Shane Watson speaks his mind on Champions Trophy

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has emphasised the importance of the Champions Trophy as Pakistan is set to host its upcoming edition.

The previous edition of the tournament was played in 2017 which Pakistan won after defeating India in the final.

The tournament has been brought back with Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted by the defending champions in the February-March window this year.

The eight-team tournament will see each side play three games in the group stages, with the top two teams from the two groups qualifying for the knockouts.

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has shared his view on the tournament and its role in filling the gap of four years between each ODI World Cup.

“Champions Trophy is a critically important tournament in world cricket because the ODI World Cup comes only in four years. Champions Trophy was great because it broke up those four years. Champions Trophy was a special tournament from a playing perspective because there was always something riding on every single game,” he said in a recent interview.

The former Australian all-rounder was of the view that the shorter format of the Champions Trophy in terms of games made it interesting yet challenging for teams to qualify for knockout stages.

“When you are playing bilateral series throughout the year, it can get a bit stale. But when you play an ICC event where there are only eight teams where there is something riding on every ball, as a team you have to hit the ground running early otherwise you will be out,” Shane Watson said.

It is pertinent to note here that the Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to begin on February 19 with Pakistan taking on New Zealand.

The high-intensity PAK vs IND game will be played in Dubai on February 23 after India refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament