With the ICC uncertain of continuing with the 50 overs a side format, this could well be the last Champions Trophy. Sunil Gavaskar comments.

A trans-Tasman final may not be the most expected match-up, but you must hand it to New Zealand. In major events, more so in ICC ones, they somehow crawl up the ladder, without being noticed as such, to reach the last four stage, even if they struggle to take the next step, writes Mickey Arthur.

Once again, Australia enter a tournament final as firm favourites against New Zealand. We've heard of other teams going past them in rankings and statistics, but when it comes to big tournaments, Australia are still the team to beat, writes Steve Waugh.

On form, it should be easy for the defending champions Australia to retain the trophy, but the Australia-New Zealand rivalry has a lot of needle — perhaps more than even the Ashes matches — to be a timid affair, writes Sunil Gavaskar.

Another failure at an ICC event is hard to stomach for all South Africans, including the players who were so determined to get it right this time, writes Mickey Arthur.

In less than 45 days Sachin Tendulkar will mark 20 years in international cricket. When you consider how few people have managed to stay in the game that long, leave alone maintain high standards throughout, Tendulkar’s achievement is a massive one, reports Anand Vasu.

One of the most anticipated awards at the ICC annual awards is the spirit of cricket award. A few years back cricket had become so intense that some players thought it was a boxing ring where just the victory mattered, writes Sunil Gavaskar.

It is easy to float theories, be critical and berate a team which has not lived up to the expectations of its fans. India, despite its high ranking, has once again been knocked out of a major championship, that too without a whimper, writes Pradeep Magazine.

After winning the ICC World Twenty20 in England earlier this year, Pakistan will look to make it a double by winning the Champions Trophy, writes Sunil Gavaskar.

We stand on the verge of another semifinal encounter in a major international competition, and we are hopeful, despite the string of injuries that has hit our campaign, that we will clear the last-four hurdle, writes Daniel Vettori.

The first semifinal could well be the eighth one-dayer between Australia and England. They barely finished a seven-match ODI series before they got on the plane for the Champions Trophy. Australia have lost Michael Clarke and Nathan Bracken to injury and have not looked as solid as they usually do, writes Sunil Gavaskar.

You can’t afford a single slip up in tournaments such as the Champions Trophy. Right from match one, you have to be spot on. India didn’t lose a match after the loss to Pakistan and yet they are out, writes Anil Kumble.

It is particularly satisfying as captain to bounce back after the loss against South Africa and come through in two must-win games to make the semifinals, writes Daniel Vettori.

It’s a different thing altogether. Just after the VIP underwear ad, cut short (the ad, not the briefs) I saw Dinesh Kartik play a solid forward defence shot to a straight, bouncy delivery from Darren Sammy’s first ball of the 27th over, writes Indrajit Hazra.

The mystery is not so much why New Zealand don't do better in international cricket, but why they manage to do so much at all, writes Anand Vasu.