The International Cricket Council (ICC) today affirmed the 8 groups which will partake in the ICC Champions Trophy 2015 (50-over competition).
Test playing countries West Indies and Zimbabwe have passed up a great opportunity. "Bangladesh will come back to the ICC Champions Trophy interestingly since 2006 after the eight sides were affirmed for the 2017 competition, which will be facilitated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) from 1 to 18 June," ICC said in a media discharge on Wednesday (September 30).
Bangladesh have supplanted the West Indies, who completed outside the main 8 in ninth position, in the ICC ODI Team Rankings on the 30 September 2015 cut-off date, ICC included. Brian Lara-captained West Indies had won the 2004 release of Champions Trophy beating has England by 2 wickets in an exciting last at The Oval.
The 8 sides to play in Champions Trophy 2017 are (in rankings request): title holders Australia, title holders India, 1998 victors South Africa, 2000 champions New Zealand, 2002 co-champs Sri Lanka, has England, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Bangladesh's last investment in the Champions Trophy was in India, when they included in the qualifying round. The Champions Trophy 2017 will be a 15-match competition, with groups split into 2 gatherings of 4, with the main 2 groups in every gathering advancing to the semi-finals.
The gatherings and the calendar will be reported later. "With the sides for the Champions Trophy 2017 now affirmed, the following essential capability date in the journals of the 12 groups on the ICC ODI Team Rankings will be 30 September 2017. That is the date when the main 8 positioned sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings will acquire direct capability for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 to be facilitated by the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board)," ICC said.
The last 4 sides will get another opportunity to finish the 10-group line-up in the World Cup when they will be joined by groups from the World Cricket League Championship and the World Cricket League Division 2 in the World Cup Qualifier 2018.
In that capacity, all reciprocal ODI cricket in the number one spot up to 30 September 2017, including the Champions Trophy 2017, will now have more prominent significance as just 27 focuses isolate second-positioned India from ninth-positioned West Indies.
ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 30 September 2015, main 8 sides have fit the bill for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017)
(Read as Rank, Team, Points)
1. Australia 127
2. India 115
3. South Africa 110
4. New Zealand 109
5. Sri Lanka 103
6. Britain 100
7. Bangladesh 96
8. Pakistan 90
9 West Indies 88
10 Ireland 49
11. Zimbabwe 45
12. Afghanistan 41
ICC Champions Trophy victors 1998 - South Africa 2000 - New Zealand 2002 - India and Sri Lanka (joint champs after last was washed out twice, on 2 days) 2004 - West Indies 2006 - Australia 2009 - Australia 2013 - India
