Pakistani cricket team comes as the latest winner of the ICC Champions Trophy after being the winner at the Oval, London, in 2017. Defeating India, Pakistan became the ICC Champion and was selected to hold the tournament of 2025. International Cricket Council (ICC) organized a quadrennial tournament and inaugurated the Mini World Cup or Champions Trophy in 1998. Initially, it was known as the ICC Knockout Trophy but later became the Champion Trophy in 2002. Bangladesh was the first to organize this trophy in June 1998, and it has been exhausted with six editions for the next 23 years.
ICC Champions Trophy Winners List (1998 – 2024)
ICC came up with the idea of a tournament to enhance funding for the non-test-playing nations. It was massively successful in the first two editions in Bangladesh and Kenya. Afterward, the ICC decided to host this tournament in other nations as well, such as England, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Australia, and so on. There has been a total of 8 tournaments from 1998 to 2017. A list of final venues, winners, and runners-up with years is given below:
| Host Country | Final Venue | Year | Runner Up | Winner | Won By |
| Bangladesh | Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka | 1998 | West Indies | South Africa | 4 wickets |
| Kenya | Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi | 2000 | India | New Zeeland | 4 Wickets |
| Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 2002 | None | Sri Lanka & India | Joint Winners |
| England | The Oval, London | 2004 | England | West Indies | 2 Wickets |
| India | Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai | 2006 | West Indies | Australia | 8 Wickets |
| South Africa | SuperSport Park, Centurion | 2009 | New Zealand | Australia | 6 Wickets |
| England and Wales | Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham | 2013 | England | India | 5 Runs |
| England and Wales | The oval London | 2017 | India | Pakistan | 180 Runs |
| Pakistan | Not Decided | 2025 | Not Decided | Not Decided | Not Decided |
All Champions of ICC Tournament – A Comprehensive Overview
The inaugural ICC tournament was held in Bangladesh, where West Indies’ Philo Wallace performed as a leading run scorer, scoring 221 points. The highest wicket-taker of this tournament was African all-rounder Jacques Kallis. He finished the match by winning the Knockout Trophy of 1998.
In the ICC Champion Trophy tournament of 2000, Indian cricket was in superior form. Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly ended with a massive 348 runs. However, in the finals, India posted a target of 265, but Chris Cairns came to the ground and won the ICC Champion Trophy for New Zealand.
In the 2002 ICC Tournament, India and Sri Lanka were declared as joint winners. 12 teams competed that year. Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold were given the target of 222 runs in the final match. However, due to rain, India could only bat 8.5 overs with a scoreline of 38/1. Hence, the ICC decided and declared both India and Sri Lanka as winners of the ICC Champions Trophy of that year.
England hosted the ICC tournament of 2004, with 12 teams competing. English players dominated the tournament, Marcus Trescothick, batsman lead to scorer with 261 runs, and Andrew Flinton as wicket-taker with 9 wickets. In the final match, England posted 217 runs in 49.4 overs. West Indies chased the target in 48.5 overs and won the Champions Trophy by 2 wickets.
From year 2006 to 2009, Australia was the only team that defended the ICC Champions Trophy. In 2006, Australia and the West Indies reached the final match, and Australia won by 8 wickets. In 2009, Australia defeated New Zeeland; Shane Watson tailed 105 runs in 129 balls and won the title of consecutive winner of the ICC Champions Trophy for Australia.
In 2013, India progressed to the final after beating South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The tournament was affected by rain, and 50 overs matches were reduced to 20 overs. India scored 120 runs and won ICC by defeating host Englamd with 5 runs margin.
In the most recent edition of the ICC tournament, in 2017, Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs. It was the best Champions Trophy final ever. Pakistan posted an immense target of 339 in batting first. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni returned in single figures, although Hardik Pandya played 43 balls but could not chase the target and lost the final.
FAQs
Why was the ICC Champions Trophy not held in 2021?
This is because, in 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided that the Champions Trophy would be moved out in 2021, and the T20 World Cup would be two yearly from now. They decided to hold the ICC Champions Trophy next in Pakistan in 2025 and in India for teh year 2029.
Which team won the ICC Champions Trophy the most?
Australia won the ICC Champions Trophy twice consecutively, in 2006 and 2009. It defeated the West Indies in 2006 by 8 wickets and New Zealand in 2009 by 6 wickets.
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