Shane Watson says ‘Australia will be very hard to beat’ in Champions Trophy

KARACHI: Former cricketer Shane Watson termed former champions Australia ‘very hard to beat’ in the ongoing ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 despite the absence of several key players.

Watson, in his recent ICC column, acknowledged the lack of experience in Australia’s bowling unit but emphasised that the two-time champions will be a team to beat in the mega event.

“I think Australia will be very hard to beat, even if their bowling squad is not quite as experienced as they might otherwise have been,” said Watson.

Shane Watson also backed Glenn Maxwell as the potential standout player for the two-time champions in the tournament, highlighting his recent performances in the Big Bash League (BBL).

“The stand-out player for me is Glenn Maxwell,” Watson wrote in his recent ICC column.

“With what I have seen recently, especially in the Big Bash, I believe he has some of his best cricket in front of him across the next two or three years and I would be very surprised if he does not dominate this Champions Trophy.

“He had that incredible innings against Afghanistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where he scored a double century, but he has struggled to be consistent at times. That’s the nature of his role in the team.

“However, it now just feels like it has all fallen into place for him, and that’s with everything in his life, not just his cricket, so I think he will play a pivotal part.”

Maxwell finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the latest edition of the BBL, amassing 325 runs in nine innings at a brilliant strike rate of 186.78.

He also played a pivotal role in Australia’s successful ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign, accumulating 400 runs in nine matches.