ICC Champions Trophy 2009 starts from 22 September in South Africa. The eight-team tournament spans only 14 days. Top eight test playing teams in terms of their ODI performance have been qualified for the tournament. The participating teams are: defending champion Australia, India, Pakistan, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand. All the teams have announced their squad for the upcoming tournament which is the second most prestigious tournament after ICC World Cup.
England is definitely one of the favorites, but the English side will miss the service of two key players: Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff- who are currently injured out. Flintoff was initially included in the squad, but the player later on pulled off his name from the squad as he is going to undergo a surgery on his knee.
There are some experienced players in the squad including Captain Andrew Strauss, Collingwood, James Anderson, Ryan Sideb besides some of the young talented cricketers like Joe Denly, Bopara, Broad, Morgan, Adil Rashid, Wright and Swann. Overall, I think, the squad is pretty much balanced in the presence some quality batsmen and bowlers.
England Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2009 :- Andrew Strauss (captain), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Joe Denly, Andrew Flintoff, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Adil Rashid, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright.
ECB will announce the replacement of Andrew Flintoff later on.
