1998 to 2017 – what happened in each edition of the Champions Trophy so far

02/18/2025 08:02 PM

The Champions Trophy, which is due to start on Wednesday, will be the ninth incarnation of the ICC’s second most prestigious competition.

It hasn’t been played since 2017, which means it has dropped off many people’s radars.

So, let’s take a trip down memory lane to remind ourselves of when and where it has been played before, and of course, the all-important – who won it.

1998 – Champions Trophy in Bangladesh

The inaugural edition of what was then called the ICC Knockout Trophy took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Unlike future editions, this was a straight knockout tournament featuring all Test-playing nations. South Africa, led by Hansie Cronje, emerged victorious, defeating the West Indies in the final.

Windies opener Philo Wallace smashed a run-a-ball 103 while Jacques Kallis returned figures of five for 30. Skipper Hansie Cronje with an undefeated 61 was the mainstay of the Proteas chase that also saw contributions from Mike Rindel and Kallis. South Africa won by four wickets to claim their first, and to date only ICC trophy.

2000 – Champions Trophy in Kenya

The second ICC Knockout Trophy was held in Nairobi, Kenya. It followed the same knockout format as the first edition. New Zealand won their first ICC title, beating India in the final.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, India did well to post a score of 264 with skipper Sourav Ganguly scoring 117. Chris Cairns starred in the chase with a match-winning knock of 102* to lead the Black Caps to victory. He was well supported by another all-rounder Christ Harris who made 46 as the Black Caps won with two balls remaining.

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2002 – Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka

The tournament, now officially rebranded as the ICC Champions Trophy, took place in Sri Lanka. This was the first time the event used a round-robin format before moving into knockouts.

The final, played between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, was washed out twice due to rain, leading to both teams being declared joint winners. It remains the only instance of shared glory in Champions Trophy history.

2004 – Champions Trophy in England

England hosted the tournament for the first time, and it was also the first edition that offered a pathway for minnow nations to qualify with the USA entering the tournament by winning the Six Nations Tournament.

The West Indies, led by Brian Lara, stunned the cricketing world by chasing down a modest England total of 217 in the final at The Oval. It looked like the hosts had done enough to win it as they reduced the Windies to 147 for eight, only for Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw to share an unbroken 71 runs stand for the ninth wicket to see the Caribbean side over the line.

2006 – Champions Trophy in India

Returning to the subcontinent, the Champions Trophy was held in India with a slightly tweaked format. The tournament saw some thrilling matches, and Australia, the dominant force in world cricket at the time, finally added the Champions Trophy to their collection.

They defeated the West Indies in a rain-affected final, with Shane Watson and Damien Martyn guiding the team to victory with scores of 57 and 57 respectively.

2009 – Champions Trophy in South Africa

Originally scheduled to be played in Pakistan, the tournament was moved due to security concerns and South Africa South Africa stepped in to host the event for the first time. The tournament saw the emergence of several young stars as Australia successfully defended their title, defeating New Zealand in the final.

Cameron White (62) and Shane Watson (105) were instrumental in their triumph, further extending Australia’s golden era in limited-overs cricket.

2013 – Champions Trophy in England

The Champions Trophy returned to England, and this time, the hosts were favourites to win their first ICC 50-over title. However, India, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, showcased an impressive all-round performance throughout the tournament. In a rain-reduced final against England at Edgbaston, India defended a modest total, with Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma playing key roles.

In what was essentially a T20I India scored a modest 129 for seven before restricting to 124 for eight. The victory solidified India’s dominance in white-ball cricket at the time.

2017 – Champions Trophy in England and Wales

The most recent edition of the Champions Trophy took place in England and Wales. It was a historic tournament, as Pakistan, the lowest-ranked team in the competition, stunned the cricketing world by winning their first Champions Trophy title.

In the final at The Oval, Pakistan delivered a commanding performance against arch-rivals India, with Fakhar Zaman's century and Mohammad Amir's fiery spell leading them to an unforgettable victory.

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