ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Here's How Teams Will Qualify For The Tournament In Pakistan

The 9th edition of the ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. The International Cricket Council revived the Champions Trophy in 2021 for the international calendar of 2024-2031 and the two editions of the tournament will be staged in 2025 and 2029.

The tournament was originally known as the ICC Knockout when it was staged in 1998 in Dhaka, Bangladesh and in 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya. The event was renamed the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 and was held every two years until 2009 (when it was held in South Africa after the scheduled event in 2008 in Pakistan had to be cancelled).

Subsequently, the event moved to a four-year cycle and was held in England in 2013 and 2017.

Teams finishing inside the top seven on the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 table will receive qualification for the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 alongside designated hosts Pakistan.

The Champions Trophy is also set to follow the traditional format – four teams divided into two groups with the top two sides from each group entering the semifinals which is followed by the final.

But this qualification system, which was approved in 2021 during an ICC board meeting, might hamper the prospects of teams like England and Bangladesh in getting a Champions Trophy slot.

Looking at the scenario, England is currently placed 10th on the World Cup 2023 chart with just two points and Bangladesh are on ninth with two points. Both teams have three more matches left in the tournament and need some massive turnaround to lift themselves among the top seven.

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan had asserted the importance of finishing inside the top seven in the World Cup.

"I mean, not the semifinal hope. It is not a semifinal possibility. At least, we need to do a little better. Suppose, you have to be in the (top) ranking 8 if you want to play in the Champions Trophy (2025). So, there are still three matches left considering that in mind," Shakib said on Saturday after Bangladesh's defeat against the Netherlands.

According to an ESPNcricinfo report, England captain Jos Buttler said that he's "aware" about the Champions Trophy berth which is at stake for the World Cup winning team.

"And absolutely, it just proves we've still got lots to play for," the report quoted him as saying following England's defeat to India in Lucknow.

The Netherlands and Afghanistan are currently eighth and seventh respectively in the table and can realistically dream of getting a berth in the Champions Trophy 2025.

Meanwhile, teams like West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe stand no chance to qualify for the Champions Trophy because they are not playing in this World Cup.

(With PTI inputs)