Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Phil Salt unite for WWE-style Champions Trophy promo

In an unexpected move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has added an unconventional twist to the build-up for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan, along with England's Phil Salt, have paid homage to WWE’s legendary faction, The Shield, in the ICC’s latest promotional reel.

In the video, the trio is seen dressed in all-black outfits, complete with black gloves, performing The Shield’s iconic fist-bump. To make things even more interesting, the ICC has named this new group “FIELD,” a playful reference to the famous WWE faction.

The caption accompanying the video reads: “The newest faction. Believe in the FIELD.”

Unsurprisingly, the internet went into overdrive, with fans reacting in humorous ways to the unexpected crossover. One fan humorously asked, "So, which one of them is going to betray the FIELD with a chair shot?"—a reference to Seth Rollins' infamous betrayal of The Shield in WWE. Another fan jokingly referred to Phil Salt as the "Dean Ambrose" of the group.

While the ICC has not provided any official explanation for the video, it’s clear that the organization is tapping into pop culture to build excitement for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Regardless of the confusion, the ICC has certainly grabbed attention with this creative marketing move. As the Champions Trophy 2025 draws near, all eyes will be on this unlikely trio to see if they can live up to their Shield-inspired nickname.

The Champions Trophy will kick off in Pakistan on February 19th, with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand.