Hi cricket enthusiasts! ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is right around the corner which will be offering great matches and heated rivalries. Here’s what you need to know about one of cricket’s most renowned competitions.
ICC Champions Trophy Hosts & Winners: 1998 to 2029
The International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced the ICC Champions Trophy in 1998 for the first time. It was then known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy. It was also popularly called as the Mini World Cup till 2002. Bangladesh was the host country for the inaugural season.
South Africa won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy against the West Indies. It was their first ICC title to date. The second ICC KnockOut Trophy was won by New Zealand against India in 2000. It was their first ICC title in all formats.
In 2004, It was renamed as the ICC Champions Trophy. It is called the same to date. Pakistan stunned the cricket world by beating India in the final of the 2017 CT. They beat India by 180 runs in 2017 in England. Pakistan will host the next ICC CT 2025.
| Year | Host Country | Winner | WC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Bangladesh (previously known as ICC KnockOut Trophy / Mini World Cup) | South Africa (won by 4 wickets) | Hansie Cronje (SA) |
| 2000 | Kenya (ICC KnockOut Trophy) | New Zealand (won by 4 wickets) | Stephen Fleming (NZ) |
| 2002 | Sri Lanka (ICC KnockOut Trophy) | India / Sri Lanka (co-champions) | Sourav Ganguly (IND) / Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) |
| 2004 | England (since then known as ICC Champions Trophy) | West Indies (won by 2 wickets) | Brian Lara (WI) |
| 2006 | India | Australia (won by 8 wickets, D/L) | Ricky Pointing (AUS) |
| 2009 | South Africa | Australia (won by 6 wickets) | Ricky Pointing (AUS) |
| 2013 | England / Wales | India (won by 5 runs) | MS Dhoni (IND) |
| 2017 | England / Wales | Pakistan (won by 180 runs) | Sarfraz Ahmed (PAK) |
| 2025 | Pakistan | – | – |
| 2029 | India | – | – |
ICC CT 2025
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Schedule and Format
The CT 2025 is expected to be played from Feb 19 to Mar 9. The tournament will be in 50 overs format. It will comprise a group stage followed by knockout rounds.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Participating Teams
Pakistan will be joined by seven of the top-ranked teams from the 2023 Cricket World Cup group stage. 2002 winner Sri Lanka unable to qualify this time. Whereas, Afghanistan will be making their debut in the Champions Trophy.
Top cricketing nations from around the world will compete for glory. Expect strong teams like India, Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa to compete alongside emerging powers like Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Pakistan being a hosting country will be another contender for the title.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Groups
The host Pakistan and the seven top-ranked in the 2023 ODI World Cup are divided into two groups. They are called Group A and Group B. Group A and Group B consist of four teams each. The host of CT 2025, Pakistan will be in Group A like India. The other two teams will be New Zealand and Bangladesh. Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan are placed in Group B.
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | Australia |
| Pakistan | England |
| New Zealand | South Africa |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Venues
The tournament’s venues are well-known for their thrilling atmosphere and historical significance in cricket. Fans could expect filled stadiums and unforgettable moments that capture the essence of the game. According to the draft schedule, matches will be held in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.
| City | No. of Matches Proposed | Capacity | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | 7 | 27000 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Karachi | 3 | 32000 | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Rawalpindi | 5 | 15000 | Rawalpindi Cricket stadium |
The PCB had stated that if India proceeded to the semi-finals, they would play in Lahore ( at Gaddafi Stadium).
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: All-Time Stats and Records
From epic centuries to nail-biting finishes, this tournament has etched its place in cricket history. Stay tuned as we dive into the all-time stats and records, highlighting the players who have left an indelible mark on this prestigious event.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: News & Updates
Stay updated with the latest news, player injuries, squad announcements, and expert predictions as we approach the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Follow our coverage for insights and analysis that enrich your cricketing experience.
As anticipation grows, cricket fans around the world prepare for another chapter of spectacular moments. Whether you’re rooting for your favourite team or enjoying the thrill of world-class cricket, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises to provide excitement, drama, and sports greatness like never before. Don’t miss out on the action—mark your calendars and join us for an exciting tour through the world of cricket’s best!
1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy Analysis: Stats
ICC introduced a knockout tournament in the cricketing arena in 1998. All the nine test-playing countries of that era participated in the competition. Bangladesh was assigned the responsibility of hosting the inaugural tournament to promote cricket among non-test-playing nations. Bangladesh was neither a test-playing nation then nor participated in that tournament.
A preliminary match was held between New Zealand and Zimbabwe to qualify for the main knockout stage on October 24, 1988. New Zealand beat Zimbabwe in that match by 5 wickets in Dhaka.
The tournament was designed as quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final. Eight test teams competed in four quarter-final matches between October 25 and 29, 1998. South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, and West Indies won their respective matches and advanced to the semi-finals.
South Africa secured a 92-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first semi-finals on October 30 using the D/L method. West Indies won by 6 wickets against India in the second semi-finals on October 31, 1998. South Africa eventually won the final and was crowned champion for the 1998 CC KnockOut Trophy.
1988 Knockout Trophy Final: Scorecard Summary
West Indies: 245/10 (Overs: 49.3)
BN Stadium, Dhaka | Nov 01, 1998| WI Innings | Runs | BF | SA Bowling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philo Wallace | 103 | 102 | Jacques Kallis | 7.3-0-30-5 |
| Carl Hooper | 49 | 56 | Hansie Cronje | 10-0-44-2 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 27 | 54 | Derek Crookes | 3-0-33-1 |
South Africa: 248/6 (Overs: 47)
SA beat WI by 4 wickets| SA Innings | Runs | BF | WI Bowling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansie Cronje | 61* | 77 | Phil Simmons | 8-0-45-2 |
| Mike Rindel | 49 | 56 | Carl Hooper | 10-1-45-1 |
| Jacques Kallis | 37 | 51 | Mervyn Dillon | 10-0-53-1 |
Player of the Match: Jacques Kallis
Player of the Series: Jacques Kallis
1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy Stats: Most Runs
| Players | Mat | Runs | 50s | 100s | HS | Avg. | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philo Wallace (WI) | 3 | 221 | 1 | 1 | 103 | 73.66 | 107.80 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 3 | 164 | 0 | 1 | 113* | 82.00 | 95.34 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) | 3 | 150 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 50.00 | 75.37 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 2 | 149 | 0 | 1 | 141 | 74.50 | 104.92 |
| Hansie Cronje | 3 | 148 | 2 | 1 | 67 | 74.00 | 90.79 |
1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy Stats: Most Wickets
| Players | Mat | Wkts | Eco | BBI | 4-fer | 5-fer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 3 | 8 | 5.20 | 5/30 | 0 | 1 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 2 | 6 | 3.49 | 4/38 | 1 | 0 |
| Mervyn Dillon (WI) | 3 | 6 | 4.89 | 3/38 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve Elworthy (SA) | 3 | 4 | 6.27 | 3/21 | 0 | 0 |
| Keith Authurton (WI) | 3 | 4 | 4.38 | 4/31 | 1 | 0 |
Reliving the ICC KnockOut Trophy 2000 in Kenya
The ICC KnockOut Trophy 2000 was held in Nairobi from October 3rd to 15th, 2000. This was a significant event in the East African nation’s cricket history. All the matches were played at Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi, Kenya. It was a good opportunity for the host (Kenya) to play against elite cricket nations on the global stage.
The tournament was divided into four stages. These were pre-quarter-finals, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. Five teams, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe, advanced directly to the quarterfinals.
The remaining six teams competed in the pre-quarterfinals from October 3 to 5, 2000. India (vs Kenya), Sri Lanka (vs West Indies), and England (vs Bangladesh) beat their respective opponents and went to the quarter-final round.
The quarter-final matches were held from October 7 to 10, 2000. India stunned the mighty Australian courtesy of Yuvraj Singh’s gutsy knock of 84 off 80 balls. India bowled out Australia and won the match by 20 runs with 3.2 overs remaining. Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand won their quarter-final matches.
In the semi-finals, India smashed South Africa by 95 runs, thanks to a brilliant century by Ganguly (141 off 142 balls). New Zealand won a close encounter against Pakistan courtesy of Roger Twose’s innings (87 off 101 balls). Saeed Anwar’s brilliant century went to vein (104 off 115 balls).
ICC KnockOut Trophy 2000 Final
The final was played between India and New Zealand on October 15, 2000. Sourav Ganguly hit back-to-back century for India (117 off 130 balls). India set a target of 265 runs in 50 overs. However, New Zealand, led by Chris Cairns’ unbeaten 102 off 113 balls, chased down the revised target of 265 in 49 overs, clinching the title with four wickets in hand. This victory marked a significant achievement for the Kiwis in limited-overs cricket.
The tournament faced significant interruptions due to rain, particularly during crucial matches. This led to revised targets and reduced overs in several encounters. This tournament also witnessed two debutants for India’s team, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan.
India: 264/6 (Overs: 50)
Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi, Kenya | Oct, 15, 2000| IND Innings | Runs | BF | NZ Bowling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sourav Ganguly (c) | 117 | 130 | Scott Styris | 2/53 (10 overs) |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 69 | 83 | Nathan Astle | 1/46 (10 overs) |
| Rahul Dravid | 22 | 35 | Geoff Allott | 1/54 (10 overs) |
New Zealand: 265/6 (Overs: 49.4)
NZ beat IND by 4 wickets| NZ Innings | Runs | BF | IND Bowling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Cairns | 61* | 77 | Venkatesh Prasad | 3/27 (7 overs) |
| Chris Harris | 49 | 56 | Anil Kumble | 2/55 (9 overs) |
| Nathan Astle | 37 | 51 | Sachin Tendulkar | 1/38 (10 overs) |
Player of the Match: Chris Cairns
Player of the Tournament: N/A
2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy Stats: Most Runs
| Players | Mat | Runs | 50s | 100s | HS | Avg. | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 4 | 348 | 1 | 2 | 141* | 116.0 | 83.9 |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 2 | 209 | 0 | 2 | 105* | 209.0 | 83.9 |
| Roger Twose (NZ) | 3 | 203 | 2 | 0 | 87 | 67.7 | 82.2 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 4 | 171 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 42.8 | 83.4 |
| Rahul Dravid (IND) | 4 | 157 | 2 | 0 | 68* | 52.3 | 74.4 |
2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy Stats: Most Wickets
| Players | Mat | Wkts | Eco | BBI | 4-fer | 5-fer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venkatesh Prasad (IND) | 4 | 8 | 5.23 | 3/27 | 0 | 0 |
| Azhar Mahmood (PAK) | 2 | 7 | 5.85 | 4/65 | 1 | 0 |
| Zaheer Khan (IND) | 4 | 7 | 5.28 | 3/48 | 0 | 0 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 4 | 6 | 4.08 | 2/22 | 0 | 0 |
| SB O’Connor (NZ) | 3 | 5 | 4.82 | 5/46 | 0 | 1 |
2002 ICC Champions Trophy: Highlights
The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy was originally scheduled to be hosted in India, but due to India’s failure to grant necessary tax exemptions, it was relocated to Sri Lanka. This was the first time all ICC member countries had visited Sri Lanka for a competition. CT 2002 featured twelve teams playing fifteen matches from September 15 to 30, 2002.
CT 2002: Key matches and moments.
AUS vs NZ, CT 2002, Pool 1
Gilchrist and Hayden provided a strong opening partnership against New Zealand followed by Damien Martyn (79 runs) led Australia to 296/7.
Glenn McGrath was exceptional with his bowling and took five wickets (7-1-37-5). Brett Lee supported him well and grabbed three wickets. Australia beat NZ by 164 runs.
AUS vs BAN, CT 2002, Pool 1
Australia bowled out Bangladesh for 129 runs. Jason Gillespie grabbed three wickets (10-1-20-3). Australia’s opener gave them a century-run stand. Australia won the match by 9 wickets, qualifying for the Semi-finals from Pool 1.
IND vs ZIM, CT 2002, Pool 2
India were 87/5 in 13.2 overs. Rahul Dravid (71 off 81 balls) and Md Kaif (111 of 112 balls) built a brilliant partnership for the six wickets. As a result, India ended up with 288 runs on the board in 50 overs. Douglas Hondo took four wickets for Zimbabwe.
Zaheer Khan grabbed four wickets for India (10-2-45-4). Andy Flower scored 145 off 164 balls. India beat Zimbabwe by 14 runs.
IND vs ENG, CT 2002, Pool 2
England set a target for 270 runs in 50 overs courtesy of Ian Blackwell (82 off 68 balls) and Nick Knight (50 off 70 balls). Ashish Nehra (2/49) and Anil Kumble (2/58) took two wickets each.
Virender Sehwag (126 off 104 balls) and Sourav Ganguly (117 off 109 runs) gave India a solid 192-run stand resulting in India winning the match by 8 wickets.
SA vs WI, CT 2002, Pool 3
No batsmen from the West Indies side could capitalise on the start they got, resulting in 238 for 8 in 50 overs. However, the West Indies bowled brilliantly courtesy of Mervyn Dillon (4/60) and Carl Hooper (3/42). In the end, South won the match by 2 wickets at the last ball.
SA vs KEN, CT 2002, Pool 3
Herschelle Gibbs’ stunning 116 runs enabled South Africa to set a mammoth total on the board (316/5) in 50 overs. They won the match convincingly by 176 runs and qualified for the semi-finals from Pool 3.
SL vs PAK, CT 2002, Pool 4
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 9 wickets courtesy of Sanath Jayasuriya (102 off 120 balls) and M Muralitharan (3/29).
SL vs NED, CT 2002, Pool 4
Sri Lanka smashed the Netherlands by 206 runs. Top performers for the Sri Lankan were Marvan Atapaatu (101 off 118 balls) and M Muralitharan (4/15). Sri Lanka qualified for the semi-finals.
Semi-finals – CT 2002
India (vs South Africa) and Sri Lanka (vs Australia) won their respective matches in the semi-finals of the CT 2002. Yuvraj Singh (62 runs) and Virender Sehwag (3/25) were the standout players for India.
Finals – CT 2002
The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka wrapped up uniquely. The final match was washed out twice, once on September 29th and again on September 30th, resulting in both teams being proclaimed joint winners. This was the first time the tournament had ever ended in this manner.
CT 2002: Stats
CT 2022 Stats: Most Runs
| Players | Mat | Runs | 50s | 100s | HS | Avg. | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virender Sehwag (IND) | 5 | 271 | 1 | 1 | 126 | 90.3 | 120.4 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 5 | 254 | 1 | 1 | 102* | 63.5 | 85.5 |
| Herschelle Gibbs (SA) | 3 | 240 | 0 | 2 | 116* | 120.0 | 94.1 |
| Marvan Atapaatu (SL) | 5 | 204 | 1 | 1 | 101 | 40.8 | 65.4 |
| Andy Flower (ZIM) | 2 | 189 | 0 | 1 | 145 | 94.5 | 84.8 |
CT 2002 Stats: Most Wickets
| Players | Mat | Wkts | Eco | BBI | 4-fer | 5-fer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 5 | 10 | 2.78 | 4/15 | 1 | 0 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 3 | 8 | 3.80 | 5/37 | 0 | 1 |
| Douglas Hondo (ZIM) | 2 | 8 | 7.13 | 4/45 | 2 | 0 |
| Zaheer Khan (IND) | 5 | 8 | 4.14 | 4/45 | 1 | 0 |
| Shane Bond (NZ) | 2 | 6 | 5.60 | 4/21 | 1 | 0 |