophy
Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Phil Salt, who had been keeping wicket, will play as a specialist batter, continuing an opening partnership with Ben Duckett that was one of the few highlights of the chastening India tour as England suffered a fourth straight ODI series defeat after a 4-1 loss in the T20 series.
The pace attack will consist of Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood, with Archer and Carse returning after hand and toe niggles respectively, while Liam Livingstone and Joe Root will combine as the fifth bowler and support sole frontline spinner Adil Rashid.
Top-order batter Tom Banton – who replaced the injured Jacob Bethell (hamstring) from England’s initial squad – seamers Saqib Mahmood and Gus Atkinson, and pace bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton are those in the 15-player party to miss out.
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England’s Ben Duckett is fit for the Champions Trophy after a groin niggle
Duckett tweaked his groin fielding in the third and final ODI against India on February 12 – a game England lost by 142 runs – but was passed fit for the Champions Trophy three days later.
After facing an Australia side shorn of senior seam-bowling trio Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip) and Mitchell Starc (personal reasons), England face further Group B games against Afghanistan (February 26) and South Africa (March 1).
The top two sides in the pool will qualify for the semi-finals on March 4 and 5, ahead of the final on March 9.
Watch England vs Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 8.30am on Saturday (9am first ball).
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Joe Root looks back at England’s defeat-laden tour of India and what lessons can be learnt ahead of the Champions Trophy
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 – results and fixtures 🏏All games 9am UK time; all live on Sky Sports
Group A
February 19: New Zealand beat Pakistan by 60 runs in Karachi ⚫February 20: Bangladesh vs India (Dubai)February 23: Pakistan vs India (Dubai)February 24: Bangladesh vs New Zealand (Rawalpindi)February 27: Pakistan vs Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)March 2: New Zealand vs India (Dubai)Group B
February 21: Afghanistan vs South Africa (Karachi)February 22: Australia vs England (Lahore)February 25: Australia vs South Africa (Rawalpindi)February 26: Afghanistan vs England (Lahore)February 28: Afghanistan vs Australia (Lahore)Mar 1: South Africa vs England (Karachi)Semi-finals
March 4: Semi-final – A1 v B2 (Dubai)March 5: Semi-final 2 – A2 v B1 (Lahore)Final
March 9: Final (Lahore or Dubai)Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker and the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol rematch will be live on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book the fight now!
