Australia have won the toss and decided to field first against England in the fourth match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Australian captain Steve Smith opted to bowl first, aiming to put pressure on the opposition by taking early wickets.
Smith expressed his intention to build early pressure on England, saying the team would focus on quickly claiming wickets to control the game.
Prior to the match, England skipper Jos Buttler said he expected a tough challenge from Australia in their Champions Trophy Group B clash, despite the absence of key Australian pacers.
Australia’s campaign has been hit by a series of setbacks, including the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc due to injuries or personal reasons.
Marcus Stoinis’ retirement and Mitchell Marsh’s back injury further deplete Australia’s resources.
In the absence of key players, experienced batter Steve Smith will captain the Australian side, and the pace attack will rely on less experienced bowlers.
However, Buttler has not underestimated his rivals, highlighting Australia’s history of performing well in ICC tournaments.
England, on the other hand, are boosted by the return of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is fit and ready to contribute after missing the final two ODIs on the India tour. Buttler also backed Jamie Smith’s inclusion in the XI, praising his calmness and versatility.
Australia’s top order faces pressure, especially Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, following underwhelming performances in Sri Lanka. However, opener Travis Head expressed confidence in the team’s ability to adapt and perform under tournament conditions despite the challenging build-up.
Playing XIs
England: Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (WK), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Australia: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.
