"They've played really good cricket" - Former India cricketer predicts semi-finalists and dark horse for 2025 Champions Trophy

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes Afghanistan will be the ultimate dark horse in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, starting February 19. He also picked India and Pakistan as the two semi-finalists from Group A, which also features New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Parthiv felt South Africa and Australia should overcome England and Afghanistan to qualify for the semi-finals from Group B.

Making his predictions for the Champions Trophy on Star Sports, Parthiv said [as quoted by India Today]:

"There'll be India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia just given the record in the ICC trophies. But my dark horse is Afghanistan. They've got they've played really good cricket in 50-over format. It was just that Glenn Maxwell’s innings otherwise I think they were right there in the race to reach semifinals. So you know Afghanistan could come in and surprise all other teams."

Pakistan are the defending champions, having beaten India in the 2017 final by 180 runs. The high-voltage India-Pakistan Group A clash will be played in Dubai on February 23.

Kevin Pietersen makes his 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final picks

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has also made his semi-final picks for the 2025 Champions Trophy, to be played in Pakistan and Dubai. He excluded the reigning ODI World Cup champions Australia from his top four while also making an error in his choices.

Pietersen picked three teams from Group A - India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while choosing only one side from Group B - South Africa.

"I mean, this is so hard. It really is. But with Mitchell Starc pulling out today, I'm gonna say India, Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand," he said (via India Today).

Pietersen also left out his former side England from his semi-finalist picks, thanks to their woeful 0-3 defeat to India in the recently concluded ODI series.

India and Australia are the only two-time winners of the Champions Trophy, while England, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh have never won the title.