How England Might Miss Out On Champions Trophy 2025?

image-lobdo9nmEngland are last on the points table [X.Com]

England's disastrous string of losses at the ICC World Cup 2023 has created serious fears of the defending 50-over champions missing out on a place at the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. 

With the Jos Buttler-led side holding the tenth slot in the competition following heavy defeats to New Zealand, Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, there is a likelihood of England missing out on the eight-team competition in two years' time in the subcontinent. 

The qualification metric for the reintroduced ICC event has given birth to the tension on England's spot after a spokesperson of the governing body confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the teams making it to Pakistan will be determined by this World Cup's final standings.

As per the word of the ICC spokesperson, hosts Pakistan plus the top 7 best finishing teams from the ongoing World Cup in India will get the chance to compete for the Champions Trophy title, which makes the remainder of the league stage doubly important for the bottom half of the table. 

England's Champions Trophy Hopes Take A Massive Hit 

The qualification system has effectively ruled out the possibility of Test members Ireland, Zimbabwe and West Indies as well as rising associates Scotland making it to the Champions Trophy since they couldn't make the cut for the Indian World Cup. 

However, it also has turned the remainder of an otherwise stale league stage into a riveting battle for survival to fight for the next best world trophy in the 50-over format. 

Even as India, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia look set to lock their places in the semifinals, there is still much to play for England, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Bangladesh. Pakistan qualify as hosts but only three of the remaining bottom-half teams will join them at the Champions Trophy. 

The talks of dead-rubbers can be put to rest as England strive to keep their Champions Trophy hopes going by resurrecting some of the lost ground and at least finishing within the World Cup's top 8, for which they must win minimum three of their remaining four matches in India. 

Engaged in a marquee encounter with India on Sunday (October 29) in Lucknow, England also play arch-rivals Australia (November 4), Netherlands (November 8) and Pakistan (November 11). The three lions have to secure victories in three, if not all, of those matches while also boosting their existing NRR of -1.63 to be safe of the ultimate embarrassment.