Australia Outclass England in Record Champions Trophy Chase

Australia kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a stunning five-wicket victory over England, chasing down 352 – the highest successful chase in the tournament’s history – in 47.3 overs at Gaddafi Stadium. Josh Inglis’s masterful 120 not out off 86 balls, alongside Alex Carey’s 69 and Glenn Maxwell’s 32*, powered Australia to 356/5 with 15 balls to spare, overshadowing Ben Duckett’s record 165.

Duckett’s Milestone Drives England

England, batting first after Steve Smith won the toss, rode Duckett’s 165 off 143 balls – the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, eclipsing Nathan Astle’s 145. With Joe Root’s 68 off 78, their 158-run third-wicket stand fueled England to 351/8. Ben Dwarshuis (3/66) removed Phil Salt (10) and Jamie Smith (15) early, while Adam Zampa (2/64) and Marnus Labuschagne (2/41) dismissed Root and Harry Brook (3). Jofra Archer’s 21* off 10 provided a late flourish.

Inglis Steers Australia Home

Australia’s chase hit turbulence at 57/2, with Archer dismissing Travis Head (14) and Wood felling Smith (5). Matthew Short (63 off 66) and Labuschagne (47 off 45) rebuilt with a 95-run stand, but Adil Rashid (1/47) and Liam Livingstone (1/47) struck back. Inglis then took over, smashing his maiden ODI ton off 77 balls with a six off Archer. His 148-run stand with Carey (69 off 63) turned the tide, and after Carey’s exit to Brydon Carse, Maxwell’s 32* off 15—including a six off Archer—clinched it at 356/5 in 47.3 overs.

Anthem Mix-Up Sparks Outrage

Before play began, a major gaffe stunned the crowd: after England’s “God Save the King,” India’s “Jana Gana Mana” played briefly instead of Australia’s “Advance Australia Fair.” The error, halted after seconds, went viral, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanding an explanation from the ICC, who oversee the anthem playlist. India aren’t playing in Pakistan, making the blunder—attributed to an ICC organizational lapse—particularly baffling and embarrassing for the hosts.