The ICC Champions Trophy, a tournament renowned for record-breaking performances, and the birth of cricketing legends left a huge hole in the cricketing calendar when it was discontinued in 2017. While the T20 National Championship has attracted a large audience worldwide, cricket fans globally felt the absence of this tournament.
But now, there's great news! The ICC has announced the tournament’s return in 2025, promising another epic chapter in the sport's history!
This article is your ultimate guide on all you need to know about the ICC Champions trophy. We'll discuss about the upcoming edition of the this prestigious tournament. Furthermore, we'll delve into the history of Champions Trophy and provide insights into how to predict on reliable platforms like odds96.
But before getting into business, let’s take a quick look at the history of the ICC Champions' trophy.
An Overview of the ICC Champions Trophy
The ICC Champions Trophy is a prestigious One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was inaugurated in 1998 and is a shorter version of the Cricket World Cup, featuring only the top eight ODI-ranked teams globally battling for the championship.
Previously known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy, its major aim was to raise funds for developing cricket nations. This includes financial infrastructure support, organizing coaching programs, and equipment, and establishing local cricket associations in countries where Cricket was still taking root.
Later, as the ICC's financial situation improved, they shifted focus away from relying solely on the Trophy for development funding. The KnockOut Trophy transitioned into the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 while retaining a prestigious ODI format without the specific fundraising focus.
ICC canceled the tournament in 2017 because they wanted each format of international cricket to have one major tournament. However, during its active years, the ICC Champions Trophy witnessed exceptional individual performances. Legends like Chris Gayle (who scored the highest number of runs throughout the tournament’s history and Kyle Mills (who took the most wickets in all Champions Trophy tournaments) etched their names in history.
Set to make a comeback in 2025, this will be the ninth edition of the tournament.
Qualified teams for the 2025 International Cricket Council Champions Trophy
Here is the list of teams who have qualified for the Champions Trophy:
India
South Africa
Australia
New Zealand
Afghanistan
England
Pakistan (hosts)
Bangladesh
A look at the winners of the past editions:
1998 - South Africa
2000 - New Zealand
2002 - India & Sri Lanka
2004 - West Indies
2006 - Australia
2009 - Australia
2013 - India
2017 - Pakistan
ICC Champions Trophy Records
Most Runs - 791 By Chris Gayle (West Indies)
Highest Score - 145* By Nathan Astle (New Zealand Against United States), 145 By Andy Flower (Zimbabwe Against India)
Most Runs In A Tournament - 474 By Chris Gayle In 2006
Most Hundreds - 3 Each By Shikhar Dhawan (India), Chris Gayle (West Indies), Sourav Ganguly (India), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa)
Most Wickets - 28 By Kyle Mills (New Zealand)
Best Bowling Figures - 6/14 By Farveez Maharoof (Sri Lanka against West Indies)
Most Wickets In A Tournament - 13 each By Hasan Ali (Pakistan in 2017) and Jerome Taylor (West Indies in 2006)
Key Players In The Past Editions Of ICC Champions TrophyThe ICC Champions Trophy has a long history of creating legends. While we can't exactly predict the future, let's take a trip down memory lane and discuss some established legends before looking towards the upcoming generation. They are:
1. Chris Gayle (West Indies): Popularly known as the "Universe Boss" Gayle holds the record for most runs scored in the Champions Trophy (1122).
2. Kyle Mills (New Zealand): Kyle is a legendary pace bowler who holds the record for most wickets taken in the Champions Trophy with 28 scalps in 15 matches.
3. Yuvraj Singh (India): Remember the player who had a fiery knock of 138 in the 2017 final against Pakistan? That’s Yuvraj. His all-around performance throughout the tournament stamped his legacy as a Champions Trophy hero.
4. Ricky Ponting (Australia): During his tenure as the captain of the Australian cricket team, he led them to back-to-back Champions Trophy victories in 2006 and 2009. This earned him a spot in the top 5 Captains in Champions Trophy history.
2024 is packed with many ICC Cricket action! Right now, the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Central American Cricket Championships are ongoing in preparation for the Men's T20 National Championship 2024.
The Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Is scheduled for June 1st, 2024. Additionally, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 international tournament is scheduled for September-October 2024 in Bangladesh.
The Scotland 2024 Scotland Tri-Nation Series (round 3) is set to jumpstart by 2 May 2024 while the Netherlands 2024 Netherlands Tri-Nation Series will kick off on 18 May 2024. Lastly, the Namibia 2024 Namibia Tri-Nation Series and Canada 2024 Canada Tri-Nation Series will also start by September 2024.
With numerous ICC Cricket tournaments scheduled throughout the year, there are endless opportunities to predict on ICC matches and indulge in the sport you love.
