The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy begins in Pakistan on February 19.

This edition comes after an eight-year gap since the tournament was last staged in 2017, when Pakistan lifted the trophy in England.

The Champions Trophy features the top eight men’s one-day international (ODI) teams and many of the best players in world cricket will take part in the 50-over format.

Al Jazeera Sport has picked the top five players – drawn from the four favourites to win the trophy – to look out for this time around.

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Babar, a former Pakistan captain, currently tops the ICC’s ODI batting rankings and will be regarded as host country’s best hope in racking up match-winning totals.

The 30-year-old made his international debut in 2015 and has an impressive 19 centuries and 34 fifties from 122 career ODI innings.

Azam averages 55.98 in the format – more than 13 clear of his Test average.

The right-hander resigned as Pakistan’s white-ball cricket captain for a second time in 11 months in October 2024, having also relinquished the Test and T20 captaincies simultaneously the previous year, but Babar remains the inspirational figurehead of the side.

Shubman Gill (India)

In a side led by ageing superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and with India regarded as the clear favourites to win the trophy, Shubman Gill’s inclusion in our top five did not come lightly.

Gill, 25, has quickly become the poster boy for Indian cricket – both on and off the field – with what appears to be as natural a talent in front of a camera as he has with a bat in his hand.

Gill has only dropped below fifty in one of his last four innings coming into the tournament and went on to score a century on two of those occasions, including in the final match of the pre-tournament series against England.

Seven centuries and 15 fifties in 50 ODI innings have helped the top order star produce a superb average of 60.16.

Jos Buttler (England)

England find themselves third favourites to win the tournament despite a wretched white-ball run that has seen them slip to seventh in the ODI rankings, while their T20 form in recent years has also slid alarmingly.

If England are to produce the goods in Pakistan then a great deal will rest on their captain Jos Buttler, who is revered as much for his leadership as his performance with the bat.

The 34-year-old was Eoin Morgan’s vice-captain when England won the 2019 Cricket World Cup, and was, therefore, the natural replacement for a player regarded as one of cricket’s greatest leaders.

Lifting England from their woes in their white-ball tour of India in January and February, which resulted in a win in both series for the hosts – and a clean sweep for the ODIs – will be high on the list of Buttler’s priorities.

The right-hand veteran has registered 11 centuries and 27 fifties, at an average of 39.33, in 157 innings.

Glenn Maxwell (Australia)

At 36 years of age, Maxwell remains one of Australia’s key players and is a proven finisher – or rescuer – in the middle order.

Only 15 months ago, the right-hander hit an incredible 201 not out, while seriously hampered by injury, to turn the match against Afghanistan as part of his side’s journey to winning the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

A veteran of the Indian Premier League, having played 134 matches for three of their franchises, Maxwell made his debut for Australia in 2012 and has been a regular in both white-ball formats ever since.

Although not able to hold down a place in the Test team, where he gained the last of his seven caps in 2017, Maxwell is an iconic figure in Australian sport due to his ability to single-handedly take down an opponent with his innovative batting style.

In addition, Maxwell’s off-break bowling is more than a useful second string with 75 ODI wickets at an economy of 5.43, but it is his strike rate of 123 with the bat in the ODI format that instils true fear into those running into bowl to the player nicknamed “The Big Show”.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)

Another former Pakistan captain – as with Babar – and similarly a key player for his country, Shaheen will lead the bowling attack for the host nation.

Still only 24 years of age, the left-arm seamer has the ability to blast through the top, middle and bottom order of any side in the world.

A clear match-winner at any given moment and on any surface, the Khyber-born quick made his Pakistan debut in all formats in 2018 and rose to the role of captain, albeit prematurely in hindsight, last year.

He has already registered 124 ODI wickets in only 60 matches and is the only seam bowler – in fourth place – in the top five of the ICC’s ranking of ODI bowlers.

Both Shaheen and Babar have the ability to win matches on their own – if the pair are both on fire at the tournament, Pakistan may well retain the trophy in front of their home crowd.