Marnus Labuschagne gets recall; Jamie Smith to bat at No 3

AUS vs ENG Champions Trophy 2025 Predicted Playing 11 Today Match: It’s rare for a team to announce their playing XI for a game two days in advance. But that’s just what England did ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Jamie Smith at No 3

The playing XI did reveal that wicketkeeper Jamie Smith will be tasked with batting at No. 3 for the first time in his international career. England captain Jos Buttler explained the reasoning behind Smith’s elevation. “We just feel it’s a nice position to give him a free hit to try and really impact the game, make that that top three really dynamic. Jamie’s someone with incredible talent and taken to international cricket so well that we feel he’s got the game there and can place him in that position to try and have a really big impact with a number of guys behind him,” he said.

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