What is the ICC Champions Trophy?
The ICC Champions Trophy is a 50 over (ODI) competition contested between International sides. It’s been hosted in seven different nations since its inception in 1998. It’s often been described as a ‘mini World Cup’.
When is the ICC Champions Trophy played?
The ICC Champions Trophy tournament has been played roughly every four years since the first edition in Bangladesh in 1998. The ICC had decided that the competition was going to make way for a more regular T20 World Cup after the last time it was contested in 2017 but it’s popularity has seen the ICC put it back on the schedule. After a break in 2021 the Worlds best fifty over teams will head to Pakistan in 2025 as it returns.
History of the ICC Champions Trophy
The trophy that went on to be known as the ICC Champions Trophy started as the Wills International Cup in Bangladesh in 1998. The South Africa national cricket team lifted the trophy after defeating the West Indies in the final, to date this is their only success at an ICC event.
Australia are the most successful team winning the ICC Champions Trophy outright on two occasions, The Indian national cricket team have also lifted the trophy twice but their success in 2002 was shared with Sri Lanka due to the weather causing the final to be washed out twice. The format has generally involved the top 8 ranked teams in ODI cricket, but associate members were involved in the 2000 and 2004 editions. Overall, the ICC Champions Trophy competition has had six different winners.
Top Run Scorer at the ICC Champions Trophy
West Indies destructive opener Chris Gayle is the leading run scorer at the ICC Champions Trophy. He helped his team lift the trophy in 2004 when they beat the England cricket team in a tense final at The Oval, and in 2006 he was named player of the tournament scoring three centuries on the way to scoring 474 runs, the most ever scored by a batter at a single ICC Champions Trophy. ‘The Universe Boss’ overall scored 791 runs in the competition during his career.
Top Wicket Taker at the ICC Champions Trophy
Kyle Mills is the leading wicket taker at the ICC Champions Trophy. The New Zealand national cricket team seamer took 28 wickets in 15 matches, four more than the next highest Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Mills had a particularly successful tournament in 2006, taking 10 wickets in 4 matches.
Memorable Games in the ICC Champions Trophy
The West Indies cricket team produced a thrilling comeback in 2004 to defeat hosts England to lift their first ICC trophy since 1979. The men from the Caribbean looked out of the contest at 147 for 8, chasing 218 to win but seam bowler Ian Bradshaw joined wicket keeper Courtney Browne at the crease for a match winning partnership of 71 in the late September gloom denying England.
Herschalle Gibbs looked to be guiding South Africa to another final after their 1998 success in Colombo in 2002 against India. But the conditions got the better of the South African opener forcing him to retire hurt with dehydration on 116, at this point they looked but cruising to the victory target of 262 but three wickets from part time spinner Virenda Sehwag along with Gibbs retirement turned to contest on it’s head and the Indians turned the game around to record a dramatic ten run victory.
Similar competition to the ICC Champions Trophy
This event is one of three ICC international tournaments, those interested in this may also want to check out sections on the ICC ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup.
