Australia won the toss and opted to field against England in their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, held on February 22. The match took place at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, where both teams were under pressure to start their campaign with a win after dismal recent performances.
Australian captain Steve Smith made the decision to bowl first, hoping to exploit the conditions early. This move followed the announcement of his team's lineup, which was missing some key players due to injuries. The pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood were out of the tournament, prompting Australia to field three fast bowlers alongside Adam Zampa, who acted as the frontline spinner.
England, captained by Jos Buttler, included wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith and also fielded three frontline fast bowlers, with Adil Rashid serving as their lone specialist spinner. The match was significant for both teams as they were eager to put behind their recent defeats; Australia was coming off a series loss to Sri Lanka, and England had been swept by India.
England began their innings strongly, propelled by Ben Duckett, who played aggressively to achieve the highest individual score ever recorded in ICC Champions Trophy history with 165 runs. Duckett’s innings was highlighted by 11 fours and one six, showcasing his attacking style as he bolstered England's position after early setbacks.
Despite Duckett's brilliant performance, Australia managed to claim two early wickets, thanks to the impressive fielding from Alex Carey, who, surprisingly, was not behind the stumps but stationed at mid-on. His acrobatic catches to dismiss Phil Salt for just 10 runs and later Jamie Smith proved pivotal for Australia. Salt had started his innings promisingly but mistimed his shot, resulting in his dismissal.
Australia's bowling attack, led by Ben Dwarshuis, took early charge, capturing early breakthroughs. Dwarshuis claimed two important wickets during the initial powerplay, pulling Australia back with a burst of wickets. With England at 73 runs at the end of the powerplay, it seemed the match could tip either way.
Artistry continued when Dwarshuis dismissed Salt and Jamie Smith, leaving England needing stability. Duckett, after losing partners, found some support from Joe Root, who contributed significantly with his 68 runs, helping establish the necessary partnerships.
Australia's Adam Zampa provided another breakthrough, trapping Root lbw just as he seemed to be settling for a century. Zampa's spell became pivotal as he continued to undermine England's batting with another wicket, dismissing Harry Brook soon after. The sustained pressure led England to be reduced to five wickets.
Even with the pressure mounting, Duckett kept the scoreboard ticking, becoming the first player to score more than 150 runs in the history of the tournament, a feat providing England with the height of 351 runs before their innings concluded. Duckett's innings set the tone, making it clear to Australia the challenges they would face.
On Australia’s batting front, they met with challenges early on, finding themselves under pressure from England's pace duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. Both bowlers delivered strong starts, removing top-order batsmen including Travis Head and Steve Smith, putting Australia on the back foot.
Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne attempted to stabilize the innings along with Glenn Maxwell's contributions later, but England's bowlers kept their grip tight with consistent performance. While Australia showed resolve, they struggled to keep pace with England's sizeable target.
The match highlighted the intensity and competitiveness of both teams within this pivotal tournament and the significance of carrying forward the momentum as they sought to recover from recent performances. For Australia, this event marks their first step toward invoking memories of their historical dominance at the Champions Trophy, with their last title victory dating back to 2009.
Conversely, England, as the title-holders, eyed this tournament as key to affirming their strength and reclaiming the glory they achieved previously. With their first match setting the tone, the stage is set for the following encounters between these fierce cricketing rivals.