DNA presents a brief look into each of the eight teams and how they stack up as they get into top gear to lay claim on Champions Trophy beginning today
POOL A
England
Strengths:
The England ODI team has never looked stronger. They bat as deep as No. 8 and have six genuine bowlers at their disposal. A well-balanced side that will be tougher at home.
Weaknesses:
On paper, there is nothing much. But England players do have some battles in their minds. England have two lost finals of this event, never won it. To overcome this mental block or challenge will take some doing.
X-factor - Ben Stokes
The man who took the IPL by the storm will love to do much the same in CT as well. Stokes is an asset with the bat, ball and on the field, and if he has a good tournament, England will sure have one too.
Squad: E Morgan (C), M Ali, J Bairstow (WK), J Ball, S Billings (WK), J Buttler (WK), A Hales, L Plunkett, A Rashid, J Root, J Roy, B Stokes, D Willey, C Woakes, M Wood
Previous best CT show: Runners-up (2004, 2013)
Australia
Strengths:
A pace attack that can keep batsmen on their toes even a day before the game. Australia have gambled by taking an all-out pace attack to England, and should it pay off, they'll be a dangerous side.
Weaknesses:
An inexperienced middle-order. After David Warner and Steve Smith, the Aussies don't have a single batsman they can rely on to steady the ship. Add to that, they look thin on spin.
X-factor - Chris Lynn
The man created ripples in the IPL, and if the Aussies leave him out, they do so at their own expense. ODI is a different ball game all right but Lynn is a match-winner and one that Australia should use to the fullest.
Squad: S Smith (C), P Cummins, A Finch, J Hastings, J Hazlewood, T Head, M Henriques, C Lynn, G Maxwell, J Pattinson, M Starc, M Stoinis, M Wade (WK), D Warner, A Zampa
Previous best CT show: Winners (2006, 2009)
Bangladesh
Strengths:
Having beaten teams like New Zealand and Sri Lanka this year, Bangladesh come in with a sense of confidence. Their batting line-up resembles quality and is fairly settled now.
Weaknesses:
As the warm-up game against Pakistan showed, Bangladesh's bowling attack doesn't quite match up to their batting. Even a total of 341 couldn't be defended by them, and that should be worrying.
X-factor - Mustafizur Rahman
Slower ones, cutters, knuckleballs can take a back seat, it's time for the Fizz to swing it around. Bangladesh will look up to this young sensation for breakthroughs with the new ball, and yorkers at the death.
Squad: M Mortaza (C), I Kayes, Mahmudullah, M Hasan, M Hossain, M Rahim (WK), M Rahman, R Hossain, S Rahman, S Islam, S Al Hasan, S Sarkar, S Islam, T Iqbal, T Ahmed
Previous best CT show: Group stage (2002, 2004)
New Zealand
Strengths:
Kiwis, the perennial dark horses of any ICC event, have a host of multi-utility players in Corey Anderson, Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme and James Neesham, who can start with both bat and ball.
Weaknesses:
Their strengths also highlight their weakness. They do not have enough quality specialists. Their bowling unit, especially, needs to punch above their weight throughout the event.
X-factor - Martin Guptill
The opener will have to really open up in this tournament if the Kiwis want to do well. He is one of their few impact players, and Guptill will have to find form early and get those big innings going.
Squad: K Williamson (C), C Anderson, T Boult, N Broom, C de Grandhomme, M Guptill, T Latham (WK), M McClenaghan, A Milne, J Neesham, J Patel, L Ronchi (WK), M Santner, T Southee, R Taylor
Previous best CT show: Winners (2000)
Pool B
Sri Lanka
Strengths
It has to be Sri Lanka's bowling line-up led by Lasith Malinga. The Angelo Mathews's side has some unorthodox bowlers up like chinaman Lakshan Sandakan and the accurate leggie Sekkuge Prasanna.
Weaknesses
Experience is what they lack. While the 2013 CT had the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, this team doesn't have the cushion of experience to fall back upon.
X-factor - Lasith Malinga
In the swing and fast bowler friendly conditions of England, Lasith Malinga will be the key for Sri Lanka. He is the only experienced player in the line-up apart from Angelo Mathews.
Squad: A Mathews (C), U Tharanga, D Chandimal, N Dickwella (WK), N Pradeep, A Gunaratne, C Kapugedera, N Kulasekara, S Lakmal, L Malinga, K Mendis, K Perera, T Perera, S Prasanna, L Sandakan
Previous best CT show: Winners (2002)
South Africa
Strengths
AB de Villiers' side is one of the favourites of the tournament given its well-balanced line-up. It has the best batsmen to bat in any kind of situation from top to the middle order. Their pace attack, too, is dangerous with spinners adding to their deadly armoury.
Weaknesses
It is no secret that South Africa can choke at the crucial moment of the game or a tournament. The last time they had won Champions Trophy was in 1998. They will once again go out there to prove that they are not chokers.
X-factor - AB de Villiers
South Africa skipper AB de Villiers did not fire the way he would have loved to in IPL and in the following series against England. One of the world's most innovative batsman, AB would be keen to make amends and come good in this big tournament.
Squad: AB de Villiers (C), H Amla, F Behardien, Q de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, F du Plessis, I Tahir, K Maharaj, D Miller, M Morkel, C Morris, W Parnell, A Phehlukwayo, D Pretorius, K Rabada
Previous best CT show: Winners (1998)
India
Strengths
India's has never looked so threatening with the ball before. They have a lot of a variety in their pace bowling from the new ball swing bowlers to death over specialists along with some top class spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin.
Weaknesses
While Virat Kohli will be proud of his bowlers, the major issue is with the form of his top players. Barring the skipper, none of the batsmen have looked convincing. It starts from the top order in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan to MS Dhoni, the batting is fragile.
X-factor - Hardik Pandya
All-rounder Hardik Pandya could play a major role in India's outing in Champions Trophy. India have never had such a confident all-rounder after Kapil Dev. Pandya can bat well and bowl as effectively.
Squad: V Kohli (C), R Ashwin, J Bumrah, S Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wk), R Jadeja, K Jadhav, D Karthik, B Kumar, M Shami, H Pandya, A Rahane, R Sharma, U Yadav, Y Singh
Previous best CT show: Winners (2002, 2013)
Pakistan
Strengths
While they may not have big stars in their batting line-up, it still looks stable with the presence of Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali Babar Azam and the skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed himself. Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik's experience only makes it better.
Weaknesses
It is rare to see Pakistan go into an ICC tournament with a weak bowling attack. What they lack is the balance in their bowling department. Ahmed will have to rely heavily on Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz.
X-factor - Sarfaraz Ahmed
Sarfaraz Ahmed is the sanest mind in Pakistan squad. He hasn't some big scores to show, but it's his ability to take the responsibility at crunch moments which makes him special. Ahmed will be keen make the opportunity count.
Squad: S Ahmed (C/wk), A Shehzad, A Ali, B Azam, F Ashraf, F Zaman, H Sohail, H Ali, I Wasim, J Khan, M Amir, M Hafeez, S Khan, S Malik, W Riaz
Previous best CT show: SF (2000, 2004, 2009)
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