The path to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, an eight-team cricket extravaganza, has taken an unexpected twist in the ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup. As it stands, the top seven teams in this tournament’s league stage will secure their places in the Champions Trophy, joining the host nation, Pakistan. This surprising revelation has left some cricket boards puzzled, particularly those whose teams are competing in India and others who failed to make the cut for the ODI World Cup.
In 2021, the ICC Board made the decision to reintroduce the Champions Trophy as part of the global cricket calendar for the 2024-31 cycle, featuring eight men’s teams. This decision marked a significant development in the cricket world, but the news of Champions Trophy qualification being tied to the 2023 World Cup came as a shock to many.
Unfortunately, this system implies that certain Full Member nations like West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Ireland, who did not qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup, will miss out on the chance to participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The link between these two tournaments became apparent when Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, mentioned the Champions Trophy during a press conference, hinting at the stakes involved.
The ICC’s announcement in November 2021 introduced several global events for both men and women, with the Champions Trophy featuring prominently in 2025 and 2029. The tournament structure for the Champions Trophy will follow the format used in previous editions, with two groups of four teams, followed by semi-finals and the grand final.
In the past, the top eight teams in the ODI rankings qualified for the Champions Trophy, but this time, the top seven teams in the 2023 ODI World Cup have been chosen to participate in the prestigious event. The decision to change the qualification process was initially recommended by the ICC’s chief executives committee and was later ratified by the ICC Board, paving the way for an exciting and unexpected journey to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
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