The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 turned out to be a sweet moment for Indian cricket fans, and why not? The Indian cricket team clinched the trophy by decimating a quality New Zealand side in final. Rightly so, many Indian players performed exceptionally well.
However, while the tournament witnessed some standout performances from players representing their respective countries, several big names failed to make an impact. Surprisingly, some of these underperformers were expected to shine but couldn’t deliver.
If we were to create a playing XI featuring players who struggled in the Champions Trophy, see how the Worst Playing XI of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 would look. Take a look.
Worst Playing XI Of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Two teams that notably underperformed in the Champions Trophy 2025 were England and Pakistan, which is why several players from these sides feature in the Worst XI.
| Position | Player | Runs | Wickets |
| Top Order | Phil Salt | 30 | – |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 16 | – | |
| Babar Azam | 87 | – | |
| Middle Order | Mohammad Rizwan | 49 | – |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | 2 | – | |
| Jos Buttler | 82 | – | |
| All-Rounder | Marco Jansen | 3 | 4 |
| Bowlers | Rashid Khan | – | 1 |
| Shaheen Afridi | – | 2 | |
| Nathan Ellis | – | 3 | |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | – | 2 |
Phil Salt and Rahmanullah Gurbaz had forgettable campaigns, managing just 30 and 16 runs, respectively. Since both are openers, they naturally take the opening slots in the flop XI.
Now comes the reliable man of Pakistan, who interestingly didn’t show any form at all in the recently held Champions Trophy or, fairly, hasn’t shown form for quite some time, Babar Azam. The former Pakistan captain faced heavy criticism despite scoring 87 runs in two matches. His sluggish strike rate of 75 reflected how poorly he played.
In the middle order, Mohammad Rizwan was another letdown, failing with the bat and disappointing with his captaincy. Bangladesh veteran Mushfiqur Rahim had an even worse outing, scoring just two runs at a strike rate of 33.33.
Meanwhile, experienced English batter Jos Buttler also struggled to make an impact, accumulating just 82 runs across matches.
Turning to the bowlers, Rashid Khan’s inclusion was surprising. Known for stepping up when needed, the Afghan superstar could manage only one wicket throughout the tournament. Similarly, Pakistan’s pace spearhead, Shaheen Afridi, had a tough campaign. During a crucial game against India, Shubman Gill completely dominated him, exposing his struggles as Afridi finished with only two wickets.
