Aakash Chopra: England is the Team to Beat in Champions Trophy

Here’s a look at the teams that have made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy.

After a dull start, the ICC Champions Trophy came to life with a couple of upsets. And all the upsets came from the sub-continental teams.

Pakistan started it by defeating World’s Number 1 team South Africa, Sri Lanka followed it up by beating the defending champions India and then Bangladesh pulled off an outstanding chase against New Zealand to give the tournament its best match.

The most interesting bit is that three teams (India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) from the subcontinent have made it to the semi-final of a tournament held in England. Now that the league phase is done, let's have a look at the teams that have made it to the next stage of the competition.

England

The best team in the tournament became not only the first team to qualify for the semi-finals but also, remained undefeated in the group stage. The new brand of cricket embraced by the Three Lions is both entertaining and effective.

Their batting unit is full of exciting hitters, which is backed by the clear intent of going hard irrespective of the stage of the game.

England were reduced to 35/3 in the game against Australia but that didn’t deter captain Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes from adopting the aggressive route.

'When in doubt, take the aggressive approach' seems to be the mantra for England. In addition to the destructive batting, now England has the bowling depth for English conditions. Their fast bowlers hit the deck hard and their spinners are used to bowling tight lines. England is the team to beat in this tournament.

India

Defending champions started the tournament in style against Pakistan but slipped badly against Sri Lanka. It was in the do or die game against South Africa that they brought their A game to the park.

In the first two games, India’s fielding left a lot to be desired but it was their fielding that made the difference in the virtual quarter-final.

Indian openers, barring the game against South Africa, have given the team a solid start in the tournament.

The new template of playing ODI is to take it easy in the first thirty overs keeping wickets in hand and then treat it is as a T20 game thereafter. Every Indian batsman with the exception of Kedar Jadhav has scored crucial runs and that allows the team to play an uninhibited brand of cricket with the bat.

It's almost certain that India will continue to treat Hardik Pandya as a fifth bowler and not the sixth bowling option. While the plan has worked against South Africa, it might put the Indian bowling attack under the spotlight against England (if India reaches the final), for the same happened when Sri Lanka chased down 322 with consummate ease.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has reached the knockouts of two consecutive ICC fifty-over tournaments and that highlights the upward curve in their cricketing fortunes. The biggest change in their approach has come in the form of their bowling resources, for now the focus is to field pacers instead of spinners.

Their over-dependence on spin in the past made them a formidable team at home but pushovers abroad. Since that has changed, the team has started downing some good teams. Their batting has also finally come out of the shadows of their big three.

It’s no longer about Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, for the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Shabbir Rahman and Mohammad Mahmadullah have started making winning contributions regularly.

While the team is looking good, it might be a little tough to go past India in the semis.

Pakistan

There isn’t a dull moment when Pakistan is playing cricket. They have the bowling to bring the team back from the dead and their batting has the ability to squander the advantage seized by their bowlers. Their fielding might have improved a little over the years but it is still miles behind where other modern day teams have reached.

Like most teams, even Pakistan bowlers haven’t found swing with the new ball but unlike most teams, their bowlers have discovered reverse-swing, and therefore have been the most potent in the death overs.

While the new template of ODI batting works fine against the rest, it’s prudent to flip the tactic while batting against Pakistan.

The best chance of making runs against them is when the ball is new. Pakistan’s batting, however, has the tendency to undo all the good work done by the bowlers, for the senior guys haven’t stood up even once.

For Pakistan to beat England in the semi-finals, it has to create a perfect storm, which looks a little unlikely considering their performances in the tournament.

Also Read: Bangladesh’s Recent Record vs India Shows They Won’t Be Pushovers

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