Champions Trophy 2025, AUS vs ENG: Pitch report, Lahore Stadium's key stats

Australia vs England pitch report: Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, known for its batting-friendly pitches, recently hosted two matches during a tri-series, both producing scores exceeding 300.

The reigning world champions Australia find themselves in unfamiliar territory—wounded, depleted, and staring at an uncertain Champions Trophy 2025 campaign when they take on Ashes rivals England at Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore. On Saturday (February 22), Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first against England.   Australia (Playing XI): Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.  England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. 

Australia vs England pitch report of Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium  This is the first match in the Champions Trophy when Lahore's Gadaffi Stadium will host a match. 

Flat track and quick outfield set the stage for high-scoring clash

 

The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium is set to offer ideal conditions for batters, with former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull describing the surface as an “absolute road” ahead of the highly anticipated Champions Trophy clash. 

Perfect conditions for batting 

Speaking during the pitch report, Doull highlighted the favorable weather and excellent playing conditions.

 

"Very pleasant from a player's point of view—just 21 degrees, and it might get cooler as the night goes on with a gentle breeze," he said.

 

The square boundaries measure 63m and 73m, with a longer downtown boundary of 74m, giving batters ample room to find gaps and play their shots freely.

 

Lightning-fast outfield to assist stroke play

 

The outfield is in pristine condition, adding to the challenge for bowlers. "It looks absolutely magnificent and will be quick as lightning," Doull observed.

 

Five key players from their initial squad are missing, forcing Australia to regroup under stand-in skipper Steve Smith as they prepare for what could be their toughest Champions Trophy challenge yet.

  Check Australia vs England live score, match updates and full scorecard here | Champions Trophy 2025    Check Australia vs England full scorecard here | ICC Champions Trophy 2025  

A pace attack in tatters

  Australia’s famed fast-bowling trio—Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc—will all be absent, leaving a gaping hole in their bowling arsenal. Known for their lethal combination of pace, bounce, and swing, the trio has been instrumental in Australia’s dominance on the world stage. Now, without them, the Aussies must rely on an untested attack to take on their biggest rivals.

 

The setbacks don’t end there. All-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green have been sidelined with injuries, while Marcus Stoinis shocked everyone by announcing his sudden retirement from the format. These blows have left Australia scrambling for replacements, forcing them to bank on fresh faces to carry the burden of experience.

 

  AUS vs ENG: Pitch report of Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore

 

  

 

 

  Lahore's Gadaffi Stadium key stats

 

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Average scores and toss results in ODIs
Average first innings score	253
Matches won after batting first	35
Matches won by chasing team	32

 

Key stats at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore
Record	Player/Team	Performance	Opponent	Year
Highest team score	Pakistan	375/3	Zimbabwe	2015
Lowest team score	Pakistan	75 all out	Sri Lanka	2009
Highest individual score	Ijaz Ahmed	139* (84)	India	1997
Best bowling figures	Lance Klusner	6/49	Sri Lanka	—
Most runs at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs)	Shoaib Malik	1030 runs in 22 innings	—	—
Most wickets at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs)	Wasim Akram	23 wickets in 17 matches	—	—

 

Highest totals at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore
Team	Score	Overs	RR	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Result	Match Date
Pakistan	375/3	50	7.5	1	v Zimbabwe	Lahore	won	26 May 2015
Sri Lanka	357/9	50	7.14	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	25 Jun 2008
Pakistan	349/4	49	7.12	2	v Australia	Lahore	won	31 Mar 2022
Australia	348/8	50	6.96	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	31 Mar 2022
Zimbabwe	334/5	50	6.68	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	26 May 2015
Bangladesh	334/5	50	6.68	1	v Afghanistan	Lahore	won	3 Sep 2023
New Zealand	330/6	50	6.6	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	8 Feb 2025
England	327/4	50	6.54	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	10 Dec 2005
Pakistan	322/5	50	6.44	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	8 Apr 2008
Australia	316/4	48.5	6.47	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	10 Nov 1998
Pakistan	315/8	50	6.3	1	v Australia	Lahore	lost	10 Nov 1998
Australia	313/7	50	6.26	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	29 Mar 2022
South Africa	311/9	50	6.22	1	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	won	6 Nov 1997
Sri Lanka	309/5	50	6.18	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	24 Jan 2009
New Zealand	308/4	48.4	6.32	2	v South Africa	Lahore	won	10 Feb 2025
Pakistan	308/8	50	6.16	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	13 Apr 2008
South Africa	304/6	50	6.08	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	lost	10 Feb 2025
Bangladesh	300/8	50	6	1	v U.A.E.	Lahore	won	24 Jun 2008
South Africa	297/5	48.1	6.16	2	v West Indies	Lahore	won	3 Nov 1997
Pakistan	297/4	48.5	6.08	2	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	won	14 Oct 2004
Pakistan	296/9	50	5.92	1	v Zimbabwe	Lahore	n/r	31 May 2015
India	294/5	45	6.53	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	21 Mar 2004
South Africa	294/5	50	5.88	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	18 Oct 2007
West Indies	293/8	50	5.86	1	v South Africa	Lahore	lost	3 Nov 1997
Pakistan	293/9	50	5.86	1	v India	Lahore	lost	21 Mar 2004
India	293/7	50	5.86	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	24 Mar 2004
Sri Lanka	293/6	50	5.86	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	14 Oct 2004
India	292/5	47.4	6.12	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	13 Feb 2006
Pakistan	292/7	48	6.08	2	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	29 Nov 2003
New Zealand	291/5	50	5.82	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	29 Nov 2003
Sri Lanka	291/8	50	5.82	1	v Afghanistan	Lahore	won	5 Sep 2023
Sri Lanka	290/9	50	5.8	1	v U.A.E.	Lahore	won	26 Jun 2008
Afghanistan	289	37.4	7.67	2	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	lost	5 Sep 2023
Pakistan	288/8	50	5.76	1	v India	Lahore	lost	13 Feb 2006
Sri Lanka	287/7	50	5.74	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	16 Oct 2004
Pakistan	285	46.5	6.08	2	v England	Lahore	lost	10 Dec 2005
Bangladesh	285/7	50	5.7	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	13 Apr 2008
Sri Lanka	281/2	40	7.02	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	5 Nov 1997
Pakistan	281/5	50	5.62	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	6 Mar 1996
Pakistan	281/6	50	5.62	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	1 Dec 2003
Pakistan	280	49.4	5.63	1	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	lost	5 Nov 1997
Pakistan	278/5	50	5.56	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	27 Apr 2002
Pakistan	277/6	50	5.54	1	v South Africa	Lahore	won	3 Oct 2003
South Africa	271	48	5.64	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	2 Nov 1997

  Steve Smith’s test of leadership

  With Marsh out, Steve Smith is set to bat at No. 3—a position where he has thrived in the past. But this time, the stakes are higher. The 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophy winners now lean heavily on their seasoned batter to anchor the innings in a squad that is still finding its feet. 

 

Travis Head: The X-factor 

If Australia are to make a serious impact, Travis Head will need to set the stage alight. The explosive opener boasts a formidable record at this venue, with scores of 101 and 89 in Australia’s 2022 series here. His fearless strokeplay has often proven the difference in high-pressure encounters, and his career-best 154 not out against England at Trent Bridge last year stands as a reminder of his destructive potential.

 

England’s counter-strategy: Pace and precision

  England, aware of the vulnerabilities in Australia’s depleted squad, have named a high-velocity pace attack featuring Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Brydon Carse. Their express pace will test Australia’s middle order, while Adil Rashid’s spin provides another layer of control.